Success is characterized as the progressive realization of a worthy ideal, a principle we delve into deeply during this episode. We engage in a profound discussion with Tiago and Milano, the dynamic duo behind a successful road management and chauffeuring business that has flourished over the past decade. Their journey commenced in 2015, driven by a shared vision and a commitment to professionalism, ultimately serving high-end clients and entertainers across South Africa. Throughout the conversation, we explore the intricate challenges they faced, the importance of resilience, and the values that underlie their success. This episode serves as an inspiring testament to the power of persistence and dedication in the pursuit of one's aspirations.

Takeaways:

• Success is best defined as the progressive realization of a worthy ideal, aligning with one's values.
• Engaging with diverse individuals reveals the multifaceted nature of success and personal growth.
• Trust, discretion, and professionalism are fundamental in building a successful service-oriented business.
• A successful entrepreneur must navigate the challenges of fluctuating income while maintaining financial discipline.
• Building relationships with clients is essential, as it fosters trust and enhances service delivery in the industry.
• The importance of professionalism in the entertainment industry cannot be overstated, particularly in maintaining a reputation.

Companies mentioned in this episode:

• Varsity College Waterfall
• MTN
• Vodacom
• Mercedes Benz
• Hudson
• Trevor Noah
• Lano
• Mo
• Black Coffee

Hey everybody.

Welcome back to the podcast.

Remember that success is the progressive realization of a worthy ideal.

That means you're going after what you've always wanted to go after because it's aligned with your highest values.

And that's the only way that you can truly live a fulfilled, inspired and a successful life.

And on the show, on the conversation segment, we talk with people from all walks of life and we learn about their success journeys, what they've been successful at, the challenges that they've had and how they've grown as people in different industries.

We've had doctors, lawyers, specialists, entertainers, dancers.

And now whether you're a business mogul, business guru, a tentrepreneur, you don't have a tender.

Can I have a tender?

You're of tenders.

None of your attendance.

Okay.

Whether you're a driver, because I believe you can learn from anybody across different spectrums.

And on this show today, this has been five years in the making.

Five years in the making.

It took me a long time, but this is a, this is a tale that if you don't give up, your dreams can come true.

You too can have Lano and Mo on your show.

So I'm just going to read out your bio.

So Tiago, affectionately known as Mo and Milano, widely recognized as Lano, are the dynamic duo behind a decade long journey in road management and chauffeuring, specializing in servicing high end clients and entertainers across South Africa.

And at the time, Milano was working a full time.

9 to 5.

You worked at 9 to 5, how did you survive when a 9 to.

5 My brother, it was not easy.

Some people, 9 to 5 people, he is like one of them.

So while Tiako was studying supply chain and logistics management at Varsity College Waterfall, what started as a side hustle quickly evolved into a thriving business built on trust, discretion, professionalism and an unmatched understanding of their clients needs.

Over the past 10 years, Mo and Lano have become trusted names in the entertainment and luxury transport industry.

Known for their flawless execution, client first approach and ability to navigate high pressure environments with ease and confidence.

Their clientele includes a list.

Artists really a list?

Are these a listers?

Are these really a listers?

Yeah, are they a lister or do they claim to be a listers?

No, definitely.

Oh, they definitely listen also, if you show for Trevor.

No, I'm just.

Okay, let's get into that.

Public figures and VIP guests, all of whom rely on their expertise to ensure seniors experiences on the road.

Together they've built a reputation that speaks for itself.

Quietly shaping the behind the scenes logistics that keep stars shining and events running smoothly.

All right, well, Lionel, welcome to the show.

Welcome to the show.

Welcome to the show.

Thank you.

Thank you for finally making the time.

Very first question now, Lionel, let's start with your 9 to 5.

I want to understand what this 9 to 5 was.

I don't know about you because for you to get here in this journey from working a 9 to 5, why did you work a 9 to 5 and what took you so long to be your true self?

Sure.

So to cut a long story short, after school I started with a trade first.

So I was doing welding at first and then from welding I left there, I went to go.

I was a driver for a company in the Agriculture.

Yeah, I was a driver.

There was about a year or so from there I went into stock control and then receiving dispatch, all of that.

And after that went back to welding again.

And then.

Yeah, that was what, probably about 10 years or so.

Yeah, yeah.

And then, so this was on and off.

It was weekends, you know what I mean?

Okay.

I would, I would literally Friday, quarter to four, I'd finish and then go home bath.

He picks me up or I pick him up, whatever, and then we leave and then I'll probably be back home.

Sunday, bath, back to work again.

Back to work.

Oh yes.

Like so this was a weekend side hustle.

So yeah.

So you were your nine to five.

I thought nine to five you'd clock in, go to like MTN or Vodacom in a suit and a tie.

Oh, hell no.

Okay.

That's what I thought it was.

Okay.

That makes a lot of sense.

I need to work.

You to work.

Okay.

You're a hands on type of person.

Oh, okay.

I need to move.

You need to move.

Hence the drive.

Hence the driving.

Yeah, yeah.

So like my gate needs somewhere.

Can you still weld?

Must I find somebody else to do that?

No, no, no, no, no.

I can refer someone, but no, isn't it.

You're a celebrity now.

That's why you don't.

Oh, wow.

I wish.

Yo, man.

So Mo, you were studying supply chain management.

Yeah.

And you decided to go into driving.

Why?

So it goes hand in hand basically logistics and you know, being on the road.

You know, I've always said that like I like to get paid.

Huh.

And it just so happened that when we started I was like, this makes sense.

Yeah.

Got our first vehicle.

Right.

What was your first vehicle that you guys got?

Why?

Why?

Mercedes Benz.

Why not an Audi?

What's wrong?

No, it didn't make sense.

It didn't make sense.

Yeah.

Financially or what?

No.

Oh.

For what we wanted.

What we wanted.

It didn't make sense to get an Audi.

Okay, so when you guys were doing, what was your selection criteria for the first car to go into the work that you're doing?

Seven seater.

Needed space.

Needed to at least look the part.

Yeah.

For.

Obviously you can't come.

I don't want this to come out the wrong way, but you can't come up to a big name in a Quantum or whatever.

Oh, ladies and gentlemen, shots fired at the Quantum.

You see what I'm saying?

You see what I'm saying?

They're never gonna sponsor me.

Yeah.

I don't know.

But I get you here.

Yeah.

So, yeah, I think it.

And also like a sedan or something.

You can only load like two or three people in there and it's boring.

You know what I mean?

You don't want to drive to Bloom or Durban and you confined, you know, so.

Okay, so you want the clients to be comfortable.

Yeah.

You want to take a nap?

Take a nap.

Want to be with your daddy?

No.

You know.

You know what I'm talking about.

He doesn't know what I'm talking about.

All right, so how did you guys just end up landing a list clients?

First of all, how do you define what an A lister is?

And then how did you end up getting them as your clients?

Well, I don't think we knew it at that time.

Yeah, yeah.

Because to put it to.

Into perspective, we were doing this.

We started with Hudson.

Right.

And then.

So we were.

We were basically doing this for free in the beginning.

It took us a while before we got paid, so we were doing it for free out of our pocket.

And.

And I guess we climbed the ladder.

No.

Yeah.

So we got a call.

Well, who was it?

I was with Hudson.

And we went get a meeting with the clients.

And then the client literally asked me, yo, what are you guys doing with this bus?

No, I'm like, are we looking for work?

And he's like, okay, Monday gave us a call visit the road test drive to see how you guys.

And ever since then.

And then from then you started learn clients of the client of the client.

And that same client literally referred us to others.

Okay.

Okay, guys.

You guys are looking for jobs.

These are the guys, proper chauffeur drivers.

That's fascinating.

You did it without a website.

You did it without an Instagram page.

You went on Tick Tock.

We had you even have.

You have emails to that?

Nothing.

We literally, we would go to gigs and what's up?

What's up?

We are here with, you know, and we hustle, dude.

We literally like imagine going out, leaving work and then going to your second job, but your second job is not even giving you a 50 rand.

You know what I mean?

Like it was coins back then and you know, it wasn't like now life wasn't so expensive.

Yeah, yeah.

You get me.

So we could.

We got by.

We got by.

We were tracking on a Monday at Stoop in lx.

Yeah, there was a place in Vowel.

Yeah, there was a place called vmcafe.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

We'd be there on Mondays.

Just doing what?

Just, just hustling for words.

Everywhere, dude.

We were everywhere.

Yeah.

If you had an event, we'd hit you up.

Can we transport whatever, you know something.

Yeah.

And long story short, if it wasn't the artist or anybody, we take hostesses.

So you take hostesses, not take them with transport.

You take them on as clients.

That's what I mean.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

But through the event.

Through the event.

So you go to the event.

This is, this is, this is business genius, guys.

I hope you guys are learning from this because I'm learning from this.

This is business genius.

You go to the event and if you couldn't get the artist, you would still go and speak to the person who's hosting the event and proposition them to be your client.

Correct.

So we would literally.

Okay, you want.

You.

You hosting an event.

Yeah.

There's five hostesses.

Then they all meet at one place.

We come, we pick them up, go to the event.

We, we are both there though, throughout the whole day.

Yeah.

When the event is done, we go drop them off.

Yeah.

At their location again.

And.

And then that would be the story.

Yeah.

And you take cash or eft or.

Hey, my brother, bitcoin wasn't a thing.

You'll take the picture.

Yeah, whatever.

Yeah, yeah.

So.

So that like.

So how did you get to the.

Yeah.

Yes.

So when you guys say hustling for work, like you go to these places and hustle for work.

Right.

We literally just did.

Just park a van outside.

I just started joining, like, hey, yo, get in my van.

Like, let me drive you.

No, never.

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

I just wanted to clarify, cuz that's how it sounded.

That's.

That's what I wanted to clarify.

So we would.

We were fortunate, I guess, to be Introduced to some of the people and we would also see who's the managers, you know, and you befriend yourself.

Let me buy you a shot or whatever.

Let me buy you a beer, whatever the case may be capital.

This is.

Yeah, just.

You just build a relationship.

You build a relationship because we knew.

What the end goal was.

Yeah.

See?

Talk a little bit of love.

So you're shattering the clients.

That's what they do.

You had to finesse them.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

You know, good question.

So have you ever been fired from a.

By a client?

Never.

Never, Never, never been fired.

Never, never been fired.

You're a better man than I am.

Not been fired twice in my life.

You've never.

Well, I wasn't fired by the Let go twice.

But you've Guys never been fired.

Okay, so have you ever been to the point mo first mo then lo.

Have you ever ch.

Seen the client and be like, I'm never going to work with you again, man?

Yes.

And why.

What did they do for them for you to say?

Because, because.

Because right now you came in with your Ferrari, but, like, you don't have two Ferraris.

So until you have two Ferraris, I think you can fire anyone.

But you're not at the two Ferrari stage.

So knowing.

So you fired the clients or whatever when you say, find the client to say you're not going to work with them again, knowing that money is still a necessity.

What did they do that bad that you were like, I, you can keep your money?

Respect.

Respect.

Yeah, yeah.

There was no.

There was no respect.

What did they.

What did they do?

You know, the way they communicate, Talk to you, you know?

Yeah.

Like, come on, respect me.

You know, I'm speaking to you with respect.

I know what my job.

Yeah.

I do not like this, this and this.

Right.

And I respect that.

But if you can't speak to me.

Yeah.

What are some of the things that they would say?

I'm trying.

I'm trying to make sure that when I hire you, that when I hire you, I don't say the same things.

I don't know if it's safe to say.

It's safe to say.

It's safe to say.

I don't know if it's safe to say, but yeah, let's just say that it was just a respect.

It was just a respect thing.

So.

So it's how they spoke to you.

Yeah.

And how they.

How did they treat your time with it?

Like late.

Yeah.

Like also time management.

Sorry, don't tell me.

Pick me up at eleven.

Yeah.

I get to your place at half past ten.

Yeah.

We leave your place at one.

At one.

This.

At one.

Don't do that.

At one.

Yes.

Jes.

That's mad.

No, that's.

That's.

That's just what we call professional courtesy now.

It's no longer there.

And there's a reason why I would get there earlier, you know, like 30 minutes before time.

So we believe that we'd rather wait for you.

Yeah.

You know what I'm saying?

Yeah.

So how nice of them.

How professional.

That's professionalism.

So in essence, that make you wait two hours, because that 30 minutes before that's.

That's your courtesy time.

That's your professional time.

Then they make you wait for two hours.

What are they doing for two hours?

You honestly don't know?

Okay.

And has that been multiple clients that do that?

And then when you say, I'm no longer working with you, do you give them the reasons why?

That's like.

Or do you just, like, go cold turkey on them and say, no, no.

Call turkey.

Cold turkey.

Why don't you want to sit them down, have a coffee, have a blc?

Look, don't burn bridges also.

But also, I'm not gonna lick your ass.

I know my worth type of person.

I know my worth type of person.

Yeah, yeah.

Look, at the end of the day, let's just respect each other.

Yeah.

Come on.

It's.

Just because I'm driving you doesn't mean that I'm less than you.

Yeah.

I don't know how to put it, but yeah, I think for me, that's.

That's the biggest thing.

Respect goes a long way.

Like, even.

Even, like we were raised that if someone comes in, you stand up to greet them.

Yeah, yeah.

If there's women that come in, you stand up, you let the woman sit down.

Nowadays, you'll get Brutus, Bruiser, Celebrities, they'll walk in.

Someone will walk in because he only knows you.

He'll look at us like this and greet you.

I will.

Basically doesn't see the results.

Celebrities, first of all, first of all, we're in South Africa.

I don't know if we have celebrities.

Hey, my brother.

I don't think we do.

That's just my controversial opinion.

If your name is not Trevor Noah, you are not a celebrity.

Not Tyler, you are not a celebrity.

If you're not coffee, you are not a celebrity.

I'm just saying.

I'm joking, obviously.

So.

So they'll just.

They'll just greet people that they know.

Yeah.

And they won't say hi.

L. Hi, Mo.

How are you doing?

Give you a smoke?

Yeah.

They give you a smoke or even give.

They let me give you this, you know, even a small one.

Not even the first time.

Nothing.

What?

Okay, so in your experience, why do quote, unquote, celebrities, a listers.

Why do they have.

It seems to be pervasive in that.

That type of industry where.

Because I'm on TV or I've got a million followers or I have my quota.

Mo quote or own driver, whatever that means.

I can just act like I'm better than anybody else.

Why do people have that mindset?

Should be told.

I would not know.

You wouldn't know?

I wouldn't know.

Yeah.

Because you're a real human being.

I guess you have to interview them.

Obviously, they're not gonna tell me.

Yeah, no one would own up to that.

No one would own it.

I don't know.

You don't know.

I think it's nowadays, like, social media is so all over and kids live on that.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Excuse me.

So I feel like they see it and they want to live that fully.

But that's.

That's not real life, though.

No, but they don't see it like that.

If I post a Rolex now, I can guarantee you someone is gonna find me and want to see if I'm wearing that Rolex.

Yeah.

Like, why do you think so many people will only post where they are after they've left?

Because Oaks are stupid, man.

Or they have too much money or too much debt.

I think people have too much time.

Thank you.

I think.

Yeah, thank you.

I think kids.

You kids way too much time doing nothing.

If.

I'm sure if they go on their phones and check how long they spent on Tick Tock and Instagram.

Yeah.

It's just mad.

Yeah, I know.

I'm a victim of that YouTube.

I'm a YouTuber.

So you get.

You get hooked on the right stuff.

Yeah, yeah.

When I say right stuff, it's the sports content, it's a business content, but it's no longer.

It's not the.

The luxury lifestyle, you know, you can't.

Tell me you don't look at one bum on Instagram.

On Instagram.

Well, I wish I could show you my Instagram now.

I'm being very honest.

I'm being very honest.

I'm not getting canceled because of YouTube.

I just pops up on your feet.

I'm like, hey, next.

You know, just, hey, you know.

Man.

At the end of the day, what does that mean?

I don't Know what that means, guys?

I'm very.

I watch tennis and football.

Content only.

I don't know what bugs you guys are talking about.

It just pops up.

It just.

It just.

It just does.

It just does leave you.

So how.

What's your professional arrangement with a client?

So let's say Mukundi model over there wants to go to an event.

Wants to go to an event.

And he says, I'm going to Sun City.

Okay.

And I need to travel there.

I'm gonna go there for five hours.

And then after the five hours and you drive me back, take us through that entire process of like, is there a contract that's signed?

When do you get a deposit?

When do you.

Does he pay you?

What's.

What.

Just to take us through the entire process.

So most of the guys we've worked with was South African way on trust.

So trust me.

On trust.

You know what I mean?

So it doesn't Trust, trust.

So it's.

He's your boy.

Yeah.

You call me, you tell me my boy needs a ride.

Short.

I know you, me and you are cool, right?

I'm gonna tell you.

Okay, sharp.

It's 100 bucks.

Yeah.

Example.

Yeah.

100 bucks we'll agree on.

You give me 50 now, 50 after.

Yeah, yeah.

Depending on what we agree on.

Yeah, yeah.

Dependent on our relationship as well, because most of the people we've had a relationship with, them.

Yeah, yeah.

Right.

So it'll be then.

Okay, you want me to pick you up at 10?

Yeah.

You need to be there by 3.

Yeah.

Short.

We leave at 10.

Yeah.

Hit the road, we get there, you do your thing, come back.

Yeah, we'll wait.

We'll.

Yeah.

Whether we sit in the car, whether we go in with you.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Just do our own things, walk around, whatever it is.

Okay, so that.

That's.

So that's basically not the drive time.

It's the entire gig based.

It's the entire gig, basically.

So if they.

If they're going to.

To the event and they're doing whatever it is they needed to doing, they're playing, they're hosting, and that is three hours.

That's an additional three hours.

So do you charge them just for driving, or do you also charge them for the three hours of their time?

Everything in.

Oh, it's charge per hour as professional, not.

Not per hour per se.

Everything in.

So we've got.

We've got a rate basically for, let's say, Joburg.

Yeah.

Right.

Gauteng.

Yeah, yeah, we've got a rate for that.

Yeah.

And then if you're going, let's say Rusty.

Yeah, it's a different rate.

Then let's say Bloom, it's a four hour, three and a half to four hour drop.

Call it.

Call it four.

Yeah.

Right.

With a stop.

Yeah.

So that's a four hour trip.

Then Bloom.

Nel Spread, it's the same distance.

Durban, It's a different one.

Yeah, yeah.

So it's all time based.

So we'll factor all of that in.

So you guys don't charge AA rates.

Oaks will cry.

And COVID ruined it.

Oh, also Covert, like completely.

That's.

Let's go to that.

So what did Covert do for you guys?

That was a dumpster fire over here.

It was mad.

It was absolutely mad.

Let's just say there were some people who took out loans to open a restaurant the month before COVID And then went.

So my brother, if.

If we.

If we didn't have savings.

No, yeah.

Covid would have finished us.

Oh, okay.

So, yeah.

So tough.

You guys couldn't go anywhere.

No, no, no, no.

So.

So what did you do?

Just like.

Okay, you said you had savings, so you guys just survived with your savings.

You didn't go underground, so.

Pineapple.

Underground.

So.

Thought about it, though.

But I know you did.

I definitely did.

No, I thought about it.

We're like, we need to survive here.

So for me, luckily my wife was still working.

Okay.

Yeah.

So that helped us as well.

Shout out to the wife.

Shout out.

Yeah, yeah.

So she was, you know, holding us down at that time.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

And then also because, like, you.

So it's not.

You guys don't get like a fixed salary at all?

No.

None whatsoever.

In the last 10 years, I've not.

You haven't seen a fixed salary?

No.

Not a pay slip?

No.

Okay.

So how do you pay taxes?

I just want to.

I think we should cut that.

Part.

We need to cut.

Me thirsty over here.

Oh, man.

Okay.

Okay.

All right, let's move on from Cyril's money.

So you guys, like.

So, like, psychologically, what does that do for you?

Knowing that I don't have a fix.

That entrepreneur, my brother, anybody who is an entrepreneur will know that today you can make a thousand rand.

Next week you can make 10k.

Excuse me, the following week or the following month.

You don't make.

Or you don't make nothing.

Yeah.

Like it's up and down.

You.

You.

You're not answering to anybody but your partner.

Yeah.

In essence.

Yeah.

So.

Yeah.

So how do you.

How do you do it?

How.

How do you do it?

Like, how do you survive on fluctuating income?

Like, how do you.

You have to know how to work with your money.

Ah, okay.

Yeah.

Don't know it all.

Yeah.

Because you got 50k this month.

Now you wanna blow everything.

Yeah.

So, you know, so this month you.

Could literally just make 100 grand.

Yeah.

That is real life.

It's real life.

Just 100.

Oh, my goodness, my brother.

It's.

It's.

It's tricky, this thing.

Yeah.

You can make 20k this month.

Next month you make 3,000.

Yeah.

So.

And that's a fact.

And then the next month, you can make 100.

Next month you can make nothing.

For three straight months, you can make nothing.

Have you gone through a month where you made nothing?

Yes.

Yes.

Proudly.

Yes.

You ain't had to say it like that.

Know.

Hey, man, you.

You go through there?

Yeah.

Like, nothing.

No, my brother.

I should run day one, my brother.

It's sad.

It's sad.

What's the business you guys chose?

Guys.

Okay, true, you have a degree in supply chain management.

You can go to an office, but you choose not to.

No.

When you punch someone in the office like that, you punch.

Ah, you'd punch someone?

No, no, no, no, no.

I wouldn't budge if I was pushed.

Well, not physically.

You know what I mean?

But I'll just be like this guy.

All right, so what was in the past 10 years?

Give me the behaviors of the best type of clients that you've worked with.

Just the behaviors.

I don't want to name names.

And I. I know you guys work with very important people who think that they're celebrities, but it's fine.

The.

The characteristics of, like, some of your best clientele and the characteristics of some of your worst clientele.

Just some of the things that they do, some of the things that they say.

Like, let's look at, like, your ideal client.

Ideal.

You give me a pickup time.

I'm there.

I'm obviously gonna be earlier.

What's the time?

We.

We were meant to leave at 11.

We leave it half past 11.

It's all okay, you know, still.

Okay.

We.

We don't have to drive 160 to get to the gig.

Okay.

130.

1:40.

Ish.

We get there on time.

Either five minutes before or two minutes before.

We are on time, chief.

We're never late, you know.

Yeah.

And you go and you do your thing.

Yeah.

And what else?

I think you pretty much said communication.

Communication.

Okay.

That is.

So they're communicating with you often?

All the time.

Yeah.

Like.

Yeah, sorry.

I'M still a bit busy, you know, just give me another five, five minutes or so.

I, I heard, I heard a story of a celebrity.

You may or may not know them, but I heard a story whereby the call time is, let's say for argument's sake, to 12.

They arrive there at 12, but they refuse to get out the car for two straight hours and then they only go to go do their work at 2.

Has.

Have you seen something like that before?

Never, I've never.

Or seen a client do that to somebody else?

Because your clients, they've got clients that they're servicing, you're basically taking them to go do work for somebody else sometimes.

Have you seen a client be respectful to you but be disrespectful to another client?

No.

No, you haven't seen that.

Okay.

I think the most of the people we've worked with respect their craft as well.

Yeah.

So if, let's say we are late.

Yeah, we get there, you wanted us 10 at 9 o' clock there.

We get there 10 past 9.

Yeah.

You start, let's say you start playing at quarterbacks.

Yeah.

We'll go over, we won't leave at 9.

You know what I mean?

So we'll play over until quarter past 20 past whatever the case may be.

Yeah, yeah.

So I think most of the people we've worked with respect their craft.

Yeah, yeah.

Excuse me.

As well.

So.

Yeah, respect the craft in the people.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

And then in terms of, because in this entrepreneurship world that you work in entertainment media arts, the P word comes up a lot.

You know what the P word is?

What's a P word?

I just guess.

I don't want to say the wrong thing.

So rather you.

It's a very clean word.

When you talk, talking about pushing P, man.

I don't know, man.

The thing that makes the entire industry go around, that P word is payment.

Right.

Payment, payment.

So do people pay you on time?

Do they say they're going to pay you 100 grand and then they end up paying you 50?

How do you deal with people not paying you on time?

And as agreed upon is it is a cause for dismissal right at the spot?

If I say, well, I'm going to pay you 50 rand but then end up paying you 25 rand?

I've never had that one.

Yeah.

But I think most of the guys would just be like because of the industry that we are in.

Yeah.

Edward.

So if venues pay on different dates.

Yeah, you understand?

So I think that's where the biggest issue comes in.

I See, I see.

So me and you agree, on Monday I'm gonna invoice you.

Yeah, yeah.

But then on Monday you find out that this venue hasn't paid yet.

So now we have to wait for venue B as well.

You get.

So it's just those type of things.

Okay.

So you basically have to keep on.

So basically you're dependent on somebody else paying them.

Yeah.

100.

Okay.

Unless if it's a corporate.

Yeah, unless you know how they work.

Yeah, you know how they work.

Okay, so we'll get.

Get to corporate clients there.

But I'm saying as.

As.

As an.

As my own entity, as a.

As a dj, rapper, whatever the case is, if I'm late to paying you because someone's late to pay me, why is that your problem?

Like you said, you're gonna pay me Monday.

Why must I accommodate you?

Like, I. I've done that.

I've done the job.

I did the job.

But why is it.

But then also, you don't.

It.

It comes down to your relationship again.

Okay.

Yeah.

So if it's.

If it's our first time working, I won't take you on.

I'll pay you on Monday.

Okay.

It.

I'll never do.

Okay.

Yeah.

If it's our first time, I want my money now.

You know what I mean?

Upfront.

Because you don't know.

Then I'll send you your invoice.

Yeah.

Let's leave it at that.

Okay.

Yeah.

Does it send it before.

Yeah.

Yo, I need you.

We're going to Bloemfontein as an example.

Okay.

Saturday, I send it to you.

Let's say you call me on Tuesday, I send it to you.

I know on the invoice, it's the.

Get, like payments.

Yeah, Right.

And then you make the payments.

If you haven't made payments, I'm not moving.

Oh, okay.

Yeah, I won't move, unfortunately.

Have you.

Once you got the deposit, like, I'm not.

I'm not going.

Not even a deposit, my brother.

The four thing up front.

See, you can do, like, if you.

Call me on Tuesday, do the 50% on Tuesday.

Yeah.

Day before.

Yeah.

On the Friday.

Yeah.

Sort out the balance.

Yeah, yeah.

So, okay, example.

I contract with the both of you to take me to, I know, Namibia, and you say it's going to be 50,000, 20,000, whatever it is, and you say, I want the 20,000 on Friday before I leave.

Before we leave.

If I give you.

I say I can only have half of that.

Unfortunately, I can't move.

That means I can only take you halfway.

International.

I can only take you halfway.

We get off where I stop.

What I'm trying to get is like, do you guys do favors for people you don't have relationships with?

No.

Or you pass the point of favors.

Now past the point of favors and also with if you someone new.

I will not.

Unless.

Unless.

Listen carefully.

Listen carefully.

Unless if it's yeah, someone.

It's.

It's.

It's a good client of mine that says to me, listen, please sort out this person.

But then I'll take it upon your word.

Yeah, yeah, okay.

But if it's just someone that saw me.

Kai.

Kai.

And they were like, can.

Can you.

You do this and this now, let's.

Let's operate.

Yeah, let me call you Monday.

Monday you call me, you inquire about something, I give you a price.

Now you say no, my brother doesn't work like that.

That's a negative.

Is that a negative?

Guys, come on.

Money talks, excuses walk.

Exactly.

That's why I told you the period makes the entire thing.

I don't know.

Thought I was talking about.

We're pushing P, man.

Pushing P. So what's the.

Without daming is what's the most unusual request that you guys have got?

Like, were you.

Like, what kind of request is this?

Not crazy.

Maybe crazy.

Actually crazy and unusual.

Like this doesn't make sense, but sure, because it's you, I will do it.

No, okay.

What's a normal request?

Pour me a drink, would you?

I don't know.

It's the first thing that came to.

Mind as it relates to the gig, as it relates to the line of work that you're doing.

I don't think I've ever had a funny request or anything like, unless if.

Well, back then Oaks would be like, please call that girl maybe.

You know what I mean?

That would.

But now also guys know that I'm married.

So I won't just go out and.

Be like, it could be a value added service.

Think about it.

You can add wingman to you as a light item on the info, you know.

Thank you.

Not in.

Not in today's time because we.

Peak.

Yeah, peak.

Oh, that's before co.

There, you see there you were pushing pe.

You see that one?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, that.

That was.

Yeah, I think.

Yeah.

You don't wake up with an invoice if you're picking up what I'm putting down.

I get you.

I get you.

I get you.

Yeah.

So good times.

Good time.

Yeah, that was good time.

Good times.

I want us.

I won't ask for any questions on that.

So in your.

In your time, what has made you the most proud?

Like, in terms of the.

The achievement?

Is it doing work for a certain person, or was it looking back from where you started and say, hey, we came a long way?

What in your career has made you the most proud in terms of an achievement?

The people that I've worked with.

Yeah, for me.

For you.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Because for me, it was people I grew up listening to.

And you're like, yo.

You know, and there's things that I never for a million years thought I'd work with.

Some of the people that I've worked with.

Yeah.

So for me, there's only one person that's like, if I get that one, yeah, I'm done.

Who's that person?

That's.

Who's.

Who's that?

Black coffee for me.

Black coffee.

Yeah.

Okay.

Okay.

Yeah.

It's on my wall.

Oh, I see.

Yeah, for me.

But everyone else is people that I've wanted to work with and that.

You've worked with them already.

Yes.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

But even, like, on our first time.

Like, you know, were you, like, starstruck?

We're like.

You're like a. Yeah, but you hold that with your poker face.

No one has a bigger poker face than this guy.

You see him sitting, and I'm like, has he got problems?

Is he happy?

You go up to him, hey, Lando, what's up?

Like, I'm having the time of my life.

Oh, lol.

I don't know why my.

I'll be.

My blood will be pumping butterflies and strawberries.

But people think I'm angry.

I don't know.

Know what?

It's a good.

It's a good trait to have because people don't know what's coming.

Guess you'll never know.

You.

Guess you'll never know.

Yeah.

You mo.

I have to say, looking back at where we started till now.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

You know?

Yeah.

It's been a roller coaster, you know, good times, bad times, tough times.

Yeah, yeah.

You know, so looking at that and still saying that, a decade later, you're.

Still pushing a decade later, still here.

You're still, you know, a lot.

A lot of guys, I'll tell you now, like.

Yeah, I look at a lot of guys that are also trying to do this road management and chauffeur.

Yeah, yeah.

You know, they don't last.

Why don't.

They lost.

This is where the problem is.

They're trying to have more fun Than the clients.

Excuse me.

Yes.

Why?

I even saw a post recently where someone said road managers are getting more drunk than the actual talent.

This doesn't make sense.

Road managers are driving.

Nah.

Or they're not.

Not necessarily.

Not in.

Not with everybody.

Not with him.

It differs.

It differs.

Okay.

Because like with us we could run manager and drive.

Right?

Some people, other clients just prefer having a road manager and a driver.

Okay.

So it just depends on the client.

For those people who don't know what's the difference between the two?

A driver, you get in your drive, you are here, you don't speak to the venue, you don't speak to the one.

And then the road manager, you communicate.

Yeah.

Okay, we're here with.

This time we're going to be, we're.

Going to be 15 minutes late.

Okay.

Okay.

Where's the accommodation?

Which one?

Which one is.

Is better?

Cuz you guys, do you guys do a mixture of the two?

Sometimes we do both.

We do both.

Which one?

If they had to say you need to pick one to do, which one would you do?

I think I drive.

I don't trust people's drive.

I don't trust people.

There's only a hand.

That's actually true.

You know, I've never driven you guys anywhere ever.

There's a reason for reason behind because.

Like I, if I know that.

Okay, we're hitting the road long distance, right?

And it's somebody else driving.

No, I'm not gonna sleep now.

As compared to if I know he's driving.

Yeah, yeah.

Then I'll sleep.

Yeah, yeah.

Well you, you know, we saw people die because they went.

We're driving properly.

Yeah, it was a trauma.

That was a movie that was.

Did you tell lot about that?

The exit in.

Yeah, I missed the action.

I was asleep.

He was asleep.

Wow.

It was like you saw it live.

It was like slow Mo, you know, in movies and it's like.

And the car is like flipping.

And then I'll tell you the funny, the funny thing, what this guy said, it wasn't funny at the time, but now that I look back at it, it's funny.

This is how I know Mo rates himself.

You know, you guys, even, you guys can believe in yourself.

He said, if you get to heaven and I'm not there, you have gone to hell.

You didn't say that.

You say that he was like critiquing him.

Like, why would she drive like that?

She should have just kept on driving forward because she like swerved and then went through the other lanes and she's like, this is why you hire Mo.

The best in the country.

I'm like, now.

So he rates himself, which is good.

Which is very good.

You know, a lot of people say that we're cocky, but I think there's a fine line between cocky and confidence.

Yeah.

Yeah.

What's a fine line?

What's a fine line?

Like, we're just very confident.

Yeah.

It comes off as being cocky.

Yeah.

Arrogance, you know, but it's like, I trust myself.

I guess.

You guess?

You need to.

How many kilometers do you think you've driven in?

Holy.

You guys are top gun for sure.

Jeez.

I wouldn't be able to put a number on it.

Just thinking of December on its own.

December we.

Yeah, I probably did about 25 to 30.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

25 to 30K.

Yeah, yeah.

Just in one month.

In one week.

One month.

So let's say call it from like November.

Ish.

Mid November to mid December.

No, through to like the second week of Jan.

Okay, so how many kilometers is it from Joburg to Cape Town?

1204.

Yeah.

1004.

So theoretically you did that trip about 30 times.

I guess if you put it in one month.

Yeah, in a month.

That's mad.

You.

That is mad.

So I'm sure you guys are acting some good money during that time.

I'm just.

Good times.

No, good times.

Good times.

I have friends who work at sars.

That's why I'm.

How are you friends that work at sars?

And it's.

It's tax season, by the way.

Okay, so.

So 10 years is a very long time.

So guys, well done that you're keeping the line for 10 years.

I don't know if you know the stats of businesses that start and business that fail.

So 80% of all businesses that start.

Maybe my math is incorrect, but the.

The premises are the same.

80% of businesses that start fail by year five, and then of that 20 that's left by 10 years, 90% of them make it.

And that.

That means just make it.

That doesn't mean that you're having.

Making any money.

Doesn't mean that you have a great time.

That means you've just made it.

So you guys give yourself a pat on the back and go buy yourself some Don Julio that you guys are still in business.

No.

No.

Good.

Shit.

Other than pay taxes?

I'm joking.

That's the risk.

I'm joking, man.

I'm joking.

I'm joking.

Why would you go back and tell that guy who is still doing people favors, you're still doing people favors.

This thing is not paying you any money?

I don't know.

Because I think.

I think that's.

That's the problem now.

People don't do that.

It's not the passion anymore.

Oh, I'm not passionate about it anymore.

It's all about.

Everybody wants to be seen.

Yes.

They want the.

The IG followers.

They want.

And.

I mean, like, you know.

I think for us, we enjoy it.

Yeah.

And we.

I certainly never want to be the face of it.

Okay.

I. I love being where I'm at, at the behind the scenes.

Yeah.

You know?

Yeah.

But I don't know what I would say to myself.

I've never thought of that.

Maybe it's like it gets better.

Yeah.

I think that actually that's it.

Keep pushing.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Like, don't give up.

Keep pushing.

Trust me, it'll be worth it.

It'll be worth it in the end.

One day it'll be worth it.

Yeah.

One day you'll be driving around, black coffee and hey, man.

Might be soon.

It might be soon.

When you do that, just call me so I can, you know, just.

I'll be your co driver.

I'll be your road manager.

How's that?

Manager having a roadman.

Exactly.

And I'll do it for free, my man.

I'll do it for free.

I see you.

Mo.

So you'd also tell yourself to keep pushing.

Keep pushing.

Yeah.

Don't give up.

Your time will come.

Yeah.

So looking and so looking into.

Okay, let's go back to the whole thing of professionalism.

So you've never been fired by a client once in 10 years.

That's impressive.

But you fire clients in 10 years.

I wouldn't say fire them.

Well, okay, let me clarify what I mean by fire clients.

Just say, I don't want to work with this type of person again.

That's what I mean by fire.

Maybe fire is too much of a strong word.

Yeah, yeah.

Just say, I don't want to work with this client again for own personal reasons.

So no one has ever said that about.

You don't know.

I would not know.