From Block Life To Stock Life

"To know the game Koli, you have to play it" Thats the famous words of my close friend and big brother James Day. I remember in September of 1999 we both showed up at Heritage High School in the middle of Spanish Harlem, in Manhattan, New York. I remember him being young, ambitious, and full of life. The most talented thing he had was his listening skills. Whether he was listening to a conversation or listening to a song, he was able to immediately process the information and explain it almost instantly. That was amazing and I learned alot from him

"Im From Harlem Koli, I play these blocks so I can get money" is something he would always say often. "Playing the block" basically means living on a street corner until you make money. He lived that statement all to well. James or Jay as I call him was someone who loved to seize the moment. There were days that I can remember him not being in class because he believed active hustling was a way of life. He'd rather spend 8 hours a day on corner making money, then 8 hours in a classroom hoping he'd make money one day.

There were a times he got arrested, there times he lost money, and there were times that he had to physically fight to survive, but he stood on his ideals and his principles. His philosophies maybe a matter of opinion, but looking back in retrospect this would shape his business mind set.

"Koli turn your hobbies into money. Adapt and Change" Is something I didn't understand when James first told me, but as I grew older I began to understand. In 2004 after living in the projects in Harlem, NY most of his life he moved to Alaska on his own, started a family, brought a house, and worked several jobs before beginning to work on his dream of owning his own business. Every job he worked he saved money to invest in his own business. He eventually saved money and began his company GreatDeals907.

Its a cell phone company where customers can purchase phones for a far cheaper price than the major carriers. He saved every dime and used every contact he had to expand his company. His customer base now expands to Anchorage, Juneau, and Fairbanks, Alaska.

"Use that money to make more money bro, a hustler is always thinking ahead" is something James tells me now. After years of hustling to build his business, he reinvests his passive income from his cell phone company, and buys ETFs and stocks. This makes him even more money in the stock market. He's also added Day Trading to his portfolio. With all of his assets combined he's grossed close 50k as his own boss, and is looking forward to making more.

"It's just not just about the hustle its about the work you put in" Jay told me one day when we spoke. "Work hard and believe in your grind, it sounds really cliche, but anything is possible. Look at me I went from standing on the corners of Harlem, New York to owning my own business in Alaska. I took chances and created my own opportunities. I didn't ask anyone for anything. I did it on my own, and I would do again if I had to."

James is someone that I have know for 22 years, and to watch his growth has been beautiful. He has inspired me to do better and be better in my life. He personifies black history. Black history is about people who defied the odds, people who never gave up, people who trail blazed a path for the youth, and many generations to come. James is proof that with hard work and belief in yourself you can accomplish anything.