October 29, 2019
"Appreciate people", these are the sentiments echoed by Gabriel Martino - a phrase he often heard growing up from his father, a tradesman.
On this episode of Caribbean Power Lunch, we hear how an immigrant investment banker bought a granite company in Maryland after flipping houses in then-distressed Baltimore. Gabriel used his storytelling abilities and his most unique attributes as a means of setting himself apart from competitors to win contract negotiations with top hotel chains across America.
His message is "shoot your shot; you can't hit if you don't shoot". Gabriel shares stories of some of the shots he took (business ventures he pursued) and how they worked out for him. He defied all odds and stuck to his guns. His investment strategy when it comes to real estate: buy low in distressed communities, remodel, refurbish then resell high. As he puts it "where people see crisis, I see opportunity".
![049: From Trinidad to Hollywood feat. Darrius Marcellin]()
October 22, 2019
Kevin Valley dives deep with transformational life and motivational coach / Hollywood actor Darius Marcellin in a compelling interview. Darius is Trinidadian born but moved to New York to chase his dream of becoming a basketball player for the Knicks. That dream was laid to rest when he received a full scholarship and stipend to attend St. Francis College in Brooklyn, New York. His passion for entertaining still lingered and he discovered an opportunity to ignite his passion plus get paid through club promotions in the New York City nightlife.
Understanding that building social currency or wealth is important in today's society, Darius sets out to build rapport with some of the hottest celebrities Kanye West, Sean Paul, and Trinidad and Tobago's homegrown Machel Montano. Listen to this interview to learn how Darius moved through the ranks from flipping iPhones on his visits home, to cleaning houses in New Jersey, to an actor in Hollywood and restaurant owner.
In this interview, you will hear how he attributes much of his success to vision boards and vulnerability. Darius and Kevin provide a road map to anyone trying to penetrate the acting industry in NYC or Hollywood and for persons interested in events, specifically nightlife.
June 12, 2019
Kevin Valley gets interviewed on radio station WPFW 89.3FM in Washington DC by the folks of Timba Republic.
April 2, 2019
Keron Bascombe is an Agricultural Journalist and Enthusiast who founded the company Tech4Agri to act as a platform awakening the public to the multitude of technological applications that exist in agriculture, as well as highlighting the work of young "Agripreneurs".
Tech4agri has won numerous awards over the years and has provided Keron the opportunity to travel to over 30 countries across all continents to continue his work; focusing on technology, innovation, and climate change.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Food security and sustainability,
- The current lack of scale and investment in Agriculture, and what can and must be done to rectify this.
March 28, 2019
Kerra Denel migrated to Toronto from Trinidad and Tobago at the age of 12. Today, she continues to fly the Caribbean flag high through her event "Caribbean Women's Power Lunch" (not related).
Kerra has integrated her business management expertise with her passion for Caribbean culture to drive marketing, media and promotional campaign strategies reaching millions of people. She has developed a strong reputation for professional quality event production, artiste management, public relations, marketing and consulting in geographically dispersed locations.
In this bonus episode, we discuss:
- Identity struggles of a Caribbean person living abroad;
- The most authentic way to build a vast network; and
- Why "Caribbean Women's Power Lunch"?
March 26, 2019
Trena De Landro's mission in life is to live better through technology. She is a digital media strategist, innovator, and the founder of Lazy Mas.
Lazy Mas is a digital platform which brings Carnival service providers and masqueraders together making vacation bookings easier, by providing safe and secure transactions with vetted Carnival vendors.
Lazy Mas is an IATA Accredited Travel Agency that helps customers create and customize the Carnival experience they desire.
Trena is also the CEO of Nerdy Accent, a digital media firm that develops and executes effective and measureable, social/mobile/online marketing strategies. Her expertise is in driving profitable consumer engagement and behavior through integrated marketing campaigns.
In this episode, We discuss:
- Affiliate marketing;
- How digital platforms can make Carnival tourism more efficient; and
- Tips on targeting millennials.
![039: Fusion Adventure Races feat. Charles Bobb-Semple]()
March 12, 2019
Charles Bobb-Semple is the man behind FUSION ADVENTURE RACE.
FUSION ADVENTURE RACE is an annual physical and intellectually challenging sporting event that demands courage, commitment, fortitude, stamina, and teamwork.
The event, which recognizes three categories, namely Male, Female and Mixed, takes competitors through mountain trails and other terrains, offering the opportunity for persons to discover the veiled treasures of the island from a unique perspective.
Fusion has earned its place as the premier adventure race in Trinidad & Tobago and takes competitors through mountain trails, offering the opportunity for athletes to discover the veiled treasures of the island from a unique perspective. Additionally, it offers intrigue as participants are only informed of what is required of them at each successive stage; emphasis is placed on teamwork, rather than individual achievement.
In this episode, we discuss:
- The Genesis behind the creation of Fusion;
- The Severe level of logistics and planning that goes into this event; and
- Why crossing the finish line will help you learn more about yourself.
February 26, 2019
The man behind TEDxPortOfSpain.
Keita Demming helps companies identify and implement plausible innovation opportunities. In his line of work, he transforms companies into places and spaces that are idea-driven and people-centered. These companies foster cultures that embrace design, accountability, foresight, strategy, and innovation. High performing organizations have highly engaged and effective employees. They are wonderful places to work, play, and belong.
Keita is also a Partner and Head of Innovation and Development at The Covenant Group (TCG); Keita also founded the Disruptive Conversations podcast, where he unpacks how people who are working to disrupt a sector or system think.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Challenging the Status Quo;
- The Road-map to Identifying and Catalyzing Plausible Innovation Opportunities; and
- 2 Things Fundamental to Success in Innovation.
