Wemimo Abbey immigrated from Lagos, Nigeria at 17. When he and his mother tried to borrow money, they were turned away by a major bank and sent to a payday lender charging over 400% interest. His mother sold his father's wedding ring to get them started in America.

That experience became the foundation for Esusu, a fintech platform that reports rental payment data to credit bureaus—helping millions establish or improve credit scores. Before Esusu, less than 3% of the $1.4 trillion renters pay annually showed up on credit reports.

Wemimo shares how he and co-founder faced 326 rejections, got kicked out of a Denny's for being $100,000 in credit card debt, and still pushed forward. They created a win-win-win model: landlords get more on-time payments, renters build credit, and lenders can better assess risk. The result? Over $50 billion unlocked in economic activity, bipartisan support in Congress, and partnerships with Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, and Zillow.

What you'll learn:

• Why timing matters more than originality when launching an idea
• How to create win-win-win scenarios for all stakeholders
• The power of stakeholder mapping: finding your entry point
• The co-CEO model: why sharing leadership can be a strength
• How to turn customer rejection into your biggest relationship

Wemimo:
"Life is too short to work on win-lose. I am just not interested. It doesn't get me out of bed. Money does not motivate me. Impact gets me on a high."

"We always say think outside the box, but we never let people outside the box engage. That tells you how lopsided access to capital really is."

"Be caught trying. In life, you're gonna be knocked down. People will tell you no. Your ideas won't work. You're gonna have heartache in life. You just gotta show up and be caught trying."

Links & Resources:

• Follow Everett on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/everettksands
• Follow Wemimo on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/wemimoabbey
• Learn more about Esusu: esusurent.com
• Learn more about Lendistry: lendistry.com

Keep the conversation going at smallbusinessunscripted.com

Timestamps:
01:50 – Early Life and Education in Nigeria
04:05 – Entrepreneurial Beginnings and Early Ventures
08:10 – Corporate America and the Birth of Esusu
11:25 – The Power of Rental Data in Credit Scoring
17:15 –Scaling and Impact of Esusu
21:25 – The Importance of Win-Win-Win Scenarios
22:35 – Overcoming Challenges and Rejections
27:30 – The Co-CEO Structure at Esusu
30:00 – Partnerships and Customer Focus

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Andre Johnson has worked everywhere—music A&R, gaming (he got Steven Spielberg's approval for a Jurassic Park VR game), hospitality, and now as EVP at Magic Johnson Enterprises. What connects it all? Vision. And the ability to get people rowing in the same direction without using fear.

Andre breaks down how MJE evaluates partners (it starts with how they treat their people), where the next sports investment opportunities are hiding, and why the gaming industry's customer feedback loop should be required learning for every entrepreneur.

What you'll learn:

• How to get your team aligned when they can't see your vision yet
• Why fear-based leadership produces short-term wins but long-term failure
• How to evaluate potential partners by watching how they treat subordinates

Andre:
"If I can get the people involved to buy into the importance of their role and take us from here to there, and really understand it—if I can help you only be successful at what you do and not ask you to step into somebody else's shoes—then I find that the process is easier."

"Fear-based culture doesn't work. I don't care how much success somebody has had. The team behind them will tell you it's not that way."

"Gaming's not gonna slow down. You think about all the studios and people who have IP, they're now trying to get the gaming audience. The more that we can help young people see a pathway along those things, then we will start to see some of the great inventors of tomorrow."

Links & Resources:

• Follow Everett on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/everettksands
• Follow Andre on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/andre-johnson-31a8587
• Learn more about Magic Johnson Enterprises: magicjohnsonenterprises.com
• Learn more about Lendistry: lendistry.com
• Keep the conversation going at smallbusinessunscripted.com

Timestamps:
00:30 – Introduction to Andre Johnson and Magic Johnson Enterprises
02:00 – Andre's Journey from Music to Business Development
03:30 – Transitioning from Music to Gaming
07:00 – Asset Management and Hospitality Ventures
08:05 – Working at Magic Johnson Enterprises
09:55 – Leadership and Vision in Business
13:00 – Community Empowerment and Partnerships
16:05 – Navigating Partnerships and Investments
18:55 – WNBA's Growth and Excitement
22:10 – Opportunities in STEM and Gaming
25:25 – Location Matters in Investments
27:15 – Leading Through Change
31:00 – The Importance of Customer Feedback
32:55 – Paying Attention to the Details

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Azurá Stevens is a power forward for the WNBA, but her understanding of business runs deep. Watching her dad start a food truck business, she learned that preparation, persistence, and authenticity matter as much in business as they do on the court.

In this episode, Azurá gets real about the parallels between professional sports and entrepreneurship—the intensity of high-pressure moments, the discipline of showing up daily without seeing immediate results, and why authenticity is the only strategy that works for building lasting partnerships.

What you'll learn:

• Why daily habits matter more than quick wins in sports and business
• How to build brand partnerships that actually align with your values
• Why now is the time for businesses to invest in women's sports

Azurá:

"There's a lot of parallels between on the court and business—discipline, putting in daily habits and not always seeing the results immediately, but eventually those coming to fruition."

"Just stick with it. Even seeing my dad start the food truck, there were so many unknowns, but things tend to work out the way that they need to."

"I always take a step back and ask: what am I learning right now? What is this situation trying to teach me?"

Links & Resources:

• Follow Everett on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/everettksands
• Follow Azurá on Instagram: @azura_stevens
• Same O Dame O's Shrimp, Fish & Grits: @sameoshrimps
• Keep the conversation going at smallbusinessunscripted.com
• Learn more about Lendistry: lendistry.com

Timestamps:
01:00 - Career Priorities and Quality of Life
01:44 - Basketball Journey and Future Aspirations
02:44 - International vs. Homeland Basketball Experience
04:19 - College Basketball Experiences
07:50 - Pro Athlete Mindset and Challenges
08:50 - Hopes for the Future of Women's Basketball
11:29 - Supporting Small Businesses
12:26 - Intensity in Business and Sports
13:22 - Building a Personal Brand
15:39 - Community Involvement and Awards
16:53 - Advice for Business Owners

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.