Content creation is the new hustle, but most creators don't know how to monetize it. Myq "Success" Rodriguez, founder and CEO of The Brand Success LLC and co-author of The Content to Cash Bible, returns to break down the real science of turning clout into currency.

In this conversation, Myq unpacks the creator economy like never before—from why going viral is a trap to how clout without strategy leaves you broke. He shares brutal truths about the influencer space, reveals why your circle is your ceiling, and explains the three non-negotiable steps every creator needs to scale sustainable income.

Myq also opens up about building a brand-first mindset, the importance of execution over ideas, and how fatherhood shaped his philosophy on integrity, relationships, and long-term wealth building.

This Episode Explores:

- Why clout is not currency—and how to convert attention into real money

- The viral trap: why going viral without preparation is a disaster

- The creator economy opportunity: $500B+ industry by 2030

- Three essential steps to building a profitable personal brand

- How your circle downloads your limitations

- The business side of content creation most creators ignore

- Execution is the real flex—why ideas mean nothing without follow-through

- Integrity, transparency, and servant leadership in business

- Balancing fatherhood with entrepreneurship and ambition

- The difference between chasing quick money and building a sustainable brand

This episode is about real strategy, real accountability, and the discipline it takes to build lasting wealth in the creator economy—not hype, not shortcuts, just honest insight from someone managing millions in creator deals.

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🔗 Connect with Myq Rodriguez

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myqsuccess/

The Content to Cash Bible: Available on Amazon

Follow REAL Mentors Podcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realmentorspodcast/

Host Sean Martin: https://www.instagram.com/theseanmartin/

Book: Beyond The Bronx (Coming Real Soon)

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About the Guest – Myq Rodriguez

Myq Rodriguez is a branding strategist, entrepreneur, and creator-economy expert with over 20 years of experience in entertainment, influencer management, and digital growth. As Founder and CEO of The Brand Success LLC—a NYC-based talent management and marketing firm—Myq has helped urban and multicultural creators scale to millions of followers and secured over $15 million in brand partnerships for his clients.

He is the co-author of The Content to Cash Bible, a comprehensive guide to monetizing content and building wealth in the creator economy, published in 2024. Through his work with leading influencers and his public speaking engagements, Myq advocates for business literacy, integrity-driven leadership, and the power of personal branding. A Bronx native and father, Myq emphasizes the importance of community, mentorship, and building careers—not just moments—in the digital age.

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Tags & Keywords

Creator economy, content monetization, personal branding, influencer management, content to cash, Myq Rodriguez, Sean Martin, REAL Mentors Podcast, building wealth online, creator business strategy, brand development, content strategy, digital growth, social media influencer, monetizing content, urban entrepreneur, NYC branding, creator income, digital entrepreneurship, content creator success, brand strategy, audience growth, influencer deals, building a personal brand, entrepreneurship mindset, content creator economy, sustainable income, creator wealth, online business, influencer partnership, brand deals, digital marketing, creator monetization strategies, building an audience, content creation business,...

Melvin Thomas is building something most people never imagine possible. At 22, he was a psychiatric social worker on a mobile crisis team in Brooklyn, talking a 17-year-old down from a fire escape. Today, he's the founder of Mr. Thomas NYC—a luxury brand creating handcrafted, one-of-one lapel pins that celebrities wear on national television.

But this episode isn't just about pins and profit. It's about the Bronx kid who became the youngest dean ever hired in the NYC public school system, who still teaches kids K-8 by day, coaches basketball through the Omari Lawrence Foundation, and just launched his podcast to inspire the next generation.

Topics:

• Crisis counselor to luxury designer
• Fire escape moment at 22
• Youngest dean ever hired in NYC
• Pandemic scraps to $10K pins
• Adam Lefkoe collaboration (NBA broadcast)
• Authentic craftsmanship & storytelling
• Why only 30% of kids have both parents
• Mentorship & what men owe their communities
• Dominican heritage & family values
• Real talk on mental health & medication

This episode is about real struggle turned into art, real impact on young lives, and the responsibility of men who make it out to bring others with them.

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🔗 Connect with Melvin Thomas

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mr.thomasnyc/

Podcast (New!): "What's the Deal with Mr. Thomas?" | https://www.instagram.com/whatsthedealwithmrthomas/

Follow REAL Mentors Podcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realmentorspodcast

Host Sean Martin: https://www.instagram.com/theseanmartin

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About the Guest – Melvin Thomas

Melvin Thomas is the founder and principal artisan of Mr. Thomas NYC, a luxury brand redefining handcrafted accessories through one-of-one lapel pins and brooches. Born and raised in the Bronx to Dominican immigrant parents, Thomas broke barriers as the youngest dean ever hired in the New York City public school system at just 23 years old.

With degrees in Sociology and English from Lehman College, Thomas began his career as a psychiatric social worker on a mobile crisis team at Woodhull Hospital in Brooklyn—a position that shaped his understanding of human connection and resilience.

During the pandemic, while working as a dean, Thomas discovered his artistic calling through therapeutic metalwork using construction scraps. What started as pandemic therapy evolved into a luxury pin business that caught the attention of NBA broadcaster Adam Lefkoe, leading to a collaboration with celebrity jeweler Aunt Tasha Diamonds on a solid gold, glow-in-the-dark piece featured on national television.

Today, Thomas operates Mr. Thomas NYC with a waiting list of clients, coaches basketball through the Omari Lawrence Foundation, and serves as a dean in Spanish Harlem working with K-8 students. He recently launched his podcast "What's the Deal with Mr. Thomas?" to amplify voices of people of color in entrepreneurship and leadership.

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Tags & Keywords:

Melvin Thomas, Mr. Thomas NYC, lapel pins, luxury brand, handcrafted accessories, Real Mentors Podcast, Sean Martin, Bronx entrepreneur, youngest dean NYC, Dominican heritage, psychiatric social worker, pandemic business, crisis counselor, mentor, fatherhood, community impact, second chances, purpose-driven business, authentic craftsmanship, education, leadership, New York City, artisan, luxury accessories, wearable art, storytelling, confidence, mental health, immigrant mentality, generational wealth, FDNY, NYPD, Adam Lefkoe, Aunt Tasha Diamonds, basketball coaching, Omari Lawrence Foundation, inspiring next generation, social impact, redemption, transformation, resilience, personal growth, business mindset, authentic leadership, Latino representation, inspirational...

Since his early days working as a janitor for $8/hour, Michael "DJ SPYNFO" Eagen has built multiple six-figure businesses in the South Bronx—and he's stayed there the entire time. But this isn't a typical success story. It's about Emmy-award recognition, founding Sankofa Haus, navigating generational trauma, and choosing legacy over escape.

In this conversation, SPYNFO breaks down how he built 4 thriving businesses simultaneously, why he refuses to focus on money while making serious wealth, and what happens when you stop chasing success and start building community. He also gets deeply vulnerable about parenting, breaking generational cycles, and the real cost of growth—including the friendships that don't survive it.

This Episode Explores:

- How an $8/hour janitor became an Emmy-winning entrepreneur (without leaving the Bronx)

- Building 4 businesses simultaneously: Hot 97 radio, Sankofa Haus, Mr. Matrimony weddings, and Airbnb

- The generational trauma that shapes every decision (and how to transform it)

- Why "manage your attention" beats "manage your time" every single time

- The uncomfortable truth about why friendships end when you succeed

- His Pitbulls DJ Crew induction by Funkmaster Flex and 20+ years at the top of hip-hop

- Creating experiences over chasing money—and making more money doing it

- Parenting with intention: saying "I love you" twice daily and breaking cycles

- Manifesting what you want by thinking differently about the multiverse

- The South Bronx real estate opportunity nobody's talking about

- Building cultural spaces that preserve identity while transforming neighborhoods

- Discipline over motivation: the framework that changed everything

This episode is about staying rooted while reaching your peak, building legacy in your own community, and understanding that the real wealth is what you create for people, not what you keep for yourself.

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🔗 Connect with DJ SPYNFO

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/djspynfo/ | https://www.instagram.com/mrmatrimony | https://www.instagram.com/sankofahaus

Sankofa Haus: sankofahaus.com

DJ Services: https://www.djspynfo.net/

Follow REAL Mentors Podcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realmentorspodcast

Host Sean Martin: https://www.instagram.com/theseanmartin

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About the Guest – DJ SPYNFO

DJ SPYNFO (Michael Eagen) is an Emmy Award-winning DJ, Hot 97 radio personality, and South Bronx cultural entrepreneur. Inducted into Funkmaster Flex's elite Pitbulls DJ Crew, SPYNFO has performed on BET's Rap City and collaborated with major hip-hop artists including Ludacris, Nas, and Keyshia Cole. As founder of Sankofa Haus—a transformative 2,400+ sq ft cultural event space in Mott Haven—he creates platforms for emerging artists while preserving neighborhood identity. SPYNFO also runs Mr. Matrimony Entertainment, a premier destination wedding DJ service, and operates a profitable Airbnb in the South Bronx. His Emmy-winning documentary work with NYC Tourism's "Local Legends" series showcases his commitment to reclaiming South Bronx narratives. SPYNFO is proof that you don't have to leave your community to elevate it.

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Keywords & Tags

DJ SPYNFO, Michael Eagen, Hot 97, Emmy Award winner, Sankofa Haus, South Bronx entrepreneur, real estate development, generational trauma, parenting, Pitbulls DJ Crew, Funkmaster Flex, entrepreneurship podcast, multiple income streams, Airbnb business, wedding DJ, cultural spaces, community building, legacy wealth, Bronx development, social impact, hip-hop culture, business mindset, family values, generational wealth, NYC business, urban development, manifestation, discipline, intentional parenting, emotional intelligence, business...