Working Too Hard To Be Poor..

i'm sitting in Baton Rouge, La. on business at 6 something in the morning, focused on ways to generate more income for me and my family (and employees), i turn on the tv.. hoping that it would put me back to sleep, i turn on Good Morning America.. Oprah was on speaking about her role in Barack's campaign.. then she says something that hits me.. something that i flip immediately.. something that is now the title of this blog..

Working Too Hard To Be Poor..

that's deep to me.. shoot, that's why i wrote it (who am i fooling?).. i find myself in that position.. i find a lot of us in that position.. and this isn't a race thing.. this might be more of a class this.. maybe more of an American thing.. i don't know, but it hit me and compelled me to write.. something i haven't done in weeks..

i've been down.. i won't front.. as a Black man, that's hard to say.. i've been depressed.. others around me have been depressed.. the news is depressing.. I’m seeing my brothers being killed.. I’m seeing my people being locked up.. I’m seeing my people battle injuries that can affect their livelihood.. business has been rough.. man business has been rough..

i've worked so hard to get to where i am, and now i'm faced with a big part of my business being affected by things out of my control.. i'm a marketer.. i run what many believe and feel is an up-and-coming force in this industry.. i'm not saying that to toot my own horn, because the work is out there.. but i'm a small guy amongst billion dollar giants.. i try to conduct business as ethically as possible, but in doing so i feel that i have lost so much..

so much money.. so much time.. so much energy.. we always try to find ways to rationalize things, and tell ourselves it will be better.. being raised in the church, that's our mentality.. "everything is going to be alright".. "it's all in God's hands".. but reality is a bitch, booooooy!! shoot, my ability to use a cuss word right after saying God is a testament to that.. sometimes we start to wonder if it's going to be alright.. shoot, i've had a client go back on about $300,000 worth of business.. that hurts.. especially when we hire people specifically for the account.. that shit hurts.. i've had a client try to tarnish my name and reputation in this athlete business that i also have.. and i'm doing things the right way (at least that's what some agents and league officials have told me to my face).. million dollar athlete.. owes me $15,000 for work we've done on his behalf.. an easy check for him to write.. and because i had my employees (and myself) work so hard at the beginning of our contract relationship, we made the Red Sea part.. gave him everything that would normally take a year.. but we made it happen.. and i feel that because he has it all now, he doesn't want to pay anymore.. it's sad.. i'm not even trying to hold him to the contract at this point.. i learned a lot about dude, and i don't want to be associated with him AT ALL.. but i do want my money..

i'm not a rich dude.. i'm from the South Side of Chicago.. born and raised.. dirt poor.. nothing.. nadda.. zip.. zero.. i feel like i lived the American dream.. i overcame those obstacles to be here.. i'm not alone.. a lot of us have worked too hard to continue to be poor.. and that hurts.. what do we say to our children when we do things right and just, only to be in the same position?? what do we say to our loved ones when we come home with an empty bank account, but have a lot of work to show for? that work doesn't pay a bill.. creditors don't care about that work.. they care about that cash..

i sit here, fresh off of signing 2 more athletes.. another NFL player and our first WNBA player.. but i'm sad because i'm faced with the reality that we all work so hard, but could be right back to where we started in a heartbeat.. yes, we adapt.. shoot, i'm adapting from my hardship with my other company to transition most of my efforts to this athlete business.. i've worked too hard.. we've worked too hard.. you've worked too hard..

but what's the remedy? what's the solution? it's definitely not the new Beanie Sigel album! so what do we do? who do we turn to? will the next election help those that work so hard finally find a way to get up and out? will our voice get bigger? will our voice make a change? because talking doesn't pay a bill, unless you're a minister!! so many unanswered questions.. i sit here in my hotel room, lost.. i know exactly where i am, but i have no clue as to when things will change..

holiday season is not too cheery for me.. i won't see my family, because i can't commit funds to it knowing that i might REALLY need those funds next week, tomorrow or today.. don't cry for me, though.. cry for all of us.. all of us being faced with the reality that we can work so hard to make a change for ourselves.. that we can work so hard to make a living for ourselves and our families.. we can work so hard and have nothing to show for it.. we can work too hard and still be poor.. that's a tough reality pill to swallow.. shoot, my niece just sent me her report card through email last night and i see that she has a 3.3.. i'm so proud of her.. it hasn't been easy for her on the South Side of Chicago, especially in school.. shoot, she's a bully as well with a mouth to match.. she got that from me and my sister.. but all of my family follow in my footsteps and i'm worried about them seeing me falter..

"Unlce Q went to Northwestern, had his own companies, has a sphere of influence that includes some big time influential 'friends', and he struggles everyday.."

i'm working hard for that line not to be a true story.. i really don't know how that story will end.. i'm working hard.. but again.. i find myself in the same line as most of America.. looking for that welfare check.. not literally, but i'm just saying..

Q.