We had the good fortune of connecting with Reggie Rice and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Reggie, as a parent, what do you feel is the most meaningful thing you’ve done for them?
I have three, successful, adult male children. We are routinely involved in separate conversations reflecting upon how their current successes were grounded and influenced by messages they heard from their parents, from the times they were all very much younger. These messages allowed them to imagine, to seek challenges, to maintain balance, and, to use strengths that allowed them to stretch beyond their limitations, with positive focus and concentration.

Stimulation/Constant Encouragement/Setting High and Achievable Goals

I purposely coined a phrase with each of them, while they were very young. “Someone’s got to be #1. Why not you?” This was to motivate, without the burden of a feeling that I would only approve of them if they bested everyone else. That was never the intent. Thrive and stretch constantly, but, don’t stress, or burnout.

Our youngest, a university senior, is firmly focused on his present and future. He is extremely comfortable with independence, action, reaching, and, exploring into the many directions that are directly involved in his planned field of a professional endeavor, sports management. He leverages upon his natural instincts and interests in sports, initially from a former participant in soccer, and, football. He wisely combines his deeper knowledge of the data and statistical aspects over a variety of additional sporting categories, F1 and NASCAR auto racing, NBA/NFL/MLB, etc., across a plethora of sports teams, professional sports participants, team ownerships, etc.

One reiterative topic from the oldest two are their individual acknowledgements of the external stimulations they received, creating for them, a broader view of the world in which to embrace, than for others in their peer group. This topic seems to have emerged more openly as they’ve grown older. The term ‘global’ fully encompasses their views, activities, and, deep interests and involvements.
The middle son is a professional consultant in the finance industry, primarily targeting the cryptocurrency sector. Starting nearly 8 years ago, he and a partner were instrumental in creating the foundations for an extraordinary niche category based in Southeast Asia. Obviously, a global reach was in the cards. Their on-the-ground activities centered on China, Malaysia, and, Indonesia. This crypto segment, unlike bitcoin itself, is actually a product based upon a globally accepted, tangible asset. Their category is based upon the globally-accepted world of precious gems. This is unique in the cryptocurrency world.

Bitcoin is best considered as supported by its balance of limited supply versus escalating global demand, and, also due to its ‘gateway’ aspect to the remainder of the cryptocurrency universe. Bitcoin is in a tug-of-war among investment experts, many of whom are at odds on how it can best fit in either a ‘store of value’ category, such as a precious metal, or, as a ‘means of exchange’, as in a currency. The jury is still out, but, the universe of other cryptocurrencies leaves plenty of flexibility for everything in between.

He is now the primary advisor to the Cryptocurrency Coordinator for a major county government, a position under direct leadership of the mayor.

He frequently refers to his ability to assert himself confidently among well-known entertainers, government officials, finance executives, other cryptocurrency professionals, etc., due to his early environment. He studied business and finance at the undergraduate level before striking out towards an intentional target of southeast Asia, sight unseen. His philosophy at that time, as he phrased it, was ‘I’d rather be a big fish in a small pond, than to be a small fish in a big pond.’

He has since also found his roots in a thriving family life to match his professional ambitions, not in spite of them. He met his spouse in Asia. They now live in Charlotte with a young daughter.

His older brother is deeply involved in commercial real estate portfolio management. The recently completed SoCal Stadium in Los Angeles just happens to be located precisely in a location where he was directly involved in a billion-dollar development concept, a project that evolved and was subsequently converted to its current use, starting from over a dozen years ago. The site began life as a $1B, combined retail/commercial/residential development, targeting long-term growth in and around the old Los Angeles Forum, and, the Inglewood community. After leaving Atlanta following high school graduation, attending college in Silicon Valley, he has weaved a thriving and lucrative career in commercial real estate and portfolio management through an escalating series of positions. He was most recently a Managing Director for a Crow Holdings, a privately owned real estate investment and development firm with more than 70 years of history, $27 billion of assets under management. Crow Holdings Capital, Trammell Crow Residential, Crow Holdings Industrial and Crow Holdings Office are operated separately and independently from one another with separate senior leadership and investment committees.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Quite naturally, my path for my business has traversed back and forth between ease and difficulty, as one would expect. True success is not only the place to which you arrive relative to the place from which you began, it also meanders; never in a straight line. This is how and why one manages, by not over-emphasizing either success or failure. Maintaining the middle ground is where longevity reigns, and, where focus must remain.

Product wise, our basis and focus are on a minimalist, highly- focused, non-invasive product offering that simplifies the question of ‘what do you do?’. Shaving is basic. Adverse reactions to shaving are also basic, and, in constant need. A narrowly-targeted, proven range of products surrounding the post-shaving experience simplifies the answer to the customer’s question of ‘what do you do?’. ‘Just three days’ lends attention to essentially a time required to promise a noticeable change, and, a positive result.

Formulations have decades of safe, successful results, starting from the skilled hands of experienced pharmaceutical chemists specifically trained in skin care, and, validated through experiences of many customers over long periods of time.

I have deliberately chosen to maintain an on-line focus. This has come even after some experience in export and licensing paths. The experiences and intricacies in tailoring to distinctive export destinations, and, the economies of long-distance competition proved too unwieldy and cumbersome. On the periphery, as an IT professional with an academic foundation in economics, I am keenly aware of the major disruptive challenges underway in the global economy, particularly over the past 10-20 years. Leveraging virtual business synergy optimizes some limited, global reach, while allowing the business to flexibly and dynamically react to market conditions. This avoids unnecessary exposure, or, over-exposure, as one would be forced to do in a brick-and-mortar, services environment. In addition to our own web site as one primary outlet, we are also available in another major product platform, Wish.com. This additional platform actively elevates our products into eyes which would never make a connection with any web site alone, even with the internet marketing devices needed for driving potential customers to the site. That includes keyword optimization, carefully selected video highlights in higher traffic pathways, promotional activities, networked entrepreneurial groups, etc.

The world should see the products as a niche that has an appeal across many market tastes and complimenting segments.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
As I live in an outer suburb, two counties away from Atlanta proper, I would ease that experience of my visitor by starting nearby.

One county over, in Covington, I like the square, where a small-town, laid back atmosphere has great appeal, particularly to my friends/family from New York and California.

Closer to home, in Conyers, a quintessential Southern-style breakfast would gravitate to Nana’s Chicken and Waffles. A night out would pass through two local ‘see to be seen’ locations’. Both Azure and The Reserve are popular with the ‘night out’ for social gathering, and, dining.

Further into the week, our plethora of sports offerings would have to include (a) Hawks,(b) Braves ,(c) Falcons, or, (d) minor league hockey with the Atlanta Gladiators in Duluth. A well-timed pass through the newly-established (e) Fan Controlled Football, which is, so far, centered on Atlanta, would add distinction and uniqueness to anyone’s sports palette.

For entertainment, we could check the schedules for State Farm Arena, the Fox Theater, Lakewood Amphitheater, and, Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre.

My favorite in-town dining rotates through (1) 9 Mile Station, a rooftop location in the Ponce Market, only with a reservation, (2) The Oceanaire Seafood Room on Peachtree near 12th, (3) Le Colonial for Asian/Vietnamese in Buckhead Village, (4) Atlanta Fish Market, or, a favorite for dining and scenery, (5) The Sun Dial, reservation, of course.

People watching? I like Atlantic Station, Ponce City Market, Buckhead Village.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I must dedicate my shoutout to my parents, Willie Rice, Jr, and Pearline Rice, both deceased. From their most humble beginnings, combined with their mutually ambitious nature, I was guided to believe that limits on growth were my own, with their stimulation and encouragement to reach as far as possible.

Both parents were, in spite of their limits on educational opportunities, strongly motivated to progress from their beginnings.

Several additional influences from my own educational path were strongly influential.

My 5th grade teacher, the late Mrs. Sherrell Nelson-Hart, was a stellar classroom teacher, gifted vocal and performing musician, and, strongly encouraged what she saw in me. I began my musical training under her supreme guidance. My high school band director, the late Bob Barnette, also followed Mrs. Hart’s senses, nominating me for several academic honors, including, the Georgia Governor’s Honors program, Best ROTC Bandsman. He also provided a letter of recommendation for my 4-year academic scholarship to North Carolina Central University in Durham, North Carolina.

Along the way, in many years since, a number of close professional relationships have served as role models and influencers of my habits and strengths. Among them are:

CDR Raymond A Lambert, and, CDR Clifford Gibson, my first two commanding officers during my undergraduate education. Both were among early African-American aviators in the Navy.

LTGEN Frank Peterson, BGEN George H. Walls, USMC, the first and third African-American Generals in history. LTGEN Peterson was my commissioning officer. BGEN Walls was a CAPT, then, MAJOR on the staff during my tenure in the NCCU NROTC unit, while I was a student.

Alan Bell, former VP of Jeanswear/Wrangler-Lee-Rustler at the Wrangler Group, VF Corporation, Greensboro, NC

CAPT Isaac Garcia and Edward R. Ates, my former mentors at Code 10, Information Technology Branch, Commander, Naval Reserve Forces HQ – COMNAVRESFOR, New Orleans, LA

Don Watson, my loyal IT comrade at U. S. Department of Agriculture, Food & Nutrition Service, Information Technology branch, Atlanta, GA

One of my favorite books, from a quarter century ago, is Emotional Intelligence, by Daniel Goleman, who posits that emotional intelligence is as important as IQ for success, including in academic, professional, social, and interpersonal aspects of one’s life.

Website: https://mytipstick.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reginald-r-7a3b991/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MyTipstick/?ref=pages_you_manage

Youtube: https://youtu.be/pwoKJ9hSYZI

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