Part II - Chaos at the door

[Amber, Founder]

1.) What does building an ecosystem of empathy mean to you?

2.) Do you find that reading the book brings back any memories you have of growing up too quickly?

3.) At this point in the book I was personally getting anxious to hear more about running Klutch sports, but I realized this is a completely different book and he's touching on things I wasn't emotionally prepared to read...I had to change my mindset. Are you feeling antsy at all? What's your impression of the book so far? Do you understand the connection he's making with his upbringing and what we know about him now?

4.) Lessons vs. Scars - Rich discusses the lasting impact of his childhood experiences, noting that while some aspects have been beneficial in his personal and professional life, others have held him back as an adult. How can one distinguish between valuable lessons and the scars of the past?

5.) This book delves into a thought-provoking conversation about the black community and the significance we often place on material possessions, such as clothes and shoes. While it may initially appear materialistic, Rich explores the deeper reasons behind this phenomenon. I would love to hear your thoughts on this?

*Please feel free to raise any other questions or thoughts you had from this section. We love to hear from you!*

[Marla]

(1) Being intentional about the company I keep. If someone shows no empathy for others, I know they don’t have empathy for themselves and they won’t show me empathy either. So I distance myself. It’s super important to have people near me who truly care about me and I can trust.

(2) I definitely grew up too quickly. I was making household decisions at 13/14 years old. I was very aware of our household finances and often felt like the protector of the house. But much like Rich’s father, my mother did what she could having me at 19. She did a great job and I’m grateful I learned what I did as a child because now I can avoid the same mistakes as an adult.

(3) I’m liking the book so far; very entertaining and VISUAL! You can see every situation and relate it to your past if you have similar experiences.

(4) That’s a tough one, cause like I mentioned earlier, I’m grateful for the lessons I learned in childhood. However, because I’ve always considered myself the protector, it’s very hard for me to be vulnerable (especially to large groups). I’m honest with people when I’m going through things, but I always isolate myself. I think it’s because I don’t want to show weakness, but what’s the use of an ecosystem of empathy if they can’t help me when I need it the most. Lol. So that’s a “scar” I need to work on. Thankful for the lessons the “scar” came with though.

(5) I work in finance so this is tricky for me, lol. I’m all about how to save and invest so money can make money. However, I still splurge on some materialistic things because I like quality. Dressing well does give you confidence and attention/respect from others. However, I’m worried that some might value looking rich over actually being rich.

[Wendy]

I love the book because it’s sharing the lessons he received growing up to pass along to readers. I love how regimented he is with so much chaos around him. I love his perception and positivity. I know so many guys like him who’ve gone right down a negative path (some of whom are extremely wealthy rappers now) and he didn’t. And he’s proud of the fact that he didn’t. Kudos to him. I think it’s the sh*t we withstand in life that makes us who we are…so having no chaos and no stress wouldn’t have created the man we know today (or me, for that matter).

[Alexis]

1. It means a lot to me. Having an ecosystem of empathy allows for better decision-making in all aspects of life. Improper decision-making can lead to significant consequences in the short and long term.

2. I didn’t resonate with growing up too quickly, but I know of others who unfortunately had to do so.

3. I’m excited to hear about how he runs Klutch Sports, but I’m even more excited to hear his story. It allows me to understand why he makes certain decisions today. I love that, at times, he references recent events while explaining his upbringing. One reference that stood out to me was his meeting with Tommy Hilfiger. He often states that he was in love with fashion and adored wearing Tommy’s brand. The sit-down with Tommy was more than fashion; it was about curation, creativity, and paying attention to detail—things Rich learned from his upbringing.

4. I believe that it takes time, and most importantly, I believe it takes conversation. Many times, we compress things without realizing it, and it takes an outside perspective to realize that. The conversation he had with his then-partner allowed him to recognize a scar. The conversation may not have gone smoothly, but it was necessary for his healing.

5. Rich’s approach to materialism is fascinating. Although he enjoyed fashion, I think he considered it more as an investment. His fashion choices brought attention to him as a person, and that brought attention to his services. But I also really loved that he acknowledged that performance matters just as much as presentation. His performance during his basketball game was just as important as his shoe switch at halftime.

If I may ask, what did you all think about the “Scared Straight” conversation that Rich and his Dad had in the Coupé de ville?