The Monarch Podcast

Creator on Creator: Mario Hines & Daniel Lee (Episode 7)

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 09:00:00 -0400

In this episode of the Creator Spotlight Series, Daniel Lee turns the camera around on Mario Hines — co-founder and CEO of Appraise the Phrase LLC, and the guy who normally makes this show go from behind the scenes. They get into how they each identify as creators (Mario calls himself an "inertia breaker"; Daniel keeps landing on a Proverbs verse about drawing out the deep water in people), how they actually do their research, and why storytelling has to be the thing holding it all together.

From there they get into the gap between how they see their work and how people receive it, why neither of them wants to be so serious that they scare off the audience, and how they both lean on external feedback to get out of their own heads. Mario talks about why he makes a habit of telling people what he sees in them, and they trace how their friendship (almost four years in now) kept turning into creative collaboration just because they kept saying yes and meaning it.

The back half gets into Mario's vision for where ATP is headed, how he approaches season planning for a show that has to last, and which creative form each of them is leaning into right now. Daniel tells Mario that interviewing is where he's growing fastest, but writing is still pull-ups for him — his favorite, and the hardest. They close on something Mario said that's worth sitting with: you're never late. You may miss windows, but you're never late.

Mario Hines

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

Twitter: https://x.com/ItsUhMe_Mario

Creator Spotlight Series

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxyK0z7vXpzXCJLZEffuRnO8jFhIPDQp9

Appraise the Phrase

Website: https://appraisethephrase.com/

Like, follow, subscribe, etc.!
Podcast: https://www.themonarchbrand.com
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4AO3MyB...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/themonarchbrand
IG: https://www.instagram.com/themonarchb...
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themonarchbrand

Creator Spotlight Series: I Gotta Get On feat. Naji Grampus (Episode 6)

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0500

In this episode, Daniel Lee interviews Naji Grampus, VP of Streaming and Strategy for [Sony] Orchard and host of Cigar Talk. They discuss Naji's journey from his childhood in New York to his career in the music industry, highlighting the influence of community and politics on his path. He also shares his experiences in college, his transition from politics to music management, and the challenges he faced along the way.

Naji emphasizes the importance of building relationships, resilience, and creating opportunities for oneself in the competitive music landscape. He discusses his activism in music, particularly in relation to community issues, and the founding of his label, 24-8 Music Group, which aims to empower artists.

Naji also reflects on the significance of nepotism in uplifting others and his transition from music to boxing, emphasizing the role of networking in both fields. In this conversation, Naji discusses his approach to interviewing boxers, emphasizing the importance of research and creating a comfortable dialogue. He shares his experience hosting a press conference and his aspirations to be a significant voice in boxing.

Naji reflects on the evolving landscape of boxing, the impact of new players in the industry, and his thoughts on the future of the sport. He also shares his personal journey of building a brand and offers inspiration to others pursuing their dreams.

Naji Grampus (@NajiChill)

Cigar Talk Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJlQxX07lbA

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cigar.talk/

https://www.instagram.com/najichill/

Twitter: https://x.com/cigartalkpod

https://x.com/NajiChill

Creator Spotlight Series

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxyK0z7vXpzXCJLZEffuRnO8jFhIPDQp9

Appraise the Phrase

Website: https://appraisethephrase.com/

Creator Spotlight Series: The Silver Screen Is Also A Mirror feat. Kyle Alex Brett (Episode 5)

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 15:00:00 -0500

In this episode of the Creator Spotlight series, Daniel interviews Kyle Alex Brett, a movie producer and attorney based in Los Angeles. Kyle shares his journey from a corporate lawyer to a Creative Executive at Blumhouse, discussing the roots of his creativity, the impact of storytelling, and the influence of films like Get Out on his career choices.

He emphasizes the importance of being proactive, networking, and adding value in the entertainment industry, while also reflecting on the challenges and triumphs of his path. In this engaging conversation, Kyle Alex Brett shares his insights on navigating the creative process, the importance of putting oneself out there, and the power of storytelling in film. He discusses his experiences in moderating conversations with industry leaders, the role of luck in success, and the significance of embracing failure while minimizing regret.

Follow Kyle on twitter and Instagram at @kyalbr!

Appraise the Phrase

Website: https://appraisethephrase.com/

Creator Spotlight Series: How to Honor the Universe feat. Monique Henry (Episode 4)

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 15:00:00 -0400

In this edition of the Creator Spotlight Series, Daniel interviews Monique Henry, a former engineer turned screenwriter and producer. Monique shares her journey from engineering to the entertainment industry, highlighting the pivotal moment when she watched the film Parasite and realized her passion for storytelling. She discusses the challenges of transitioning careers, the importance of community support, and her experiences in a writer's room.

Monique also talks about her film festival, her nonprofit organization aimed at helping young artists, and her upcoming projects, including a game show and an app. Throughout the conversation, she emphasizes the significance of perseverance, self-identity, and the creative process.

Monique Henry (@mspeacherino)

Website: www.whatwewatch.net

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

https://www.instagram.com/mspeacherino/

Twitter: https://x.com/wwwfilmtv

https://x.com/mspeacherino

Appraise the Phrase

Website: https://appraisethephrase.com/

Creator Spotlight Series: Grammy Family feat. Larry Jenkins (Episode 3)

Fri, 05 Sep 2025 09:00:00 -0400

The Monarch Brand has partnered with The Appraise the Phrase Show to bring a monthly series called the Creator Spotlight Series. This series is designed to platform individuals in the visual, performance, culinary, and language arts spaces — all spaces that are important to both ATP and The Monarch Brand alike.

In this episode, Daniel interviews Professor Larry Jenkins, a prominent figure in music education and the co-producer of the Grammy-winning album The Urban Hymnal. They discuss Larry's early love for music, the vibrant culture of HBCU bands, and the challenges and rewards of teaching music.

Larry shares insights into the hard work behind producing an album, the importance of networking in the music industry, and his journey as a co-founder of the band Brassfield. The conversation highlights the significance of education in the arts and the impact of mentorship on students' lives.

This episode was originally released in June 2025.

Larry Jenkins

Website: https://www.profjenkins.com/

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

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/Profjenkins

Brassville: https://www.brassville.band/

Appraise the Phrase

Website: https://appraisethephrase.com/

Creator Spotlight Series: Craft, Community, and Curiosity feat. Kaila Davis (Episode 2)

Fri, 05 Sep 2025 09:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Daniel speaks with Kaila Davis about her journey as the founder of Crazy Sexy Craft, a beer education brand. She shares how her curiosity and the support of her network led her to start the business, despite not fitting the typical beer enthusiast profile. Kaila emphasizes the importance of trying new things and having an open mind, which has been key to her success in the beer industry.

This episode was originally released in April 2025.

Kaila Davis

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

Appraise the Phrase

Website: https://appraisethephrase.com/

Creator Spotlight Series: Jouirnoe's Journey feat. Dejouir Brown (Episode 1)

Fri, 05 Sep 2025 09:00:00 -0400

Dejouir Brown is an artist, graphic designer, muralist, and musician out of Pittsburgh, PA. In the first interview of the series, Daniel spoke with him about his creative journey, his inspirations, his clothing brand, Peace of Mind, and how he sees the art world advancing in Pittsburgh.

This episode was originally released in June 2025.

Dejouir Brown

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

Everything Else: https://songwhip.com/jouirnoe

Appraise the Phrase

Website: https://appraisethephrase.com/

New Beginnings

Thu, 17 Aug 2023 07:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Daniel discusses the new direction of The Monarch Brand and the podcast, the events that led to the pivot, what he would've done differently if he were to start the business over, and explains his process of freeing himself from the pressures of running a business.

The Pursuit of the Dream feat. LaJethro Jenkins (pt. 2)

Tue, 02 May 2023 09:00:00 -0400

In pt. 2 of our episode with @LaJethroJenkins, he talks about his time as the Head of Social Media at Yahoo and what it's like being a Lead Producer at @buckets. He also reflects on some of his most surreal interviews, including Jamie Foxx, Manny Pacquiao, Charles Barkley, and Shaq, his bucket list interview.

Finally, he talks about his faith, fatherhood, experiencing and expressing emotions as a Black man, and what it feels like to make his mom proud.

Check out his platforms!

Buckets
https://www.youtube.com/c/Bucketsofficial

Jenkins & Jonez
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-jenkins-jonez-podcast/id1018701693
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3hSfLruslvHs1PYz8gU9N4?si=5b656fba3feb4062
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJekEtLAyAI&list=PLYcyiVycsAVuSQaOS55udvBSzzoHKv4yR
The Volume: https://thevolume.com/jenkins-and-jonez

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LaJethroJenkins

The Pursuit of the Dream feat. LaJethro Jenkins (pt. 1)

Tue, 25 Apr 2023 09:00:00 -0400

Sometimes we have these defining moments that change the way we live the rest of our lives. For John Nichols, this moment came when he visited Kenya and DRC. He felt such a strong connection there, he knew he had to make the most of this life.

In this episode, John joins Daniel to talk about the birth of LaJethro Jenkins, linking with Tyler to start the Jenkins & Jonez podcast, quitting his job as a college recruiter to bet on himself, finding his space in the media field, working with KevOnStage, and the importance of community.

Check out his platforms, and stay tuned for part 2 coming next week!

Buckets
https://www.youtube.com/c/Bucketsofficial

Jenkins & Jonez
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-jenkins-jonez-podcast/id1018701693
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3hSfLruslvHs1PYz8gU9N4?si=5b656fba3feb4062
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJekEtLAyAI&list=PLYcyiVycsAVuSQaOS55udvBSzzoHKv4yR
The Volume: https://thevolume.com/jenkins-and-jonez

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LaJethroJenkins

Becoming That (Payroll) Guy feat. Gerard Hall

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 07:00:00 -0400

Although Gerard Hall is a guy with 20 years of experience in the payroll industry, he wasn't always That Payroll Guy. Becoming that guy began with a love for numbers, lots of curiosity, and a genuine desire to inform himself on the ins and outs of his craft so that he can help equip others.

In this episode, Gerard joins Daniel to talk about how he got into payroll; how he used LinkedIn to create and grow a business without spending any money on marketing; how he numerically calculated what his time is worth; betting on himself; and how he finds balance between being a husband, father, and entrepreneur with a full time job.

Check out his platforms!
Website: https://thatpayrollguy.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thatpayrollguy/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thatpayrollguy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatpayrollguy/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thatpayrollguy
Twitter: https://twitter.com/thatpayrollguy

Bringing Wellness to Weddings feat. Shonté Parrish-Norgriff

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 07:00:00 -0400

A wedding can be the most beautiful day of a bride's life, but it can also be the most stressful. Between the time invested, money and planning required, and having to find the balance between familial and societal expectations, the bride's mental health can take a serious hit.

Shonté Parrish-Norgriff can relate. She planned her wedding during the pandemic, and through her own struggles, she knew that something needed to be done to help the brides coming after her. She founded Woosah Bride to create awareness for melanated brides and their support systems on the importance of prioritizing mental health.

In this episode, she joins Daniel to talk about the brand, how she brought her vision to life, the importance of setting boundaries, finding balance, and what's next for her.

Check out the brand: https://woosahbride.com/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/woosahbride/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/WoosahBride/?eq=woosahbride&etslf=8087
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@woosahbride

0:00 - Intro
2:49 - The Woosah Bride brand overview and how it started
6:31 - Shonté's first entrepreneurial venture in consulting and dating service
9:14 - What she did to make the business official
12:20 - The challenges that come with working with your own people
15:14 - How Shonté crafted the rest of the Wooah Bride Experience
21:42 - Learning when and how to have downtime
29:02 - Coming up with the business model and becoming profitable
32:37 - Daniel takes the Woosah Bride quiz; Shonté breaks down his wedding personality
39:04 - The importance of enforcing boundaries
43:46 - The biggest challenge with running the business so far
48:59 - Biggest regret
50:37 - Biggest reward
52:30 - What she wishes someone would've told her before going into business
53:49 - Shonté gives advice to future business owners
55:23 - What's next for Woosah Bride
58:56 - What she does for self care
1:01:32 - What Daniel does to find balance
1:08:05 - Closing

The Vision Mill feat. Kyle Miller

Wed, 15 Feb 2023 11:00:00 -0500

Even as a child, Kyle Miller has always had a business mindset. As he's grown into the man he is now, he's learned to refine his entrepreneurial passion into observing needs, crafting a vision, and solving a problem to fill needs.

Now as a co-founder, UX designer, and mentor, Kyle sat down with us to reflect on his journey, from academic suspension to property management to quitting his job to bet on himself. He shares his biggest challenges, lessons learned, managing the ego, and gives advice to others who are looking for their "why."

Need a one stop shop to help boost your UX skills? Check out his website: https://theuxtoolkit.com/

(music by @ty.makesbeats)

More Than a Fighter feat. Mackens Semerzier

Tue, 01 Nov 2022 07:00:00 -0400

Mackens Semerzier was a national amateur MMA champion, competed in the UFC, and is a third degree black belt, but don't call him a fighter. He's much more than that. He's also a college graduate, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu professor, businessman, and mentor, to name a few.

In this episode, he talks about his journey from fighting around the neighborhood to fighting on the world stage, the mentality required to be a fighter, and why he doesn't fit in that mold. He discusses what ultimately led him to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, what it is exactly, and why it's great for anyone to learn for self defense. He also talks about his journey into entrepreneurship and why the martial arts community is so important.

Follow him on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/professor_mackens/

If you're in the Norfolk and Virginia Beach, VA area and want to learn Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, check out Element BJJ and Norfolk BJJ:
Element BJJ: https://www.elementbjj.com/
https://www.instagram.com/elementbjj/

Norfolk BJJ: https://thehouseofmuaythai.com/brazilian-jiu-jitsu
https://www.instagram.com/norfolkbjj/

(music by @ty.makesbeats)

The Power of Pivoting feat. Daryl Rembert

Wed, 19 Oct 2022 07:00:00 -0400

In many ways, entrepreneurship is less about sticking to one thing and more about having and developing the mental fortitude to stick to the process and the commitment to growth, whether the end product is the same or not.

In this episode, Daryl Rembert gets real and vulnerable while discussing his journey from making lamps to bracelets to professional photography. He talks about the struggle of managing expectations of support from friends and family and battling impostor syndrome. He also shares his biggest challenges, victories, and regrets, and what's next for him.

(music by @ty.makesbeats)

Super Mario World feat. Mario Hines

Wed, 14 Sep 2022 10:00:00 -0400

Mario Hines has worn many hats, from All American and professional football player to Data Specialist to Podcast Host and Producer. But what has remained consistent has been his desire to be his best self and his ability to make meaningful connections while building the community around him.

In this episode, he talks about how he's navigated each step of his journey, his proudest moments, what's next for him personally and professionally, and why community is so important. We finish the conversation with a few topics that are near and dear to us: why it's so hard to make friends as an adult, and how we can cultivate more meaningful friendships in our lives.

Check out his platforms below!

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

Appraise The Phrase Show
https://theappraisethephraseshow.com/
https://www.instagram.com/theappraisethephraseshow/

Underdog Sports NFL:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-underdog-nfl-show/id1441260025
https://www.instagram.com/underdogsportsnfl/

(music by @ty.makesbeats)

Talking Goodfynd with a Good Friend feat. Lemaire Stewart

Thu, 18 Aug 2022 11:00:00 -0400

Lemaire Stewart is the co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of Goodfynd, a DC-based fintech startup that connects customers and businesses to food trucks for anything from lunch to family reunions to corporate events. In this episode, he shares his journey from his first entrepreneurial experience flipping sneakers in college to co-founding a multi-million dollar fintech startup. He also talks about the challenges and lessons he's learned along the way, and shares advice for aspiring business owners.

Check them out at their website and download their app, available in both Android and iOS. You can also use them to book food trucks for future events for your friends, family, and/or business.

(music by @ty.makesbeats)

The Monarch Story

Mon, 01 Aug 2022 20:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Daniel, CEO of The Monarch Brand, shares his story about how the brand came to be, lessons he's learned in entrepreneurship, what it means to be a visionary, and where he sees the brand going.

(music by @ty.makesbeats)