Reasonably Happy with Paul Ollinger

Nobody works harder than LL COOL J. The musician, producer, actor, and entrepreneur has been playing at the highest levels of art, business, and culture since he burst on the scene at the age of 17, in 1985. For over 35 years, LL has pushed himself to achieve in all that he does while leading with spirit and character. And achieve he has. The two-time Grammy-winner and first ever Hip Hop Kennedy Center Honoree has recorded 14 studio albums, landing massive hits including Going Back to Cali, Mama Said Knock You Out, Rock The Bells, and many, many more. As an actor, he has played “Sam Hanna” on NCIS: Los Angeles for the last 12 years, appeared in hit films like In Too Deep, Any Given Sunday, and Wildcats, and starred in the NBC sitcom, In the House. In this, the 100th original interview of Crazy Money, LL shares what he really wanted when he released his first record, how he approaches potential business deals, and why he pours his soul into Rock The Bells, his company that elevates timeless and classic Hip-Hop culture by celebrating MC’s, DJ’s, Break Dancers and Graffiti artists on its website, found here. LL also created and curates programming for the radio channel of the same name on SiriusXM Channel 43. **Please rate and review Crazy Money.** Follow Crazy Money on Instagram here and join the Crazy Money Listeners Group here. Read Paul’s latest thoughts on life on Medium. Topics covered in this episode include: hip hop, music, rap, culture, money, wealth, motivation, inspiration, persistence, work ethic, black money, racial wealth divide. About Crazy Money: Unlike traditional personal finance shows, Crazy Money is not about how to make a million bucks, how to beat the stock market, or how to save money by switching credit cards. It is about deciding what role we want money to play in our lives and how we can use it to be our best selves. Topics covered include: philosophy, happiness, contentment, meaning, dreams, purpose, success, society, mental health, Buddhism, Stoicism, the hedonic treadmill, morality, mid-life crisis, business, work, careers, authors, books, consumerism, values, capitalism, economics, investing, saving, spending, personal finance, charity, philanthropy, altruism, affluence, wealth management, culture, society, status.

What would happen if the richest neighborhood in your town declared itself its own municipality, taking with it the tax dollars of the richest 20% of citizens? That is what might happen here in Atlanta where a well-funded group is petitioning to carve the wealthy neighborhood of Buckhead (coincidentally, where I live) away from Atlanta, into its own city. This initiative has gained traction and has a very real chance of making it to the ballot in November of 2022. Not that Buckhead residents don’t have good reason to be frustrated with local government. Our police force is diminished and demoralized, and crime is simply out-of-control. Aggravated assaults in Buckhead are up 52% this year over an already violent 2020. And at Lenox Square, a mall that is 2 miles away from my home, there have been a half-dozen shootings and many more armed robberies over the past year or so. It’s a total freaking mess. On today’s episode, I talk to Bill White, the CEO of the Buckhead City Committee, the group behind the initiative, and to Felicia Moore who is both the President of the Atlanta City Council and a candidate on the ballot for next month’s mayoral election. This might sound like a local news story but I think it’s relevant to all of us and relevant to the mission of this show because it’s emblematic of where we are as a society and whether or not the wealthy are better off trying to isolate themselves from our relatively less-affluent neighbors and fellow citizens. I look forward to hearing your feedback. Please email me your thoughts. To learn about Felicia Moore go here. To learn more about the Buckhead City Committee, go here. RATE and Review Crazy Money here.

Educated at Brigham Young and Emory Universities, Dr. Daniel Crosby is a psychologist and behavioral finance expert who studies and writes about the intersection of financial markets and the human brain. A New York Times best-selling author, Daniel has published several books, including The Laws of Wealth and The Behavioral Investor, which we discuss in this episode. His ideas have appeared in the Huffington Post and Risk Management Magazine, as well as his monthly columns for WealthManagement.com and Investment News. Daniel was named one of the “12 Thinkers to Watch” by Monster.com and a “Financial Blogger You Should Be Reading” by AARP. In this substantive yet light-hearted conversation, Paul and Daniel examine: • Evolution and how we are the descendants of paranoid, twitchy, and skeptical ancestors • The role of self-esteem in achieving positive financial outcomes • How financial advisors (don’t call them “brokers!”) can keep yo from your own • And, of course...gazelles. He also shares insights into his guitar and sneaker fetish. (Well, maybe not “fetish,” but “obsession.”) Listen to Daniel's Standard Deviations podcast here and find his books here. ❤️ Rate and review Crazy Money by clicking here. 📩 See Paul’s upcoming shows here. 📷Follow Paul on Instagram here. 👒 See Paul’s wife’s fashion accessory, Sidecar here. About Crazy Money: Unlike traditional personal finance shows, Crazy Money is not about how to make a million bucks, how to beat the stock market, or how to save money by switching credit cards. It is about deciding what role we want money to play in our lives and how we can use it to be our best selves. Topics covered include: philosophy, happiness, contentment, meaning, dreams, purpose, success, society, mental health, Buddhism, Stoicism, the hedonic treadmill, morality, mid-life crisis, business, work, careers, authors, books, consumerism, values, capitalism, economics, investing, saving, spending, personal finance, charity, philanthropy, altruism, affluence, wealth management, culture, society, status, ambition, accomplishment, perfectionism. Please stop reading and have a great day. Paul loves you.

Today we will be discussing the enthralling HBO series, Succession and all it tells us about wealth, dysfunctional family dynasties, ambition, and greed with three great panelists, including Meredith Blake from the Los Angeles Times, Dave Lenok from WealthManagement .com, and James Andrew Miller, author of the new book Tinderbox: HBO’s Relentless Pursuit of New Frontiers. (**Please rate and review Crazy Money here.**) In case you’ve been asleep for the past three years, here’s a brief synopsis of the show from Jim’s book:"Succession revolves around the Roy family, a thinly veiled amalgam of the Murdochs, and, well, the Murdochs. An aging patriarch named Logan—portrayed in juicily Lear-like fashion by Scottish actor Brian Cox—plays his overeager children off each other as they jockey to take over his evil media empire, Waystar Royco." If you have watched the show, you’ll love the behind the scenes insights and commentary regarding the intricacies of family business. If you haven't watched the show, today’s discussion might help you decide if it’s for you. Spoiler alert: it is. Also, there are spoilers in this conversation, so consider yourself notified. Succession raises innumerable questions about the complexities of wealth: Is it possible to be a billionaire and a great parent? Does the prospect of a huge inheritance make loving your siblings more difficult? Would you be happier if you flew sailed on yachts, flew on helicopters or rode blade on curb? Today’s show is brought to you by Masterworks. Cut the line to invest in blue chip art today at Masterworks.io/CRAZYMONEY Please follow our panelists... Follow Jim Miller on Twitter here. Follow Meredith Blake on Twitter here. Follow David Lenok on Twitter here. (**Please rate and review Crazy Money here.**) About Crazy Money: Unlike traditional personal finance shows like Dave Ramsey or Suze Orman, Crazy Money is not about how to make a million bucks, how to beat the market, or how to save money by switching cable providers. It is about deciding what role we want money to play in our lives and how we can use it to be our best selves. Topics covered include: Philosophy, Happiness, Contentment, Meaning, dreams, purpose, Success, Rat Race, Society, mental health, Buddhism, Stoicism, the hedonic treadmill, morality, Mid-Life Crisis, Business, Work, Careers, Authors, Books, Consumerism, Values, capitalism, economics, investing, saving, spending, personal finance, charity, philanthropy, altruism, affluence, wealth, wealth management, culture, society. Status. Crazy Money is produced and edited by Mike Carano Are you really still reading?

Rory Scovel is a writer, actor, and comedian who plays to sold-out crowds all over the country. He was the male lead in Amy Schumer’s hit movie, I Feel Pretty, and was a principal character in Demetri Martin’s 2016 film, Dean. He has appeared on many TV shows, including TBS’ Ground Floor, TruTV's Those Who Can’t, NBC’s Undateable, ABC’s Modern Family, and has performed on Conan nine times. His most recent comedy special, Rory Scovel Tries Stand-up for the First time is available on Netflix. Rory and I talk about how growing up in Greenville, SC in a big ol’ family affects his attitudes toward money, the entertainment industry, and his career. Here are his recommendations for books, movies, and comedy specials to help you enjoy your Quarantine: Books: 11/22/63 by Stephen King, and Sapiens by Yuval Noah Haraji Comedy specials: anything by Maria Bamford or Nate Bargatze Movies: Willow, Back to the Future When the world returns to normal, find Rory’s touring schedule here: http://roryscovel.com In the mean time, visit Paul’s website and/or follow him on the socials: • Twitter: http://Twitter.com/Paul_Ollinger • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paul_ollinger/ • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PaulOllinger/ • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulollinger/