CJ and David sat down with Jemal King and Wall Street Trapper right after the One Percent stage, and what came out was bigger than money. Jemal spent his early years as a cop, putting on a vest every day. Trap came up on the corner. Two men who once lived on opposite sides of the law, now face to face, breaking down how they ended up with the exact same mindset about risk, discipline, and building wealth.

Trap explains how the streets prepared him for capitalism. Jemal breaks down the seven streams of income and why you don't chase all seven at once. And the whole room gets honest about buffer room, the equity that decides whether one bad week wrecks you or barely moves you.

This one is raw, it is real, and it might change how you look at every dollar you spend.

LISTEN, FOLLOW, AND SHARE

If this episode hit, do three things. Follow the show so you never miss a drop. Rate and review us, it is the single biggest thing you can do to help more people find S2S. And share this one with someone who needs to hear it.

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MORE FROM THE FAM

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CHAPTERS

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Opening: Behind the Scenes Post-Stage Energy
• 00:03:05 The Five Pillars: Faith, Family, Finance, Fitness, Freedom
• 00:03:58 The Seven Streams of Income: Your Financial Blueprint
• 00:08:41 Why Black Men Stay Behind Financially Despite Wanting Success
• 00:09:45 Stop Eating, Start Walking: The Simple Truth About Losing Weight
• 00:11:59 The Streets Prepared Me for Capitalism
• 00:19:59 The Runaway Slave Mentality: Hustlers Are Chasing Freedom
• 00:24:18 Control Risk vs Uncontrolled Risk: The Real Estate Formula
• 00:44:20 The Police Mindset: Always Prepare for Worst Case Scenario
• 00:45:56 Control Paper vs Uncontrolled Paper: The Passive Income Revelation
• 00:48:27 Non-Negotiables: How to Make Discipline Automatic
• 00:51:22 Simple Not Easy: Why Most People Can't Do What They Know They Should
• 00:52:18 Buffer Room: The Real Secret to Handling Life's Curveballs
• 00:58:21 When Your Father Has a Stroke: The Power of Being Prepared
• 01:00:29 Closing: You Don't Look Like What You've Been Through

ABOUT THE PODCAST

The S2S podcast is hosted by Eric Thomas, Karl Phillips (the Bajan Sensation), CJ Quinney, and Jemal King. Four friends, four journeys, one mission, to help you discover the secret to YOUR success. Real conversations on marriage, business, wealth-building, and personal development, with the radical transparency that built this show. New episodes every week.

You can't build the new you without tearing the old one down. That's the truth most people don't want to hear. Because demolition is uncomfortable. It's messy. It's loud. And it doesn't look like progress when you're standing in the middle of it. But here's what you need to understand: demo is the first sign of progress.

The crew goes deep on transformation in this episode, and they're not talking about surface level change. They're talking about gutting out the old wiring, the old walls, the old mindset that's been holding you back for years. ET breaks down why God doesn't design you where He has to come back and rewire you later. You're already wired for everything you're supposed to do. The problem is you've only been using one hand your whole life. Jemal opens up about becoming a millionaire by mistake, and the question that changed everything: if I could become a millionaire by mistake, what could I become on purpose? Karl gets transparent about being in the demo phase right now, crying in bed, asking God for clarity, and realizing that the discomfort is the process. And CJ brings the perspective on why you can't skip demo and go straight to the finished product.

They also unpack why most people quit right when they start seeing results. Why you can't do demo alone. Why your marriage, your parenting, your career all need to be renovated, not just maintained. And why the people who knew you before your transformation are the ones most likely to keep you stuck. Because they're still measuring you by titles, not outcomes. They're still seeing the shell of who you used to be, not the person you're becoming.

This episode will challenge everything you think about change. Because transformation isn't about adding more to your life. It's about tearing down what's no longer working and building something new from the foundation up. And if you're waiting for it to feel comfortable, you'll be waiting forever. The new you doesn't come without demolition. And the demolition doesn't stop. You're supposed to keep renewing, keep renovating, keep transforming. That's not the problem. That's the process.

CHAPTERS

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Opening: You're Already Wired for Greatness
• 00:01:20 Stop Being Around People Who Won't Transform
• 00:03:24 The 20,000 Square Foot Reality: When Success Changes Everything
• 00:04:27 Jesus Said Who Is My Mother: Choosing Transformation Over Tradition
• 00:04:56 You Help More People By Leaving Them Alone
• 00:06:01 The Squad Car Story: When Your Partner Chooses Promotion Over Progress
• 00:07:52 Title vs Outcome: Why Most People Stay Stuck at Good
• 00:13:02 Demo Is the First Sign of Progress
• 00:15:21 Romans 12:2 - Be Transformed By Renewing Your Mind
• 00:19:49 The Uncomfortable Truth: You Will Be Unrecognizable
• 00:22:38 Success Is Sequential Not Simultaneous
• 00:41:10 You Don't Have to Demo Alone
• 00:49:07 You're Already Wired - Stop Focusing on What You're Not
• 00:54:45 Closing: God Is Willing and Able to Transform You

You're changing. You're growing. You're stepping into who you were always meant to be. And the people closest to you don't recognize you anymore. They look at you funny. They treat you different. They make you feel like you're doing something wrong. But here's the truth: if they don't recognize the new you, you're doing it right.

In Episode 544, the crew dives into one of the most uncomfortable truths about transformation. The people who knew you before your change are often the ones who resist it the most. Not because they don't love you. But because your growth exposes where they're still stuck. And instead of celebrating your elevation, they start acting awkward, distant, or downright hostile. ET breaks down the Harriet Tubman principle: she didn't carry a gun for her enemies. She carried it for the people she was trying to free. Because the ones closest to you are the ones most likely to snitch, sabotage, or talk you out of your destiny.

Jemal opens up about how people who saw him build from the ground up didn't treat him differently until the world validated what he was doing. CJ shares how his wife is now experiencing what it's like to step into the light and have people who were once close suddenly act funny. Karl brings the perspective on why you can't stay around people who aren't building. And ET delivers the hard truth: you are supposed to change. People are not supposed to recognize you. That's not the problem. That's the proof.

This episode will challenge everything you think about loyalty, relationships, and what it really means to transform. Because the higher you go, the more you expose where others are stuck. And if you're waiting for the people from your past to celebrate the person you're becoming, you'll be waiting forever. Stop dimming your light to make others comfortable. The new you is not for everyone. And that's exactly the point.

CHAPTERS / TIMESTAMPS

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Opening: Vision Beyond the Demolition - Seeing What Others Can't
• 00:01:27 Welcome and Team Introductions
• 00:03:20 Fair or Foul: The Airplane Seat Swap Dilemma
• 00:08:15 The Tip Jar Philosophy: Making Sure They See You Bless Them
• 00:10:17 Harriet Tubman's Gun: Why She Carried It for Her Friends, Not Her Enemies
• 00:12:47 They Won't Recognize You Anymore: When Transformation Makes You Unfamiliar
• 00:14:40 The Proximity Problem: When Your Light Exposes Where Others Are At
• 00:17:20 The Prophet Is Not Recognized in His Hometown: Jesus, ET, and the Title World
• 00:21:30 The Four Stages People Go Through When You Change
• 00:26:48 Romans 12:2 - Be Transformed by the Renewing of Your Mind
• 00:42:21 The X-Men Analogy: Stop Trying to Be Understood by Regular People
• 00:46:00 Closing: Concentrate on This Opportunity with All Your Might

Most people stay stuck for years on something that could be done in weeks. This week the crew breaks down the story of one man who rebuilt what a whole city left broken for 140 years, and finished it in 52 days. The difference was ownership and urgency, not money or talent.

JOIN US LIVE ON PATREON
New audio every Tuesday, video every Wednesday, plus live recordings with the S2S fam. This is where the real conversations keep going.
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PRE-ORDER "WE IS GREATER THAN ME"
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CHAPTERS

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Opening: 140 Years vs 52 Days - The Wall That Changed Everything
• 00:02:33 Welcome and Team Introductions: Fresh Off the Plane Energy
• 00:05:01 Next Level Speakers Conference Announcement: Your 52-Day Moment
• 00:11:33 Fair or Foul: The Elderly Server Dilemma
• 00:14:54 The Tipping Epidemic: From Drive-Throughs to 35 Percent Suggestions
• 00:09:14 The Knicks Talk and Sports Banter: When Franchises Finally Break Through
• 00:20:49 The Sermon Breakdown: Self-Accountability and the 52-Day Principle
• 00:26:21 The Math That Will Blow Your Mind: 983 Opportunities Wasted
• 00:28:41 ET's Bathroom Story: When Vision Meets Self-Accountability
• 00:28:25 The Broken Comb Philosophy: Why DeDeThrows Things Away Immediately
• 00:38:03 Vision, Urgency, and Miracle Territory: The Three Keys to 52 Days
• 00:40:27 The Michael Jackson Warning: If You Don't Move, God Gives It to Prince
• 00:44:19 Rachel's Transformation: From Basement to 1.3 Million in Softball
• 00:45:47 The Hot Seat Moment: How 5,000 Dollars Changed Rachel's Life Forever
• 00:48:03 Rachel Creates the Next Mastermind: When Students Become Teachers
• 00:46:39 The Tithing Conversation: When Your Wife Gives 40 Percent
• 01:06:14 Toby and Fat's 8,000 Square Foot Mansion: Real Estate Without the Degree
• 01:06:14 Exposure Changes Everything: Why Most People Stay Broke
• 01:04:41 The Callus Principle: Why the First Brick Hurts the Most
• 01:10:15 Final Challenge: 140 Years or 52 Days - You Choose

KALM DOWN WITH KARL
Karl on why the callus comes before the breakthrough. The first brick hurts, but there is a point where you stop feeling it and start building faster than everyone still waiting to begin.

MAL'S MILLIONAIRE MOMENT FEATURING JEMAL KING
Jemal on why most people are not broke because they are lazy. They are broke because they have not been exposed to more. Your level of exposure determines your level of success.

NEXT LEVEL SPEAKERS CONFERENCE
June 5 to 7, 2026, Atlanta, GA. Learn to start, grow, and monetize your speaking brand.
nextlevelspeakersconference.com

APOC VIRTUAL CHURCH
Saturdays 11am EST on YouTube. www.apocministry.org

FOLLOW
Instagram: @s2spodcast
Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1

ABOUT THE PODCAST
The Secret to Success podcast is hosted by Eric Thomas, the Hip Hop Preacher, Karl Phillips, the Bajan Sensation, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King. Four friends, four journeys, one mission, real conversations on faith, family, business, and the work it takes to build a life that lasts. New episodes every Thursday.

She said no. You got down on one knee, opened the box, asked the question, and she said no. Not "I need time." Not "maybe later." She said no. So now what?

In Episode 542, the crew tackles one of the most vulnerable questions a man can face: what do you do when your feelings are telling you one thing, but the data is telling you something completely different? A brother writes in after proposing to his girlfriend of several years, only to hear her say she's not ready. He's confused, hurt, and stuck between staying or walking away. ET, Karl, CJ, and Jemal break down why feelings will lie to you every single time, and why the data never does.

ET gets raw about the moment Dede told him she didn't feel safe, not physically, but emotionally and mentally. How his ego wanted to defend what he'd built, but the data told him something else entirely. He shares how he got off the road for four months, gave her predictability, and watched their marriage transform because he stopped going with his feelings and started going with the facts. Karl brings the "what by when" accountability framework that keeps you honest. Jemal drops the vision about getting in front of your future, how he started his daughters' 529 plans when they were toddlers, and why Yani just graduated from Michigan State debt free.

CJ tells the Slim Thug story, the moment he reached out to a Houston legend to help an artist he was mentoring, got ghosted, and realized the most important lesson of his career: stop asking people to do for you what you need to learn how to do yourself. They also break down why Joe Jackson energy isn't just for parenting, it's for every area of life where you're trying to build something real. From book covers to corporate stages to marriage, this episode will challenge you to stop letting your feelings run your life and start letting the data lead.

If you've ever been rejected, corrected, or redirected and didn't know what to do next, this conversation is for you. Because your feelings will tell you to quit. The data will tell you to adjust. And the difference between the two is the difference between staying stuck and leveling up.

Timestamps:

🔒 This Is What Patreon Members Get...
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🎤 Next Level Speakers Conference:
June 5-7, Atlanta, Georgia. If you know you're supposed to be speaking, training, or elevating your personal brand, this is where you need to be. ET, CJ, Karl, Inky Johnson, Jeremy Anderson and more. Tickets on sale now:
https://nextlevelspeakersconference.com

About the Secret to Success Podcast

The Secret to Success (S2S) Podcast is hosted by Eric Thomas (ET, The Hip Hop Preacher), Karl Phillips, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King. For over a decade, S2S has been one of the most authentic voices in personal development — not because of polished scripts, but because of real stories, real conversations, and real results.

Every episode pulls back the curtain on what it actually takes to build wealth, sustain relationships, grow businesses, and become who you were created to be. No hype. No filters. Just four men who've lived it, telling the truth about how they got there.

Secret to Success is hosted by Eric Thomas, Karl Phillips, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King.

Most people say they want the truth, but the moment it shows up, they call the messenger a villain. This episode picks up where the Joe Jackson conversation left off and turns the mirror around. The real question isn't whether Joe was too hard on Michael. It's why we keep demonizing every coach, mentor, and visionary with the gift to push us toward what we say we want.

DISCLAIMER: Our focus in this episode is not the Jackson family, and we are not endorsing or excusing abuse of any kind. Our focus is what happens when people push us because they see we are capable of more, and get demonized for it. The Jackson story is a starting point, not the subject.The guys dig into why visionaries always get villainized, why our relationship with trauma is broken, and the difference between feedback and validation. Karl shares the "Carlos" moment that changed how he receives criticism. ET tells the Mr. Gene swim instructor story that put this entire philosophy to the test with his own son.

If you've ever fired the person trying to save you, this one is for you.

In this episode: Why every visionary, from Moses to Joe Jackson, gets demonized during the process Why you can't receive help unless it comes wrapped exactly the way you want it The difference between looking for feedback and looking for validation How ET almost fired the swim instructor who taught his entire family to swim How to narrate your own story without playing the victim

CHAPTERS:

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Opening: Karl OS - The New Operating System
• 00:01:39 Welcome and Team Introductions: The Michael Jackson Movie Discussion
• 00:03:24 Did Michael Jackson Play the Victim His Whole Life?
• 00:04:15 Joe Jackson: Visionary or Villain?
• 00:23:06 The Gary, Indiana Reality Check
• 00:25:01 Feelings vs. Goals: Why Most People Stay Stuck
• 00:28:35 The Mr. Jean Swimming Lesson Story
• 00:37:12 Stop Looking for Validation, Start Looking for Feedback
• 00:44:20 Karl's Transformation: From Soft to Strategic
• 00:43:17 Next Level Speakers Conference Announcement
• 01:01:02 Kalm Down with Karl: Stop Living Your Life Like a Question
• 01:01:50 Mal's Millionaire Moment: Your Pension is Dead
• 01:04:02 The Secret Project Reveal: What Karl and Mal Are Building

KALM DOWN WITH KARL: Stop living your life like a question and live like the answer that you are. God saw a problem on the planet and created you as the solution. Stop walking around uncertain. You are the answer.

MAL'S MILLIONAIRE MOMENT: One pension is too close to no pension. Jemal breaks down how the average career span matches the average mortgage span, meaning you can have a property fully paid off by the time you retire from your day job. That's your second pension. He also shares how he turned his daughter's graduation gift into a down payment on her first property at 22.

RATE AND REVIEW: If this episode hit you, take 30 seconds to rate and review on Apple Podcasts. It's the biggest way you help us reach the next person who needs to hear this.

JOIN THE S2S PATREON: Early access, live recordings, behind-the-scenes content, Q&A, and ET speech streams. https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120

PRE-ORDER "WE IS GREATER THAN ME" by Eric Thomas and CJ Quinney: https://www.amazon.com/We-Greater-Than-Me-Highest-ebook/dp/B0GPGXXD5D

NEXT LEVEL SPEAKERS CONFERENCE: June 5-7, 2026 in Atlanta, GA. Featuring ET, CJ, Jemal, Karl, Inky Johnson, Jeremy Anderson, and Marco Kino. Early bird tickets active now. www.nextlevelspeakersconference.com

APOC VIRTUAL CHURCH: Saturdays 11am EST on YouTube. www.apocministry.org

WATCH THE VIDEO VERSION: https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1

CONNECT WITH S2S: Instagram: @s2spodcast

ABOUT THE PODCAST: The Secret to Success Podcast is hosted by Eric Thomas, CJ Quinney, Jemal King, and Karl "The Bajan Sensation" Phillips. The mission: show the authentic side of four men building businesses, marriages, wealth, and legacies in real time. No hype, no filters, just real conversations to help you believe in your own potential.

Your soft coaching is killing their future. And you think you're being kind.

In Episode 540, ET, CJ, Karl, and Jemal pull up to the table after watching the Michael Jackson movie and what follows is one of the most honest, uncomfortable, and necessary conversations this crew has ever had. About Joe Jackson. About tough love. About why we've been Catherine-ing people when we should have been Joe Jackson-ing them. And why the people closest to greatness are usually the ones being held back by feelings, comfort, and lies we call love.

CJ gets cavity searched while ET watches in the distance…

Then the crew dives into the Michael Jackson movie and what most people missed. Joe Jackson got them out of Gary, Indiana. From the steel mill to the charts. Six kids. Multiple number ones. And we've been dogging him out for decades without asking the hard question: would there even be a Michael Jackson without Joe Jackson?

ET breaks down why he's been doing it wrong as a leader. Why caring about people's feelings has actually been holding them back. Why his mom kicked him out at 16 and it was the greatest gift she ever gave him.

This episode will make you rethink every soft conversation you've had. Every time you coddled someone instead of challenging them. Every time you let someone stay comfortable when you knew they were capable of more. Because real love isn't making people feel good. Real love is helping them become who God called them to be.

Timestamps:

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Opening: The Airport Security Story - When ET Left CJ Behind
• 00:01:25 Welcome and Team Introductions: The Pastor's License
• 00:02:25 Fair or Foul: ET Goes Through Security While CJ Gets Searched
• 00:10:58 The Michael Jackson Movie: We Owe Joe Jackson an Apology
• 00:12:28 From Gary Indiana to Greatness: Joe Jackson's Vision
• 00:18:00 The Catherine vs Joe Jackson Debate: Love or Lies?
• 00:21:34 Stop Catherine-ing People: Why Feelings Are Holding You Back
• 00:19:37 The Candy Seller Revelation: When Compassion Becomes a Lie
• 00:25:25 Real Leadership Requires Losing People: The Mom Story
• 00:34:00 Joe Jackson Them: Holding People Accountable to Their Genius
• 00:40:12 The Real Estate Lesson: When Mom Made ET Buy the Right House
• 00:29:16 The Jalen and Jada Story: Taking Ownership of Your Part
• 00:37:45 I Don't Have Any More Care Left: The Superpower of Not Caring
• 00:28:30 The Trauma of Being Broke vs The Trauma of Success
• 00:44:52 Next Level Speakers Conference Announcement: June 5-7 Atlanta
• 00:45:58 Why AI Can't Replace Joe Jackson: You Still Need Humans
• 00:46:50 Closing: Patreon Meetup and Final Thoughts on Tough Love

🔒 This Is What Patreon Members Get...
Unscripted conversations. Behind the scenes moments. Live Q&As. ET's speech streams. This is the version of S2S where nothing gets cut. If you want in:
👉 Join the S2S Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120

🎤 Next Level Speakers Conference | June 5-7, Atlanta
If you know you're called to speak, train, or elevate your personal brand, this is where you need to be. ET, CJ, Karl, Inky Johnson, Jeremy Anderson, and more. Plus a Patreon meetup. Early bird tickets available now:
👉 nextlevelspeakersconference.com

🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode:
👉 https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1

📲 Follow us on Instagram: @s2spodcast

🎙️ Listen on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/secret-to-success/id123456789

About the Secret to Success Podcast

The S2S Podcast is hosted by Eric Thomas, Karl Phillips, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King. For over a decade, S2S has been one of the most authentic voices in personal development, not because of polished scripts, but because of real stories, real conversations, and real results.

Every episode pulls back the curtain on what it actually takes to build wealth, sustain relationships, grow businesses, and become who you were created to be. No hype. No filters. Just four men who've lived it, telling the truth about how they got there.

Most people spend their whole lives chasing a version of success that looks right on paper and still leaves them empty. That is the conversation at the center of Episode 539, and it is one of the most honest hours this table has produced.

Candis Quinney is back and she brings the moment that started everything. She was in her closet, stressed, overwhelmed, burnt out, with everything she had worked hard for, and still broke down. The house was there. The marriage was there. The kids were there. The pool was there. And none of it was enough. That moment did not break her. It built a movement. Candis is done watching women settle for a version of life that looks good from the outside and feels hollow on the inside, and she is calling everyone to a higher standard.

ET picks up where Episode 538 left off, going deeper into what it actually felt like to release the need for control and what changed in his life and his marriage when he finally did. He also brings one of the most tender moments in recent S2S history, talking about going back to heal his mother and realizing she went through everything he blamed her for carrying.

Karl's Kalm Down segment delivers one of the most practical frameworks this show has produced. Access and alignment are not the same thing. Just because something good comes to you does not mean it is yours. Make your decisions on alignment, not access.

With Jemal away, CJ steps in with a sanctified session and does not hold back. God wants more for you than you want for yourself. Everything you do not have is because you are still operating below the level God designed for you. Stop shrinking.

The episode also includes the announcement of ET and CJ's debut book "We Is Greater Than Me," now available for preorder on Amazon, and ET pulls out his GED on camera for the first time, earned February 9th, 1989, out of Lansing, Michigan. The certificate that started everything.

If you are a woman who has ever smiled through something that was breaking you, Candis is building something for you. If you have ever felt like your life looks right but something is still off, this table sees you.

In this Episode:

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Opening: Access Is Not the Same as Alignment
• 00:00:57 The Shift: Letting Go of Control and Trusting God's Plan
• 00:05:22 Breaking Generational Cycles: Understanding Your Parents' Pain
• 00:07:54 The Yoke Up Revelation: What It Really Means to Partner with Christ
• 00:12:33 Your Best Self Is for Hard Times, Not Good Times
• 00:10:27 Letting Go of Titles and Traditions That Kill Us
• 00:28:07 The Jada Story: When DD's Leadership Changed Everything
• 00:19:55 From the East Side to Bliss: Candace's Transformation Journey
• 00:21:47 Parenting Without Living Through Your Kids
• 00:33:12 Book Reveal: We Is Greater Than Me
• 00:43:17 Candace's Movement: From Crying in the Closet to Leading Women
• 00:48:32 Closing Word: Grow Up and Open Your Packages

Subscribe so you never miss an episode: https://www.youtube.com/@SecretToSuccess?sub_confirmation=1

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Follow us on Instagram: @s2spodcast

Listen on Apple Podcasts: Search "Secret to Success" on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

Secret to Success is hosted by Eric Thomas, Karl Phillips, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King.

About the Secret to Success Podcast

The Secret to Success podcast is hosted by Eric Thomas (ET, The Hip Hop Preacher), Karl Phillips, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King. For over two decades ET has been one of the most recognizable voices in personal development, motivation, and leadership. The Secret to Success podcast goes beyond the highlight reel to show the real conversations happening behind the work, covering marriage, business, wealth building, faith, and what it actually takes to build a life worth living. New episodes every Thursday on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.

Most people who feel stuck, angry, or burned out are not dealing with what they think they are dealing with. That is the throughline of Episode 538, a conversation that starts with the aftermath of the 1% Conference in Chicago and goes somewhere much deeper.

CJ's wife Candis Quinney walks in fresh off one of the most powerful 1% Conferences the S2S family has ever put together, and her presence immediately changes the energy in the room. Candis is not here as a plus one. She is building something, a movement for women who are done performing, done pretending, and done settling for a version of life that looks good on the outside and feels hollow on the inside. Her story, including a moment of sitting in a closet with everything she was supposed to want and still breaking down, is the kind of honesty that most people spend their whole lives avoiding. It is also exactly why we named this episode what we named it.

Before the episode even gets rolling, Karl opens with a reframe that sets the tone for everything that follows: God does not always allow the pain. Sometimes it is just our decisions. What is remarkable is that He works through it anyway.

ET's conference debrief becomes one of the most honest moments in recent S2S memory. He traces his lifelong anger back to its real source, being uprooted from Chicago as a kid, losing his cousin-brothers, resenting a stepfather he never asked for, and spending decades needing to control everything because nobody was ever in control for him. The breakthrough comes when he finally connects the dots and realizes the plan he spent years fighting against was actually the plan that made him who he is.

The episode also goes deep on DeDe's gift, her ability to see what no one else sees, illustrated through the story of Donovan, a child in their church navigating an impossible situation while his younger brother fights kidney failure. It is a quiet masterclass in what it looks like to show up for people with your actual gifts, not just your checkbook.

If you are a woman who has ever smiled through something that was breaking you, this one is going to meet you exactly where you are. And if you have ever chased a life that looked right on paper and still felt empty behind closed doors, pull up a chair. This conversation was made for you.

In this episode:

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Opening: God's Plan Despite Our Decisions
• 00:00:55 Welcome and Team Introductions: Post-1% Conference Reflections
• 00:02:49 Conference Takeaways: Building Your Own Table With People You Trust
• 00:04:18 Behind the Scenes: The Real Work of Live Events That Nobody Sees
• 00:16:02 The Commonality of Humanity: We All Want the Five Pillars
• 00:17:17 Candice's Mission: The Off-Ramp for Women Who Have Everything But Aren't Enjoying It
• 00:05:18 DeDe's Role: The Eye That Catches What Everyone Else Misses
• 00:09:49 The Phone Detox Challenge: Too Much Access to Everything
• 00:21:58 Candis' Story: Forgiving Her Father and the Optical Illusion of Life
• 00:27:09 The Wedding Day Decision: Moving As If You Already Have the Relationship You Want
• 00:30:36 The Truth About Candice's Father: When the Answer Still Isn't What You Hoped For
• 00:36:58 Eric's Story: I Still Don't Have Good Parents
• 00:38:32 The Joseph Revelation: God Allowed This to Happen So You Could Save Others
• 00:39:15 The Bruce Banner Effect: When Unresolved Trauma Makes You Someone You Don't Like
• 00:43:13 The American Dream Versus the Divine Calling: Stop Comparing Your Life
• 00:53:25 Losing Control and Finding God: When DD Took Over the Conference
• 00:55:00 The Healing Begins When You Realize Your Parents Were Broken Too
• 00:57:49 Closing: You Don't Want to Be Me, You Want to Be on Stage

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Secret to Success is hosted by Eric Thomas, Karl Phillips, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King.

This episode was never meant for the public. It was recorded exclusively for our Patreon community — the people who are already in the inner circle. But we're pulling the curtain back and letting you see what S2S really looks like when the pressure is off, the cameras are still rolling, and nobody is performing for anybody.

This is the crew unfiltered. No script. No agenda. Just ET, Karl, CJ, and Jemal being exactly who they are.

From 80s hip-hop debates to the first game they ever ran, to ET getting real about why he stopped giving his expertise away for free — this episode has everything the highlight reel never shows you. And then Pops pulls up and drops the origin story of how ET and CJ found each other — the moment that started all of this.

If you've ever wondered what S2S looks like behind closed doors — this is it.

In This Episode:

• The 80s hip-hop playlist that shaped who they became — LL Cool J, Eric B & Rakim, Babyface and more

• The first piece of game they ever ran (ET's Babyface line on Dede is legendary)

• Why ET stopped giving his time and expertise away for free — and why you should too

• The "selfish vs. self-focused" conversation that will change how you think about your time and money

• A special visit from the Cooking with the Cooks family

• Pops pulls up and tells the untold origin story of how ET and CJ connected

Timestamps:

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Opening: The Public Was Never Supposed to See This
• 00:03:39 Throwback Music Session: LL Cool J and the Golden Era of Hip-Hop
• 00:09:58 Baby Face and Early Game: The First Piece of Wisdom
• 00:15:00 The Football Team Get Naked Story: When Confidence Was King
• 00:17:18 The Michael Jordan Clip: Being Selfish Is How You Win
• 00:18:05 The Shift: How ET Stopped Giving Everything Away for Free
• 00:22:02 The Mastermind Testimony: When People Pay, They Apply
• 00:24:16 Valuing Your Time and Expertise: The CJ Partnership Model
• 00:32:59 The ETA Records Story: Giving What's Earned, Not What's Expected
• 00:37:35 Pops Enters the Building: The Man Who Started It All
• 00:41:04 The Origin Story: From Prison Visit to Twenty Years of Partnership
• 00:43:43 Closing: Behind the Scenes Access and What's Next

Key Takeaways:

• The difference between being selfish and being self-focused — and why it matters for your money and your time

• Why giving your expertise away for free is a disservice to yourself and the people you're trying to help

• The unplanned moment that created one of the most influential mentoring relationships in the world

• What the S2S Patreon is really about — and why this content exists

🔒 This Is What Patreon Members Get Every Week Unscripted conversations. Behind the scenes moments. Live Q&As. ET's speech streams. This is the version of S2S where nothing gets cut. If you want in: 👉 Join the S2S Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120

🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode: 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1

📲 Follow us on Instagram: @s2spodcast

🎙️ Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/secret-to-success/id123456789

About the Secret to Success Podcast

The Secret to Success (S2S) Podcast is hosted by Eric Thomas (ET, The Hip Hop Preacher), Karl Phillips, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King. For over a decade, S2S has been one of the most authentic voices in personal development — not because of polished scripts, but because of real stories, real conversations, and real results.

Every episode pulls back the curtain on what it actually takes to build wealth, sustain relationships, grow businesses, and become who you were created to be. No hype. No filters. Just four men who've lived it, telling the truth about how they got there.

New episodes every Thursday. Patreon drops every Tuesday and Wednesday.

Somebody talked you out of your dream before it ever had a chance. Maybe it was a parent. Maybe a friend. Maybe someone you trusted. And the worst part? They didn't even know they were doing it.

CJ takes his son Trey to a skateboard store and watches a 6-year-old fall twice in front of a crowd, get back up, and look at his dad like it was nothing — because CJ realized he was about to pass his own fear to his son. Fear of something he'd never even tried.

ET traces his version, leaving comfort in Huntsville to chase something bigger when everyone said he already had enough. Jemal gives a raw testimony — real estate, the daycare, the businesses — every significant venture required blind, childlike faith. The one that didn't? Becoming a police officer. His whole family was already there. Everything else? Trust God with nothing upfront. And Karl brings the financial lens: your side hustle doesn't just need to make money. It needs to make sense.

This one will make you think about who you've been taking advice from. And whether they've ever actually been on the skateboard.

📌 TIMESTAMPS

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Opening: Karl's Multi-Million Dollar Real Estate Deal and the Five Pillars
• 00:01:44 Welcome and Team Introductions: One Week Until the Chicago Conference
• 00:05:47 The Skateboard Story: How Trey's Childlike Faith Teaches Us to Get Back Up
• 00:08:45 Most People Were Talked Out of Their Dream Before It Started
• 00:12:33 Who Is Your Skateboard Instructor? The Importance of the Right Mentors
• 00:35:59 Unless You Become Like Little Children: The Scripture That Changes Everything
• 00:40:15 Show Up to the Conference as a Child, Not as an Adult
• 00:44:03 ET's Stone Mountain Story: Choosing to Be a Shepherd, Not a Competitor
• 00:51:15 For I Know the Plans I Have for You: God's Spiritual 529 Plan
• 00:56:45 Why This Conference Is Different: Three-Exing for God's Work
• 01:02:33 Jamal's Testimony: From Audience Member to Keynote Speaker at His Own High School
• 01:07:17 Make Your Side Hustle Make Sense: The Million Dollar Uber Ride
• 01:09:24 Closing Prayer: Lazarus, Come Forth—Breaking Free from the Weeds

🔑 KEY TAKEAWAYS
→ The person who talked you out of your dream probably never tried it themselves
→ A child sees what's possible. An adult only sees what's impossible
→ You're not afraid of the risk, you're afraid of what people will think when you fall
→ Show up as a student, not a teacher
→ Your side hustle shouldn't just make money, it should make sense

⬇️ Kalm Down with Karl When something is coming at you, you slow down. But when you have something to run toward, you speed up. What are you running toward?

💰 Mal's Millionaire Moment Jemal breaks down every venture he's ever built and the one thing they all had in common. Zero evidence it would work when he started. Just blind, childlike faith.

🎟️ 1% CONFERENCE, CHICAGO APRIL 16-18, 2026
Eric Thomas and world-class speakers including
- Sarah Jakes
- Jameis Winston,
- Inky Johnson,
- Wallstreet Trapper,
- Earn Your Leisure, and more.
3 days. 12,000 people.

Total transformation.
Day 1: Women's Day,
Day 2: Men's Day,
Day 3: VIP Family Day Tickets: https://etonepercent.com

🔔 NEVER MISS AN EPISODE
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/secret-to-success/id123456789
Instagram: @s2spodcast

Patreon: Behind the scenes access, live recordings, exclusive Q&A, and ET speech streams. If you're serious about this, this is where you need to be: https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120

ABOUT THE SECRET TO SUCCESS PODCAST The Secret to Success Podcast, hosted by Dr. Eric Thomas (ET), CJ Quinney, Karl Phillips and Jemal King, is one of the most impactful personal development podcasts in the world. Each week the team breaks down real conversations around success, discipline, wealth, leadership, relationships, and entrepreneurship. If you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, this is the podcast for you.