I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.
William Ernest Henley
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Narrated by Marcus A.
There are a few things that I’ve lived by since my adolescence, and this statement is one of them. You have to always steer your ship and plan for the worst storms. It took me some time to understand and live by this but when I did it carried me through a lot of challenges I’ve experienced in my life whether it was career-wise, relationship-wise, decision-making, and even when it came to my finances. I’d be lying if I said that living by this didn’t make me feel some type of way. I always felt that I was letting myself down when things seemed to take longer than expected or I felt unsure about what to do in certain situations, but I needed that feeling so I could move from something that wasn’t going to work, or didn’t truly have my best interest.
The birth of this idea started a bit after my first summer job. My first real job, excluding the DC summer youth program, was at Burlington Coat factory as a seasonal cashier. Man, I’ll never forget the smell of that store. I was making money on my own, so I felt great and felt like part of a professional team for the first time. It came to a point where the season was over and they were letting people go. I opt to stay even though they said the pay would be the same and the benefits wouldn’t be that great, but it was cool with me, happy to have a job. Two weeks later, they let me go anyway. I was upset, but it was what it was. I was always sharp with computers and had my A+ certification, so I figured I’d try my hand at BestBuy’s geek squad. I didn’t get the job even though I knew I should have. I decided to start fixing electronics on my own. I started looking for another job and I landed at a movie theater. I’m pretty sure I was getting paid the same as I did at the clothing store, but I got other perks like free movies, food, a more relaxed work environment, and I could let my friends and family in for free. Working there for a while, I thrived. The staff was like family, and I eventually got my cousin in there, so it was family. The theater corporate office decided that it was time for a refresh of management, so we got a new General Manager. Not too long after the new GM arrived, I’ve been promoted to Concession Manager. This was big for me. My pay doubled. I worked hard for it, so I deserved it. I couldn’t help but think about what would things be like if I was accepted to stay at my first job.
With this pay increase, I was able to get my first car. I was making so much money I didn’t know what to do with it, so I opened an investment account and let my money build up more. At the theater, management changed again, and I was let go. Back to square one, I thought. But it wasn’t; I knew my worth. I wouldn’t just settle for just any job, well not without a plan. Not too far away from the theater, there was a grocery store. I applied there and told them about my experience, but they didn’t seem to care. They weren’t looking for what I was applying for, so they gave me a job I was good at doing, a cashier. I worked as a cashier for a while, but I decided to switch to Produce because of my concession managing background. I eventually became an Assistant Manager, then a Produce Manager Trainee / Flagship Produce Manager. The way they tried to handle me was strange because I knew everything I needed to know. They just didn’t want to pay me my worth. I would go from store to store and get a trainee wage, but acting as a Flagship Manager. I called the supervisor and told him how I felt and I that need more money for what I’m doing and he flat out told me no; he said you can accept what we have set up for the moment or leave, but if you stay it will get better. I felt like I was getting played with; it wasn’t even about the money at that point. Later that day, I applied for a rival company. I got a callback and passed my interview with flying colors, and got an offer for a third more than I would have been making as a Flagship Manager.
My father told me ‘Name your price in the beginning. If it ever gets more expensive than the price you name, get out of there.’
Dave Chappelle
This story is known to most, I’m sure, but there’s a lesson to be learned. Dave Chappelle was the star of Comedy Centrals: Chappelle Show. Dave was the hottest comedian at the time, with two very successful seasons of his show. At the moment, it was the largest-selling TV series of all time. Comedy Central was planning to sign Dave for two more seasons for $50 million, but all of a sudden, Dave disappeared. There were a bunch of rumors going around about his disappearance and some media outlets painted Dave as a drug user and a maniac. They created their narratives about why Dave didn’t take the deal. Dave stayed off the radar and didn’t tell anyone but close family why he walked away from the money. That was until he went on to the Oprah Winfrey show. Dave explained that he wasn’t running away from the money, and he wasn’t crazy. Dave mentioned how there was a renegotiation after his first season and he excepted less money than he wanted. He talked about how the network tried to control more of his show and make him do sketches that were “socially irresponsible” and, in a sense, when beyond his ethics.
Dave explained that on one of his sketches there was a pixie, in blackface, that would appear when people wanted to call you the N-word, but didn’t. Dave said while filming the sketch a white person laughed and it was the first time he ever felt he was being laughed at, not with. That made him feel uncomfortable. He explained that he didn’t want black people to be disappointed in him for letting that air. He explained how when you get success like he was receiving, the network tries to shape you in their image. Dave felt a way and knew his time with the show was over even before he quit. He suddenly left for Africa, where he felt there would be a sense of peace as he was stressed and needed to clear his mind. Fast forward to today, Dave signed a deal with Netflix to receive $20 million per Netflix special and he currently has six of them: The Age of Spin, Deep In the Heart of Texas, Equanimity, The Bird Revelation, Sticks & Stones, and The Closer. Dave also received back pay from Comedy Central for the years he didn’t get paid after leaving. Along with this, Dave has been consistently doing stand-ups and tours for his documentary: Live in Real Life.
They say everything happens for a reason and I believe it to an extent. Chance was on my side, but I was always determined to do better and receive what I felt I was worth. When it seemed like I was settling, it was only temporary. I had a plan, and I was determined to move forward no matter how long it would have taken me; I would have worked my ass off until I got it. It comes a time when you must jump the ship in your best interest. Times where you have to disappear for a while to regroup yourself. Opportunities are always around you and they could be life-changing. If you work hard enough in the right places, you’ll certainly get rewarded for it. Most corporate companies do not care about you, nor do they have your best interest at heart. You have to always have a plan and you have to always know when it’s your time to leave. You have to always be looking for the next best thing for you because your employer always is. No matter how big or small you think you may be. Take the lesson from the funniest man alive that we all have our price and once it’s too much of a price to pay, leave. This is for anything in your life that’s not quite how you want it.