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Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Curtis Symonds..

🎯 Purpose of the Interview

The interview serves three main purposes:

Highlight the growth and mission of HBCU GO
- A digital media platform dedicated to HBCU sports, culture, and storytelling.
Celebrate Curtis Symonds’ career and Cable Hall of Fame induction
- Recognizing his 30+ years of impact in media and broadcasting.
Educate and inspire entrepreneurs and professionals
- Emphasizing perseverance, ownership, and strategic partnerships.

🧠 Key Takeaways 1. Vision + Persistence Built HBCU GO

Symonds created HBCU GO to fill a gap in exposure for Black colleges after struggling to get support for years.
The turning point came when Byron Allen backed his vision and acquired the company, enabling scale and quality.

✅ Insight:

Great ideas often require belief + the right partner to succeed.

“I’m going to buy your company because I believe in your vision.”%20(2).txt) [Curtis Sym...dcast) (2) | Txt]

2. Representation and Ownership Matter

Symonds explicitly wanted to show successful collaboration among Black executives.
Emphasis on high-quality production standards to compete with mainstream networks.

✅ Insight:

Representation isn’t enough—quality execution is required to compete at the highest level.

“I wanted to show the world that two Black men can get together and do something successfully.”%20(2).txt) [Curtis Sym...dcast) (2) | Txt]

3. HBCU GO Is More Than Sports—It’s Cultural Infrastructure

The platform includes:
- Live sports (football, basketball, baseball)
- Original programming
- Storytelling about HBCU history and impact
Goal: preserve and amplify untold stories

✅ Insight:

Media platforms can be tools for cultural preservation and education.

“Every HBCU has a story… that people don’t know about.”%20(2).txt) [Curtis Sym...dcast) (2) | Txt]

4. HBCUs Represent a Powerful, Valuable Audience

Symonds highlights data showing HBCUs produce large percentages of Black professionals (teachers, doctors, STEM grads).
Advertisers are increasingly recognizing this educated, middle-class audience.

✅ Insight:

Undervalued markets can become high-value audiences when properly positioned.

5. Brand Awareness Takes Time—but Compounds

Early on, people didn’t recognize HBCU GO.
Now, the brand has strong recognition and distribution (apps, Roku, Prime Video).

✅ Insight:

Building a brand requires consistency and patience.

“Now I put it on and people say, ‘I watch your network.’”%20(2).txt) [Curtis Sym...dcast) (2) | Txt]

6. Strategic Partnerships Accelerate Growth

Partnership with UNCF (37 institutions) expands reach and engagement.
Focus on direct communication with students and alumni communities.

✅ Insight:

Partnerships unlock distribution, credibility, and scale.

7. Career Success Comes from Risk + Timing

Symonds left ESPN for BET at age 32—a risky move at the time.
That decision helped define his career and legacy.

✅ Insight:

Big career leaps often require betting on uncertain opportunities.

“Why not me?”%20(2).txt) [Curtis Sym...dcast) (2) | Txt]

8. Recognition Is About Impact, Not Timing

Symonds acknowledges he could have been honored earlier but accepts timing.

✅ Insight:

Focus on impact—not validation.

“God had a place and a time for me… I’m not looking back on that.”%20(2).txt) [Curtis Sym...dcast) (2) | Txt]

9. Leadership Includes Personal Support Systems

He credits his wife as instrumental to his success and longevity.

✅ Insight:

Sustainable success requires strong personal foundations.

10. Future Focus: Storytelling + Sustainability

Expansion strategy:
- More content about HBCU history and achievements
- Positioning schools as both educational and business ecosystems

✅ Insight:

Long-term survival requires blending mission with economic strategy.

“We have to look at these HBCU schools as a business… not just as an education center.”%20(2).txt) [Curtis Sym...dcast) (2) | Txt]

💬 Notable Quotes

Here are some of the most impactful lines:

On vision

“I’m going to buy your company because I believe in your vision.”%20(2).txt) [Curtis Sym...dcast) (2) | Txt]
On representation

“Two Black men can get together and do something successfully.”%20(2).txt) [Curtis Sym...dcast) (2) | Txt]
On storytelling

“Every HBCU has a story… that people don’t know about.”%20(2).txt) [Curtis Sym...dcast) (2) | Txt]
On career mindset

“Why not me?”%20(2).txt) [Curtis Sym...dcast) (2) | Txt]
On recognition

“God had a place and a time for me.”%20(2).txt) [Curtis Sym...dcast) (2) | Txt]
On strategy

“We have to look at these HBCU schools as a business.”%20(2).txt) [Curtis Sym...dcast) (2) | Txt]

🧾 Bottom Line

This interview is both a case study in media entrepreneurship and a mission-driven conversation about cultural equity.

Curtis Symonds’ story demonstrates:

The power of vision + persistence
The importance of ownership and representation
The long-term impact of building platforms that tell overlooked stories

#SHMS #STRAW #BEST

Support the show: https://www.steveharveyfm.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Curtis Symonds..

🎯 Purpose of the Interview

The interview serves three main purposes:

Highlight the growth and mission of HBCU GO
- A digital media platform dedicated to HBCU sports, culture, and storytelling.
Celebrate Curtis Symonds’ career and Cable Hall of Fame induction
- Recognizing his 30+ years of impact in media and broadcasting.
Educate and inspire entrepreneurs and professionals
- Emphasizing perseverance, ownership, and strategic partnerships.

🧠 Key Takeaways 1. Vision + Persistence Built HBCU GO

Symonds created HBCU GO to fill a gap in exposure for Black colleges after struggling to get support for years.
The turning point came when Byron Allen backed his vision and acquired the company, enabling scale and quality.

✅ Insight:

Great ideas often require belief + the right partner to succeed.

“I’m going to buy your company because I believe in your vision.”%20(2).txt) [Curtis Sym...dcast) (2) | Txt]

2. Representation and Ownership Matter

Symonds explicitly wanted to show successful collaboration among Black executives.
Emphasis on high-quality production standards to compete with mainstream networks.

✅ Insight:

Representation isn’t enough—quality execution is required to compete at the highest level.

“I wanted to show the world that two Black men can get together and do something successfully.”%20(2).txt) [Curtis Sym...dcast) (2) | Txt]

3. HBCU GO Is More Than Sports—It’s Cultural Infrastructure

The platform includes:
- Live sports (football, basketball, baseball)
- Original programming
- Storytelling about HBCU history and impact
Goal: preserve and amplify untold stories

✅ Insight:

Media platforms can be tools for cultural preservation and education.

“Every HBCU has a story… that people don’t know about.”%20(2).txt) [Curtis Sym...dcast) (2) | Txt]

4. HBCUs Represent a Powerful, Valuable Audience

Symonds highlights data showing HBCUs produce large percentages of Black professionals (teachers, doctors, STEM grads).
Advertisers are increasingly recognizing this educated, middle-class audience.

✅ Insight:

Undervalued markets can become high-value audiences when properly positioned.

5. Brand Awareness Takes Time—but Compounds

Early on, people didn’t recognize HBCU GO.
Now, the brand has strong recognition and distribution (apps, Roku, Prime Video).

✅ Insight:

Building a brand requires consistency and patience.

“Now I put it on and people say, ‘I watch your network.’”%20(2).txt) [Curtis Sym...dcast) (2) | Txt]

6. Strategic Partnerships Accelerate Growth

Partnership with UNCF (37 institutions) expands reach and engagement.
Focus on direct communication with students and alumni communities.

✅ Insight:

Partnerships unlock distribution, credibility, and scale.

7. Career Success Comes from Risk + Timing

Symonds left ESPN for BET at age 32—a risky move at the time.
That decision helped define his career and legacy.

✅ Insight:

Big career leaps often require betting on uncertain opportunities.

“Why not me?”%20(2).txt) [Curtis Sym...dcast) (2) | Txt]

8. Recognition Is About Impact, Not Timing

Symonds acknowledges he could have been honored earlier but accepts timing.

✅ Insight:

Focus on impact—not validation.

“God had a place and a time for me… I’m not looking back on that.”%20(2).txt) [Curtis Sym...dcast) (2) | Txt]

9. Leadership Includes Personal Support Systems

He credits his wife as instrumental to his success and longevity.

✅ Insight:

Sustainable success requires strong personal foundations.

10. Future Focus: Storytelling + Sustainability

Expansion strategy:
- More content about HBCU history and achievements
- Positioning schools as both educational and business ecosystems

✅ Insight:

Long-term survival requires blending mission with economic strategy.

“We have to look at these HBCU schools as a business… not just as an education center.”%20(2).txt) [Curtis Sym...dcast) (2) | Txt]

💬 Notable Quotes

Here are some of the most impactful lines:

On vision

“I’m going to buy your company because I believe in your vision.”%20(2).txt) [Curtis Sym...dcast) (2) | Txt]
On representation

“Two Black men can get together and do something successfully.”%20(2).txt) [Curtis Sym...dcast) (2) | Txt]
On storytelling

“Every HBCU has a story… that people don’t know about.”%20(2).txt) [Curtis Sym...dcast) (2) | Txt]
On career mindset

“Why not me?”%20(2).txt) [Curtis Sym...dcast) (2) | Txt]
On recognition

“God had a place and a time for me.”%20(2).txt) [Curtis Sym...dcast) (2) | Txt]
On strategy

“We have to look at these HBCU schools as a business.”%20(2).txt) [Curtis Sym...dcast) (2) | Txt]

🧾 Bottom Line

This interview is both a case study in media entrepreneurship and a mission-driven conversation about cultural equity.

Curtis Symonds’ story demonstrates:

The power of vision + persistence
The importance of ownership and representation
The long-term impact of building platforms that tell overlooked stories

#SHMS #STRAW #BEST

Support the show: https://www.steveharveyfm.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Follow Your Passion: He created a digita...