Transcript

Money Talks: Terrence J Breaks Down Wealth, Real Estate, and Giving Back 💵 E158

From The Money Mondays Podcast · Episode page · Watch on YouTube

February 16, 2026 · 33 min · 6,290 words · 75 timestamped sections

This is the full, timestamped transcript of "Money Talks: Terrence J Breaks Down Wealth, Real Estate, and Giving Back 💵 E158", an episode of The Money Mondays Podcast published February 16, 2026 (33 min, about 6,290 words). It mentions 32 people, works and ideas, including Financial Literacy, Money Mondays, Terrence J, Real estate, Charity.

What this episode is about

Terrence J shares practical insights on building wealth, investing in real estate, and philanthropy, drawing on decades of on-camera and industry experience to break down money strategies, asset growth, and giving back. The discussion emphasizes actionable steps, time-tested lessons, and the impact of generosity on financial success.

Key takeaways

Nerve plus persistence beats raw talent: one audition changed a life, a career, and a global cultural moment.
Butterfly-effect careers: tiny, stubborn decisions (driving to Atlanta) create ripple effects across continents and industries.
Media shifts mattered: 106 & Park rode the 2000s tech boom; opportunity followed platforms, not just talent.
Storylines aren’t evil: narratives connect money talk to real lives, unlocking generosity and smarter investing by example.
Ask, fail, and repeat: audition hundreds, bomb, come back; resilience is the hidden curriculum of finance and fame.

Who speaks in this episode?

Terrence Jay (Guest) · 25 min speaking
Dan (Guest) · 7 min speaking

What is discussed, and when

0:00 – 5:00: Money Mondays, Terrence J, Charity, Financial Literacy
5:00 – 10:00: E! News, Kevin Hart, Japan, Jay-Z
10:00 – 15:00: Financial Literacy, Real estate, Bitcoin, Damon John
15:00 – 20:00: Real estate, Airbnb, COVID-19, Last Lap
20:00 – 25:00: Kevin Hart, Real estate, S&P 500
25:00 – 30:00: Charity, Financial Literacy, NAACP, United Negro College Fund
30:00 – 32:40: Marriage Box, Elvis Dan, Financial Literacy, Money Mondays

Notable quotes from "Money Talks: Terrence J Breaks Down Wealth, Real Estate, and Giving Back 💵 E158"

What's up, Dan? Thank you so much for having me on your show, The Money Mondays. I'm so happy to be here. I have, like you said, a long career, starting in media and entertainment.
about Money Mondays · at 1:28
Turned down and got told no a bunch. eventually they had a open casting call at BET and I went to New York City from Florida and I stood in line. I was probably number 500 in line.
about New York City, New York · at 3:31
Like talk to us about getting on to E-News, which is literally one of the biggest that there was.
about E! News · at 6:28
That was an investment property and then once I got a hold of that you know I was able to I probably did $20 million in real estate over a threeyear span. and then you know…
about Terrence J · at 16:33
The smartest investors and one of the nicest guys to the, there's never a time where I call Kevin and he don't pick up the phone. It's Yo, T, what's up?
about Kevin Hart · at 24:49
I don't know if anything is more important than charity. as we get older, I think, in my 20s, I really had something to prove.
about Charity · at 25:36
Back, loving each other, helping each other. and I think again bringing it back to money, financial literacy and financial freedom are ways to do that and that's why this is…
about Financial Literacy · at 28:16
Of TV shows, and I'm really excited. I'm producing and hosting a show called Marriage Box, right?
about Marriage Box · at 30:44

Who and what is mentioned in this episode?

People

Terrence J — Person · Main guest · 2 mentions · first at 1:23
He discusses his media career (BET/"106 & Park", E! News), then pivots to financial literacy, real estate investing, and charity as core themes of the episode.
Elvis Dan — Person · Host · 3 mentions · first at 1:28
He hosts Money Mondays, guides the conversation through Terrence J's career decisions, investing frameworks, and charitable giving.
What's up, Dan? Thank you so much for having me on your show, The Money Mondays. I'm so happy to be here. I have, like you said, a long career, starting in media and entertainment.
Kevin Hart — Person · Referenced celebrity / mentor example · 3 mentions · first at 8:13
Used as an example of career leverage and as a real relationship Terrence J cites for mentorship and investing guidance.
Damon John — Person · Referenced business educator · 1 mention · first at 14:38
Cited as an example of accessible, practical financial/investing advice shared publicly.
There are so many incredible people out there that are giving information. You can't look on Damon John's page without him telling you something that can help you out, right? and so, yeah, I think it's it's it's on us to educate.
Jay-Z — Person · Referenced celebrity (interview example) · 1 mention · first at 7:42
Used as an example of Terrence J's red-carpet/interview access and credibility.
Hip-hop music videos that I could do. I could conjugate a verb and I could be on the red carpet and you know I can interview Jay-Z and you know Kanye West, but I can also…
Kanye West — Person · Referenced celebrity (interview example) · 1 mention · first at 7:44
Mentioned with Jay-Z as part of Terrence J's entertainment-industry interviewing experience.
Could conjugate a verb and I could be on the red carpet and you know I can interview Jay-Z and you know Kanye West, but I can also interview Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Cruz. And…
Leonardo DiCaprio — Person · Referenced celebrity (interview example) · 1 mention · first at 7:48
Mentioned to illustrate Terrence J's range beyond hip-hop interviews while at E! News.
The red carpet and you know I can interview Jay-Z and you know Kanye West, but I can also interview Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Cruz. And so I went on to ene and you know did what I had to do and yeah man we it was just an incredible run.
Tom Cruise — Person · Referenced celebrity (interview example) · 1 mention · first at 7:50
Mentioned alongside Leonardo DiCaprio to show mainstream red-carpet interviewing credibility.
Interview Jay-Z and you know Kanye West, but I can also interview Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Cruz. And so I went on to ene and you know did what I had to do and yeah man we it was just an incredible run.

Companies & orgs

NAACP — Organization · Referenced nonprofit partner · 2 mentions · first at 27:15
Terrence J mentions doing work with NAACP and producing/hosting the NAACP Image Awards red carpet.
Will be the next one that'll be dropping. I'm producing and hosting the red carpet for the NAACP Image Awards. So, I'll be back out in LA. Oh, I don't know when this airs, but…
Last Lap — Company · Referenced investment (guest as investor) · 1 mention · first at 17:21
Terrence J cites Last Lap as an example of investing in what he personally enjoys, with locations in Miami and New York.
Always go after what I like. So, I'm an investor in an incredible restaurant called Last Lap here in Miami and in New York. and it's it's a it's a restaurant and a bar that I…
Airbnb — Company · Referenced platform enabling strategy · 2 mentions · first at 16:17
Terrence J credits Airbnb and short-term rental tech as helping him capitalize on real estate during/after COVID.
Great investment. And I think o over COVID when everybody started renting and you know the arrival of technology like Airbnb and making rentals and short-term rentals an option I was really able to capitalize off of that.
United Negro College Fund — Organization · Referenced nonprofit partner · 1 mention · first at 27:15
Included in Terrence J's list of education-focused organizations he supports.
Working with the young people there to doing a ton of work with all types of organizations from the NAACP to United Eagle College Fund. you know so a lot of that educational…
North Carolina A&T State University — Organization · Referenced alma mater / giving focus · 1 mention
Terrence J cites attending this HBCU and being active through donations and student engagement as part of his charity work.
NASCAR — Organization · Referenced early employer · 1 mention · first at 2:53
Terrence J explains he worked at NASCAR in diversity marketing after college before breaking into entertainment.
From college in 2004, with a degree in broadcast journalism. I then took a job working in at NASCAR. I was working in their diversity marketing department.

Concepts & topics

Financial Literacy — Concept · Core topic · 7 mentions · first at 2:05
A central theme: they argue lack of financial education drives wealth loss (e.g., athletes), and podcasts/mentors can close the gap.
Real estate — Concept · Core topic · 7 mentions · first at 2:08
Terrence J explains how buying a dream home led to investment properties, short-term rentals, and adapting to market shifts.
And so now my portfolio encompasses real estate investments. and yeah, just a bunch of experience on stages. and yeah, just happy to be here with you, man.
Charity — Concept · Core topic · 6 mentions · first at 0:13
The episode frames giving as a pillar of Money Mondays; Terrence J describes board service, education-focused giving, and community support.
S&P 500 — Concept · Referenced investment vehicle · 1 mention · first at 23:18
Terrence J recommends 'blue chip' style investing and explicitly names the S&P 500 as a place to park money.
Put as much into those blue chip stocks and investments you know the S&P 500, you want to you want to just you want to put it in places where your money can work for you. We are now entering a time in the world where.
Bitcoin — Concept · Referenced asset class · 1 mention · first at 14:56
Used as an example of baseline financial awareness people should have (tracking price, understanding markets).
People. It's on everybody to understand, the price of Bitcoin right now, to understand what's going on in the stock market, to understand real estate and know the interest rates and know when they drop and when they rise and when's a.
Artificial Intelligence — Concept · Referenced macro trend · 1 mention · first at 15:13
Raised as a fast-arriving shift that makes the coming years 'pivotal' for people to educate themselves financially.
Cuz these next few years are going to be pivotal. You put that thing on your Instagram the other day talking about AI and how fast it's coming, it's it's Yeah, it's it's time. It's showtime right now.

Places & events

COVID-19 — Event · Referenced macro event · 2 mentions · first at 16:12
Terrence J links COVID-era behavior changes (renting, off-grid experience) to real estate opportunities and to inspiring Marriage Box.
Peace and to everybody that lost their life during the pandemic but during the pandemic my experience was eyeopening no technology being just you know off the grid and so I…
Miami — Place · Key location (investments and operations) · 1 mention · first at 17:21
Terrence J references Miami as the site of his restaurant investment (Last Lap) and as a market affected by short-term rental rules.
Always go after what I like. So, I'm an investor in an incredible restaurant called Last Lap here in Miami and in New York. and it's it's a it's a restaurant and a bar that I…
Los Angeles — Place · Referenced residence/work location · 2 mentions · first at 16:01
Terrence J mentions buying a dream home in LA and returning to LA for NAACP Image Awards work.
Estate, I really fell into it by accident. I bought the my dream home and my dream home in LA mansion that I, threw a bunch of parties at and had a great time at. When it was…
New York City, New York — Place · Referenced career location · 1 mention · first at 3:38
Site of the BET open casting call line experience; also referenced as a location for Last Lap.
Florida — Place · Referenced origin point · 2 mentions · first at 3:38
Terrence J describes traveling from Florida to New York City for the BET casting call.
Turned down and got told no a bunch. eventually they had a open casting call at BET and I went to New York City from Florida and I stood in line. I was probably number 500 in line.
Investfest — Event · Referenced event (financial education) · 1 mention · first at 14:23
Mentioned as part of Terrence J's involvement with financial education communities (Earn Your Leisure ecosystem).
Right now on our phone. And so I think you know podcasts like this you know I do investfest with the earn your leisure guys and do a lot of stuff with them. You know I have my own podcast that talks about financial literacy.
Hollywood — Place · Referenced industry place · 1 mention · first at 3:27
Used as shorthand for the entertainment ecosystem Terrence J tried to break into via auditions.
Not as Spider-Man, but just all types of extra roles, everything that you could want to do in Hollywood. and I got turned down and got told no a bunch. eventually they had a open casting call at BET and I went to New.
Japan — Place · Referenced global reach · 1 mention · first at 5:44
Mentioned to emphasize the international cultural impact of "106 & Park".
And this was just the perfect storm of ingredients, that show. and it, from New York to Japan to London, it really was a cultural phenomenon that changed the game and that's something I'm I'm proud to be a part of that history.
London — Place · Referenced global reach · 1 mention · first at 5:44
Mentioned alongside Japan to show the show’s international influence.
And this was just the perfect storm of ingredients, that show. and it, from New York to Japan to London, it really was a cultural phenomenon that changed the game and that's something I'm I'm proud to be a part of that history.

Media & podcasts

Money Mondays — Media · Primary podcast / setting · 3 mentions · first at 0:08
The show structure is stated upfront (make money, invest, give), and it serves as the platform for Terrence J's advice.
Marriage Box — Media · Upcoming project (created/hosted by guest) · 3 mentions · first at 30:49
Terrence J describes producing and hosting this show concept (couples in a tech-free 'box' competing for money).
E! News — Media · Referenced career milestone · 2 mentions · first at 6:24
Terrence J describes leaving BET to join E! News as a strategic brand move and becoming lead anchor.

Full transcript with timestamps

0:06 Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to a special edition of the Money Mondays podcast where we cover three core topics. How to make money, how to invest money, how to give it away to charity. I'm very excited because I actually have someone here that's been on camera for decades. So, I'm actually gonna ask him advice and questions after we film this because he has a zillion hours of experience on camera, behind the scenes, in front of the scenes, and everything in between on stages, award shows. It's mindboggling how much time he's put into this industry. And so, I'm very excited to ask him questions. As you guys know, this episode will be under 40 minutes because the average workout is 45 minutes. The average commute to work is 45 minutes. This episode will be between 34 and 38 minutes for your listening pleasure. Also, keep in mind, this podcast is not just for you. It should be for your friends, family, and

0:50 followers. You liking, commenting, and subscribing is very useful for our charity. It's very useful for our podcast. It's very useful to spread the message about money because too often we grew up thinking it's rude to talk about money. We want to change that narrative. That's why this podcast is in the top 50 all over the world every single week because of your help. It's very important for us. And also keep in mind, this podcast might be for someone from your past, present, or future. You might be sitting somewhere four months from now and be like, "Wait, I remember that thing he said. I should forward that episode. So, as you're listening these things, it's not just for you. Think about the people in your life. Without further ado, Mr. Terren Jay, give us a quick two-minute bio so we get straight to the money.

1:28 What's up, Dan? Thank you so much for having me on your show, The Money Mondays. I'm so happy to be here. Uh, I have, like you said, um, a long career, uh, starting in media and entertainment. Um, I I started my first big national show in in 2006. I was there.

1:46 Uh, which Yeah, you were there. Yeah, which would have been 106 in Park. Uh went on to do a a string of movies that generated over hund00 million in the box office. Um got behind the camera, produced films as well, and then started producing a bunch of television, a bunch of uh different uh uh movies. Um and then really got into financial literacy. Um, and so now my my portfolio encompasses real estate investments. Um, and yeah, just a bunch of experience on stages. Uh, and yeah, just happy to be here with you, man.

2:20 All right, I got so many questions. So, let's start from the beginning. Normally, I don't do story lines, but your story lines involve a lot of things that go on with this ecosystem of talking about money.

2:29 106 The park. Yeah. This became a phenomenon. Yes. When you first went on, how did they pick you? How did you decide? And then as you're like, "Okay, now it's year three, year four, year five." Like, "Okay, well, they need me now." Like, just talk us through the business side of getting onto a TV show.

2:45 Uh, okay. So, yeah, the year I graduated from college in 2004, uh, with a degree in broadcast journalism. Um, I then took a job working in at NASCAR. I was working in their diversity marketing department. Um, and I enjoyed it. Uh, but I it wasn't really what I was passionate about. So, while I was working a job and, you know, trying to stack up some money, I auditioned for a bunch of things. I mean, I I probably auditioned for a hundred things.

3:17 Really? Yeah. Just a bunch of I mean, I audition for you guys to hear that. To be in I think it was Spider-Man at the time. Like just all types of things. Not as Spider-Man, but just all types of extra roles, everything that you could want to do in Hollywood. and I got turned down and got told no a bunch. Uh eventually they had a a open casting call uh at at BET and I I went to New York City from Florida and I stood in line. I was probably number 500 in line.

3:49 Wow. Yeah. There were thousands of people out there. Wow. And I remember going through the first round of auditions. I was nervous. I messed up. I didn't know what to expect and I came out of the room and I I I bombed it. Right. But the guy that was standing in front of me in line while we were waiting to get in, he came out like, "Yes, I made it to the second round." And I was like, "Damn, if he could just make it to the second round, why can't I?"

4:16 So, my goal was not to build the whole wall. I just had literally I was like, "I got to make it to round two. this guy wasn't that much, you know, he wasn't, you know, and so I drove

4:28 from New York to Atlanta to audition for the same thing. Wow. The next day. Wow.

4:35 And when I got to the next audition, I had I I almost missed the the next call cuz I I had driven down. They were closing the doors. I was able to slip in because I had my name badge from New York from the day before. And I went through round two, then round three cuz now I had the confidence. Now I knew what to expect and uh getting and landing that job completely changed the trajectory of my life.

5:03 For sure. So you created the butterfly effect. Yeah. You not driving to Atlanta would have changed my life. Like I literally went to I was at 106 Park. I just I know we to bring my t-shirts out in the parking lot out in front in the street. Like

5:15 I was giving them out. You coming it means so much. and hearing these stories now of of how it impacted people, how it, you know, motivated people, inspired people. At the time, you know, in 2006, everything was changing, right? Facebook was just created in ' 04, right? Uh YouTube, I think, came out in like '05. Like media was changing, technology was changing, and this was just the perfect storm of ingredients, that show. uh and and it, you know, from New York to Japan to London, it really uh was a cultural phenomenon that that changed the game and and that's something I'm I'm proud to be a part of that history.

5:55 So, I used to stand outside because there was a line a couple hundred people waiting to go inside as the audience and I would offer to give out my t-shirts for free

6:02 as long as they put it on right now. Wow. And all I was doing is hoping for the pickup as they would show the crowd.

6:08 Terrence was hosting with Roxy and sometimes they would pan to the crowd to show the live audience. And so some people were wearing my shirts or my hats. I would get a little bit. It was only for a second.

6:17 But it was free. Yeah. And my only rule was if you take it, you got to put it on right this second. You got it for free. Otherwise, you got to pay 20 bucks.

6:22 I love it. Okay. You also did E-News. Yes. This is one of the biggest names in the world. You even mentioned it earlier. Like talk to us about getting on to E-News, which is literally one of the biggest that there was.

6:32 So, so I had at that point I had been on uh um 106 for seven years, I believe. Um, and you know, we were at a point where I think it was time to renegotiate. I had uh did some movies in between. So, Think Like a Man was largely successful.

6:50 You know, I I I was in a great place in my career. Roxy was crushing it as well.

6:55 And it was a it was a pivotal moment cuz we had to make decisions. How long do you stay? you know, do you leave when you're on top or do you wait, you know, to to sit in the club till they turn the lights on, right? And for us, we decided to leave, you know, leave the leave the restaurant before you're the last person at the at the table.

7:17 Um, and so going to E-News, it was a gamble at the time, right? Uh, I ended up becoming, you know, the lead anchor. But a lot of people didn't understand why I would leave, you know, such a cushy great situation, uh, to to go after something else. But, you know, I had something to prove. You know, I wanted to show that it wasn't just hip-hop music videos that I could do. I could conjugate a verb and I could be on the red carpet and you know I can interview Jay-Z and and you know Kanye West, but I can also interview Leonardo DiCaprio and and Tom Cruz. And so I went on to ene and you know did what I had to do and yeah man we it was just an incredible run.

8:01 So when you get TV shows, movies hosting stages, award shows, you get bombarded by different options.

8:07 Yeah. How do you decide that you're going to put your personal brand on? Not just the paycheck part, but like how do you decide like you know what, I will host that award show or I will do that movie with Kevin Hart or maybe I will do it with this person or that comedian.

8:19 You know, in the beginning I took a lot of things, right? It was, you know, paying off your college uh loans and getting yourself out of, you know, when I when I started, I was pretty much living on a couch. Y

8:31 um so I didn't come from a television background. I didn't have much. And so building wealth was something that was very important to me. I didn't ever want to go back. I didn't want to go back to being poor. I didn't want to go back to to nothing. So I I took a lot of different opportunities in the beginning. After, you know, becoming established and really getting my foot in the door, then I really started to to appreciate doing what I'm passionate about. And so now I'm in a place in my career, I don't leave the house unless it's something that I believe in, unless it's something that aligns with my brand. Um, I can't take any check now, right? I I have too many people that depend on me and too many businesses that would would would fall apart if I did things that, you know, jeopardize my integrity, right? So, you got to focus on things that align with your spirit.

9:26 uh focus on things that align with your personal brand. That takes a while to develop. Um but yeah, in the beginning, you got to take things to to pay the rent. So, I think overall through the eb and flow of this economy and through this, you know, this world, you got to you got to be careful with what you take. You got to be careful with what you turn down. And ultimately, you you got to follow your gut. You got to follow your instinct on those things.

9:49 So, someone out there's listening, they're an aspiring comedian, actor, DJ, rapper, singer. They want to be out there. They want to get on to that stage or behind that camera. What would you say to them to make themselves stand out to get picked or to showcase their actual personality?

10:06 That's a that's a loaded question. You know, as we talk about and we celebrate, you know, 20 years, the world has changed, right? When I first started, there were only a few outlets that had the opportunities uh in place to do what I wanted to do. And in addition to that, equipment was really expensive. So you couldn't just put up and start doing your own thing. Now you can create your own destiny, right? There are less there there are a lot of different opportunities, but they might be harder because they're more competitive, but you can create your own landscape like this, right? you can visualize this show and you t you're able to touch millions of people through your concept that you completely have creative control over your complete autonomy over and that's a beautiful thing as well. So what I say to people is this follow what you're passionate about. If you're going to start your podcast, right, and you like

11:05 golf, then focus your podcast on golf for sure. Don't try to emulate somebody else or because you've seen, hey, a lot of people are successful doing fitness videos. Now, I'm going to start doing fitness videos, but I don't care about fitness.

11:22 People will see right through that. People love authenticity. People love specificity, right? So, if you're really into food and you love cooking and you love wine, then your show should be focused on cooking and wine, right? Don't try to go in the direction of something that you're you're not uh passionate about because the audience will see right through that.

11:45 We've seen a lot of people start to make money. Yeah. And different industries, but sometimes we hear about the NFL and other categories where they leave the league and five years later they go bankrupt.

11:56 Yep. you started talking about financial literacy and that's part of your passion. Now, what do you think that happens or occurs that make people that make a lot of money start to lose it or if not worse lose all of it after they make that money?

12:09 You know, I think it I think it begins with our school system. I think that you know we the the way our education in our country is is broken down uh through a a child and a student's metriculation. the focus on finance, the focus on financial literacy is not in place. Right? When we grew up, we didn't even have a podcast like this. We didn't have relatable people sitting talking about money. It was almost a thing that our parents' generation and especially, you know, the the generation before, they never really had those money conversations, especially root,

12:46 especially in in in public, right? and such a crabs in the barrel competitive, you know, type of thing where young people didn't discuss it cuz we're all fighting for the same type of jobs, right? So, I I think the lack of financial literacy that a lot of these young athletes, a lot of young people period, uh, go into not knowing how to invest, not know not understanding real estate, not understanding taxes. So, you know, you're a young athlete and you've heard the breakdown a million times. Uh, you know, you you you get your first million-doll check. You don't account for the IRS. So, you know, 30% is gone.

13:25 40% if you live in in California, right? You got your agents, you got your managers, you got your your your squad, your training, your baby, all of those things. You add all of that up and you know, you might be taking home 300K for every 1 million made, right? your your career has a a shelf life, right? You all of us aspire to have the longevity of a LeBron James, but that's one in a billion, right? And so, as the the the years go on, so many of them that that don't properly uh put their money where they need to, you know, they become bankrupt in the in the years that follow. I think the the biggest key is information. uh you know on our phones uh right now is more access to information than all of human civilization ever right

14:18 right now on our phone. And so I think you know podcasts like this uh you know I I do investfest with the earn your leisure guys and do a lot of stuff with them. You know I have my own podcast that talks about financial literacy. There are so many incredible people out there that are giving information. You can't look on Damon John's page without him telling you something that that can help you out, right? Uh and so, yeah, I think it's it's it's on us to educate and help

14:50 our, you know, our friends and our people. It's on everybody to to understand, you know, the price of Bitcoin right now, to understand what's going on in the stock market, to understand real estate and know the interest rates and know when they they drop and when they rise and when's a good time. So, it's the information's out there and it's up to us, you know, cuz these next few years are going to be pivotal. You you put that thing on your Instagram the other day talking about AI and how fast it's coming, you know, it's it's Yeah, it's it's time. It's showtime right now.

15:22 So, what was the turning point when you decided, okay, started to make some money, did a couple shows, did a couple movies, got some good award shows, things have been going good, now I can actually finally put aside when was that moment you're like, you know what, I want to make my first real estate investment or I want to invest into my friend's new restaurant or my friend's nightclub or my friend's music label, my friend's clothing line or the stock market. Like, when was that turning point?

15:46 You know, I I I I call myself a student of life. Um, you know, all of those things have different answers. For real estate, I really fell into it by accident. I bought the my dream home and my dream home uh in LA mansion that I, you know, threw a bunch of parties at and had a great time at. When it was time to move, I I looked up and it was a great investment. And I think o over COVID when everybody started renting and you know the the arrival of technology like Airbnb uh and and making rentals and short-term rentals an option I was really able to capitalize off of that.

16:27 So the success of of buying my my first home led to me buying a second property that was an investment property and then once I got a hold of that you know I was able to I probably did $20 million in real estate over a threeyear span. Um, and then you know then once you learn what you like in the real estate market, you can kind of uh adjust, right? Airbnb is in a much different place than it was. Uh, the economy is in a much different place than it was. Short-term rentals and, you know, mortoriiums on markets like Palm Springs and Miami, it it changes. Uh, so you you you got have to adjust with with all of that. So, real estate is, you know, it's it's an eb and flow. It's a market like anything else uh that I've had to adjust to. Um learn, you know, with restaurants and and businesses that I invest in. I always go after what I like. So, I'm an investor uh in an incredible restaurant called Last Lap here in Miami and and in

17:24 New York. Um and it's it's a it's a restaurant and a bar that I like to go to. You know, the our location here has ChefWami, one of the top chefs in the world, right? So I'm not investing in in things that I don't like to enjoy. Uh because I know when I when I if I like something, I know somebody else will like it too, right? So even when I buy cars, even when I buy, you know, watches or anything, I go after what I like and then, you know, you hope that the market will adjust and and have a resale value for it if you decide to to opt out of it. Uh but that's why I always go back to passion. I meet so many people that do things just to do things or do things because they seen see somebody else doing things. You know, I like to invest in things that I like that I'm passionate about or that I find uh somebody that is a passionate about that I can align with. Right? So, if you're not going to be the person that can

18:21 create the technology, you can be the Steve Jobs that gets next to Waznjak, right? if you're not over there making the best hamburger, you can be Ray Croc and still be, you know, behind McDonald's because you align, right? So, I also look for incredible CEOs, incredible people that I can invest in. Uh because, you know, and I I've learned a lot of that from you. I mean, you're an incredible you have an incredible eye for talent, and that's that's something that I've I've I've really uh learned to appreciate over time.

18:51 So when you're a public figure and a lot of people become public figures even when they only have 10,000 followers, 50,000 followers, etc. They sit bombarded with requests. Yeah.

19:00 Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Tik Tok, Snapchat, freaking carrier pigeons. They're getting hit up by everyone to invest into deals. Hey, invest in my pizza shop. Invest in my hair salon. Invest in my this, invest in my that. How do you say no to people?

19:13 You know, I don't I don't have the bandwidth to do too much, right? I am hyperfocused on uh what I consider my the abs and and c of my life, right? The my core business and then the ancillary businesses that surround that. Um and I recently got married. So for me, I'm at a a place in my life where uh you know, my relationship and where building a family and those things, you know, have taken precedent over some of the stuff that I would have done, you know, 10 years ago, right? So for for for me it's it the opportunity it it has to be fully vetted. It has to be the right thing. Um and I got to be again I go back to passion a lot. It has to be something I'm passionate about. If you come to me with an idea about a space that I I I don't care about. I'm going to be much less likely to invest in it because I' I've you know we've all been burnt so many times. There's so many times where somebody will come and say, "Oh, this

20:14 will you have to invest in this technology or you have to invest in this and it and it's it's something that I don't understand and then, you know, you end up losing." When I do understand it, I usually end up, you know, with an upside. So, I really try to be careful and and and not spread myself too thin. Uh cuz I already got my eggs in a lot of baskets and and and I try to be careful with investments for sure. comedian just gets signed to be on a Kevin Hart movie.

20:43 Okay. And man, they made some money. Movie takes off, becomes a big success, and now they just made $2.5 million. Wow.

20:51 And they've only been making 50 grand a year before that. What would you say to that person? They have saved up a couple million dollars, all of a sudden they have this newfound wealth. What would you tell that person to protect themselves from not blowing it on investments?

21:03 Oo, that you know, that's a great question. uh you get your first 2.5 million and you worked with Kevin Hart. Um well, the first thing I would do on a as as a career uh thing is, you know, when you when you get the steam off of of of one of those, right? When you align yourself with with somebody like Kev or somebody that, you know, is is is booming in the box office, you you want to set yourself up with work things that help you know uh lead to longevity in your career, right? You don't want to be a one and done. We've seen so many people come and you have a big hit movie or you have that one big TV show, but you're not quite able to capitalize off it for a long time. So, investing in yourself is always my, you know, one of the first things. Making sure that you're making the right moves and putting together a nest egg so that you can take the right jobs and that you can create your own platforms and your own

21:59 tools for success. So, that's number one. Now, with the actual money, right, I I try to uh put percentages of it in different things, right? So, I'll put a percentage of my money possibly towards a real estate investment, right? So, if you got $2.5 million and now you want to buy a house, we'll do very simple math. And let's say you're, you know, you're buying a a $1 million property that you want as an investment property. You got to put what uh 30% down depending on where you're at with it. So that's 300,000 of your money now put into that, right? So now you have your property.

22:34 Hopefully you can get, you know, a renter that comes in that can help with your income. And and again, a million dollar property is is that's incredible, right? That's super ambitious, but we're breaking down to 2.5, right? So I put a little money there. Now, I I would take a little bit and stack it away so that I have it either in something that's very safe like an IRA or just you know a very safe uh investment and then I would put it in uh you know a good portion of it into the market and I think understanding and learning the market you it's very volatile right you want to invest like Warren Buffett you want to put as much into those blue chip uh stocks and investments um you know the the S&P 500, you want to you want to just you you want to put it in places where your money can work for you. We are now entering a a time in the world where

23:30 your hard work is not going to be enough to sustain your retirement and your long-term wealth.

23:37 You have to park that money somewhere where your money is going to yield the rewards for you. It's just we're the economy is too up. you're we're not in a position where your your social security is going to be able to take care of you for the rest of your life. My father uh my my dad passed away um two years ago. Um, and and when when I when I really got to see the end of life things that happen with social security and uh insurance, all of those things. It's it's it's insane how we've set up, you know, our elderly and how we've set up the the country, right? And so I I I you know I learned so much from that experience and and I want to make sure I educate as many as possible. Having a a life insurance policy is something that a lot a lot of us don't really talk about and not educated on. Putting our money into trusts.

24:33 Um setting our family up for success. So I would definitely with that 2.5 million and the biggest thing if I got 2.5 million you want to talk to Kev. Right. Right? You call Kev after. Kev is one of the smartest investors and one of the nicest guys

24:54 to the, you know, there's never a time where I call Kevin and he don't pick up the phone. It's like, "Yo, T, what's up? How what we doing?" Right? You want to use your relationships. You want to use you want to have people as mentors in your life. I oftent times call people that I I look up to that I feel like are very successful to this age, to this day, and I and I always ask questions. say, "I'm thinking about investing in this, or I'm thinking about exiting this, or I want to sell this house. Is this what do you think about this price?" You You have to use your relationships.

25:25 Let's put on our charity hats. Why do you think it's important for people for their household or for their company, for their employees, their kids, etc., to see them do some type of charity work?

25:36 I don't know if anything is more important than charity. you know, as we get older, I think, you know, in my in my 20s, I really had something to prove. I really wanted to, you know, be the best and do the most and make a lot of money and, you know, have success um and show off and you know, all those things and buy the Lamborghini and buy this house and you know, that kind of goes into your for your 30s as well. Once you get that emotional intelligence,

26:13 once that 40 hits and you realize how finite our time on this planet is and you realize how precious this opportunity that we have is called life, you realize how important it is to help others, right? how important it is to give back, how important it is to help the next generation not make the same mistakes that our generation made, how to set them up for success in ways that we never saw. Right? So, I you know, I do charity in mult in a multitude of different ways. I've given charity back. I I'm on several boards.

26:55 Uh I I love education. Um and I went to historically black college, North Carolina ENT State University. Uh and and so I'm very active with my university uh from actually donating money from a financial standpoint to working with the young people there to doing a ton of work with all types of organizations from the NAACP to United Eagle College Fund. uh you know so a lot of that educational part is part of my life and then to to working with people like yourself being a part of your toy drive uh with with your foundation and Trina's kids is is something that is is going to always be on my list when I get calls to do charity events. It's always on my list. Making sure that I'm spending time giving back. I've really gotten into uh animals as well. So, I've been like going to local dog shelters and and and and working with, you know, animals as well. And I just think that's part of our mission. I think part of our

27:54 what we're seeing, you know, with with all the fragments that are going on in the news every day we wake up, there's there's wars all across the world. There's financial worry. There's a lot of things. I I hope that this time will bring us all back to a level of connectivity and humanity. Y

28:13 where we can really focus on giving back, loving each other, helping each other. Um, and I think again bringing it back to to money, financial literacy and financial freedom are ways to do that and that's why this is uh your show is so important and I'm so happy we got to spend time today on it.

28:32 So, there's only one question I ask on every single episode and out of hundreds of times I've asked it, I've never gotten the same answer.

28:38 Okay. You guys are building a family together with your new wife. At some point, you'll have one child, maybe two, maybe three. Who knows what's in store for little baby Jay. But along the way, you build up movies, might end up creating a film studio, investing in companies, products, exits, and you have hundreds of zillions of dollars later on the future. What percentage of your net worth do you leave to those future children?

29:04 Um, yeah, that's a great question. Uh, you know, so, so right now it's all set up. you know, it'll go to my wife um and my mom if if I if I went today, knock on wood. Uh cuz that's that's my my family now. When I have kids, h I I would hope that I'm in a position where I can leave them enough uh but also teach them and educate them enough so that they can make a ton. And you know, then the rest give to charity and give to people that need it. give to foundations that that um that mean something to me. Um give to, you know, my my team and the people that have supported me. You know, my I have a a great, you know, management team and, you know, Fred and Yanley and people that have been with me for years.

29:53 I I want to, you know, give give the money away to the people that I love the most.

29:58 Uh and the people that I can help the most. Um and yeah, one day when I have kids, that'll be a different question. We'll come back and do the show when I when I have kids and then I I I'll see how much. But I'm hoping that I could teach them to be billionaires too so that we can continue uh the cycle of giving back.

30:15 Are there any projects that are coming up for you? Anything that people should be looking out for?

30:18 Yeah. Uh a ton of films. Um the the the soonest one that I think will drop uh me and TI uh just did a really funny romantic comedy together. Uh so so that will be the next one that'll be um dropping. Um, I'm uh producing and and hosting the red carpet for the NAACP Image Awards. So, I'll be back out in LA. Oh, I don't know when this airs, but um tons of, you know, red carpets, tons of TV shows, and I'm really excited. I'm producing and and hosting

30:49 a uh a show called Marriage Box, right? Uh I loved there were obviously rest in peace and and and uh to everybody that that lost their life during the pandemic but during the pandemic my experience was eyeopening no technology being just you know off the grid and so I created a show we're going to put three couples in a box and we're going to see if they can

31:16 say box explain it like a tiny home like just a box no phones no TV, no internet, no Wi-Fi. Every day they survive the challenges in the box, we'll give them $1,000 and then the winner, uh, they'll get a big prize. So, that's that show's called Marriage Box. So, I'm I'm currently in production for the next few months shooting that. Um, and then, yeah, just, you know, back to it, working keeping keeping the the hustle alive, brother.

31:43 I love it. Uh, where can people find you on social or any of your companies, products shows anything?

31:48 Everything is at Terrencej. uh my Instagram, my Facebook, my Tik Tok, uh Terrence Jay, and then um my my financial literacy podcast is uh Money Talks. So, uh make sure you check out Money Talks. Dan was Dan has an incredible episode on there. So, watch Dan's episode on my podcast, too.

32:08 All right, guys. As I mentioned earlier, this is important for you to think about, to share. Might be three months from now, might be three years from now of someone that might be an aspiring actor, comedian, TV star. They might be talking about investing. There might be something that hits in your mind in that lunch, breakfast, dinner, whatever with your friend and you share this episode with them. Liking, commenting, subscribing is what helps us keep in the top 50 in the world. It's because of you guys. Appreciate you guys. We'll see you guys next Monday here at the moneymunddays.com.

Questions about this episode

Who speaks in "Money Talks: Terrence J Breaks Down Wealth, Real Estate, and Giving Back 💵 E158"?

Terrence Jay (Guest), Dan (Guest).

What is "Money Talks: Terrence J Breaks Down Wealth, Real Estate, and Giving Back 💵 E158" about?

Terrence J shares practical insights on building wealth, investing in real estate, and philanthropy, drawing on decades of on-camera and industry experience to break down money strategies, asset growth, and giving back. The discussion emphasizes actionable steps, time-tested lessons, and the impact of generosity on financial success.

What is mentioned in this The Money Mondays Podcast episode?

32 people, works and ideas are mentioned, including Financial Literacy, Money Mondays, Terrence J, Real estate, Charity, Elvis Dan. Each one on this page links to its own page with every episode that mentions it.

How long is "Money Talks: Terrence J Breaks Down Wealth, Real Estate, and Giving Back 💵 E158"?

The episode runs 33 min; the transcript is about 6,290 words in 75 timestamped sections.

More from The Money Mondays Podcast

About this transcript: the episode's spoken words as captioned on YouTube, split into timestamped sections. Reclip.Me locates every person, work and idea in the text, keeps the time it is first named, and quotes the words around it verbatim. Last updated October 29, 2026.