Real Hustle. No Hype. The Business Game They Don’t Teach You

Get Some Good Game This week on Let Me Pull Your Coat: The Unfiltered World of Master Silk, we’re going all-in on business. From starting with nothing to building brands, dodging broke partners, scaling smart, and keeping your mental game sharp through it all. From flipping bad decisions into good investments to understanding when to walk away from flashy partnerships, Master Silk brings heat with hard truths and success stories built from the blade to the boardroom. Questions in this e...
This week on Let Me Pull Your Coat: The Unfiltered World of Master Silk, we’re going all-in on business. From starting with nothing to building brands, dodging broke partners, scaling smart, and keeping your mental game sharp through it all. From flipping bad decisions into good investments to understanding when to walk away from flashy partnerships, Master Silk brings heat with hard truths and success stories built from the blade to the boardroom.
Questions in this episode:
- What’s the REAL key to growing a successful business?
- How can ex-cons build legit wealth?
- Is owning a bar or club worth the hustle?
- Can friends make good business partners?
- What’s the first step to generational wealth?
- How to choose between LLC, S-Corp, or sole prop
- Why your "friend with a vision" might bankrupt you
- Real talk about scaling without selling your soul
- Mental stress of running a business when the streets are still calling
- Master Silk’s personal rise from the blade to multiple legit LLCs
- This ain’t theory—it’s raw game soaked in sweat, sacrifice, and survival.
Subscribe, Share and turn the volume up. Let Master Silk pull your coat.
Real questions, real answers, and real game. This one’s explicit, educational, and made for hustlers who want to be moguls. Don’t miss it.
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Welcome back to Let Me Pull Your Coat, the unfiltered world of Master Silk. I'm your host, Master Silk. You know the deal by now. This is about giving you the raw, uncut truth, the kind you won't hear from some suit in a corner office. From the back alleys of Chicago to the high-stakes boardrooms of New York, I've seen it all.
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I've played every angle, navigated every hustle, and come out on top. Now, I'm here to give you the map to a game that's designed to keep you lost. We're going to talk about power, how to get it, how to keep it, and how not to let it corrupt you. Money, how to make it, how to multiply it, and how not to let it make you a fool. Respect, how to earn it, how to demand it, and how to give it where it's due. This is about leveling up your thinking, your strategy, and your whole damn life. Before we go... Before we go any further, make sure you're locked in and ready for the ride. Subscribe to Let Me Pull Your Coat, the unfiltered world of Master Silk, on Spotify, Apple, and Amazon Podcasts, or wherever you get your audio fix. You don't want to miss a damn word of this. Trust me. Got a situation that's got you twisted? A question that's burning a hole in your brain? Hit me up at...
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LetMePullYourCoat at gmail .com. I'll take a look and give you the unfiltered Master Silk treatment. If you've ever gotten anything out of this podcast, a laugh, a lesson, or a lifesaver, then show your love. Hit that subscribe button. Slide over to my supporter page, drop a donation, and I'll shout you out personally next week. Every dollar goes toward keeping this wisdom flowing, and as a thank you, I'll hit you with a personal message. Or even a special email drop.
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Let's build together. Now, let's get into it. Keisha from Oakland asks, Master Silk, how do you handle a business partner who's constantly trying to undermine you behind your back? Keisha, that's snake behavior, plain and simple. I've seen that movie before, both on the streets and in boardrooms. Back when I was running my strip club named... I had a so-called friend named Marcus who was whispering in the ears of my associates trying to poach my clientele, take over my operation. He was all smiles to my face, but behind my back, he was plotting his next move. I learned then that you got to sleep with one eye open, and you got to trust that gut feeling. I learned then that you got to trust that gut feeling, even when it's hard to believe. I learned then that you got to trust that gut feeling, even when it's hard to believe. In business, it's the same game, just a different playing field. You might be dealing with lawyers instead of lieutenants, but the principle is the same. Document everything. Every agreement. Every conversation. Every transaction. Paper trails are your best defense against backstabbers. Watch their actions, not just their words. Are they consistently delivery? Are they transparent? Or are they always... finding excuses and shifting blame and when you catch them in the end confront them directly but strategically don't let your emotions control you lay out the evidence state your position and make it clear that you won't tolerate it sometimes you can salvage the relationship if they're willing to change but most times you need to cut them loose the cost of keeping a trader in your inner circle is always higher than the price of walking away remember that mateo from buenos ares writes what's your advice for someone struggling to transition from a nine to five job to being their own boss mateo the nine to five is a comfortable cage for a lot of people it's predictable it's safe and it laws you into a sense of security but for those with the firing their belly it can like a slow death. Breaking out takes guts, discipline, and a whole lot of hustle. When I decided to step away from the traditional path and build my own thing to move from managing other people's businesses to building my own empire, it was like jumping off a cliff without a parachute. I had to learn to build my own wings on the way down. There were times I was eating ramen noodles for weeks and the only thing keeping me going was the fear of going back to being someone else's puppet. My advice to you, start before you're ready. Don't wait for the perfect moment because it doesn't exist. There will always be a reason to stay put, a fear to hold you back. But you have to push through that. Save every damn dime you can. Build a safety net, even if it's a small one. You'll need it for those lean months when the money isn't flowing. And be prepared to work harder for yourself than you ever did for someone else. The freedom is worth it, but it ain't free. It demands sacrifice, long hours, and an unwavering belief in yourself. Up next is Simone from Berlin, Germany. How do you deal with clients or customers who try to take advantage of your services? Simone, people will test you. It's a fact of life whether you're on the block or in a boardroom. They'll push your boundaries, try to get something done, and see how much they can get away with. It's a power play, a way to see how much they can control the situation. You need to set your terms and stick to them. Firmly. I learned this dealing with some unscrupulous characters back in my escort and strip club running days. I had dancers and high steppers that would try to negotiate their own rates, clients that would try to get free drinks or cheap services, and suppliers who would try to shortchange me on deliveries. If you let people walk all over you, they will.
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They'll sense weakness, and they'll exploit it. Be clear about your value, what you offer, and what you expect in return. I told my ladies, don't be afraid to walk away from a deal that doesn't respect your worth. Your time, your expertise, your product, it all has value.
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In a legit business, always have a contract. Protects. It spills out the terms, the obligations, and the consequences. It removes the ambiguity and leaves no room for interpretation. Next, we have Rajiv from Mumbai, India. What's the best way to handle a public failure or setback in business? Rajiv, everybody stumbles. Everybody falls. It's how you get back up that defines you. I had a very public business venture that didn't go as planned. I started early in my real estate days. I tried to flip a property in a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood in Biloxi, Mississippi, but the market crashed, and I was left holding the bag.
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The press was all over it. People were talking, and I felt like I was under a microscope. It was a humbling experience, to say the least. I learned that you can't hide from it. You have to own it, address it directly, and show people how you're going to fix it. Transparency. It builds trust, even in the face of failure. I held a press conference, laid out the situation, and explained my plan to restructure the deal and minimize the losses. It wasn't easy, but it was the right thing to do. And most importantly, you have to learn from it. Figure out what went wrong, correct your course, and keep moving forward. Failure is only final if you let it be. Leda from Moscow, Russia asks, How do you balance the need to be aggressive in business with maintaining your integrity? Lena, that's the tightrope walk, isn't it? You have to be a shark in this world to survive, to compete, to get ahead. But you don't have to be a damn monster. I've always believed that you can be both successful and ethical. You can be a winner without compromising your principles. For me, it's about knowing where the line is and refusing to cross it. It's about playing to win, but playing by your own rules. It's about building a reputation that's both respected and feared. People need to know that you're not someone they can easily push around, but they also need to know that you're someone who can be trusted. You don't have to cheat to win. You just have to be smarter, tougher, and more determined than the other guy. Now we have Sarah from San Antonio, Texas. She asks, Silk, I've got a smile on my face. I'm not going to lie to you. I'm not going to lie to you. I'm not landscaping business with two employees. I want to grow, but I feel stuck. What should I be focusing on to scale? Sarah, let me tell you something. Growth is a mindset before it's ever a strategy. Back in the day, I ran an escort agency in a video company. Most folks see the flashy side, but don't see the system I built behind it. System scale. So if you're still the one answering every phone call, loading up the truck, doing quotes, and doing the same thing over and over again, you're not going to be able to build a business. You're self-employed with stress. Start by tracking every dollar, systematizing your process, and then reinvesting. Hire someone to take over your weakest task. That way, you're free to chase more contracts, not just mow lawns. Think like as a CEO, not as a worker with a title. Next up is Naliti from Cairo, Egypt. She asks, what advice would you give to someone who's not a business owner? Someone starting their first business with very little money.
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Naliti, I started my first joint with zero credit, no investors, and more haters than helpers. You don't need money to start.
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You need movement. Focus on solving a real problem that people are already paying for. Sell your skills, not a fantasy. I sold adult entertainment, not because it was glamorous, but because there was demand and I knew how to package it. Start a business with very little money. Naliti, I started lean. Forget a storefront. Start online. Partner with vendors. Offer value and collect deposits before you even fulfill your end of the deal. Let the hustle fund itself and every dollar reinvested. You're not broke. You're resourceful. Remember that. Now we have Clarence in Newark, New Jersey. He asks, what's your take on making money as a convicted felon? I want to go legit, but the system's making it hard. Clarence, listen close. I've mentored brothers who've done time and came out sharper than Harvard grads. I know the system is designed to trip us up, but that's where ownership comes in. You might not get hired, but you damn sure can hire yourself. I had a worker who did 10 years, came home and ran my bar like he owned it.
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Eventually, I gave him a cut. He learned everything. Inventory, hiring dancers, managing budgets. He took that, flipped it, and now owns a food truck. Use your street smarts. You already understand risk, negotiation, and timing. Those are business traits. Channel that fire into something you control. Up next is Ayaka from Tokyo, Japan. She asks, Silk Sand, how do I know if my business idea is worth pursuing? Ayaka, thank you for the respect. Here's the deal. A good idea solves a problem. But a great business serves people over and over again. I had a friend who wanted to open a sneaker boutique. I told him, unless you're offering something different, like customs, exclusive drops, or a killer story, you're just another box with laces.
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Before you jump in, test it. Sell your product to strangers. If they pay, you're on to something. If they don't, then adjust. I once hustled VHS tapes out of the back of a car before I ever rented a studio. Proof of concept comes before pride. This one comes from Lionel in Miami, Florida. He writes, I've got an offer to partner with a flashy dude who looks successful. Should I do it? Lionel.
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The answer is no. Not until you pull back the curtain. Flashy don't mean profitable.
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I've seen folks riding in Bentleys but dodging invoices. A real player keeps books, not just looks. Before I ever brought someone in, I looked at their credit, their work ethic, and how they treat people when shit goes wrong. I had a dude flash Rolexes and make big promises, then disappear when it was time to pay staff. Protect your name and brand. These tips are like marriages. Messy to exit and expensive to fix. Bet them like you're hiring a babysitter for your legacy.
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Francine from London, England. She says, I'm scared to raise my prices because I don't want to lose customers. What should I do? Francine, fear don't pay the bills.
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Listen, if you're delivering real value, charge accordingly. I remember raising prices at my strip club and folks would revoke. Instead, we brought in higher paying clientele who spent twice as much and caused half the drama. Price yourself like a pro, not a bargain. You attract what you charge. And if they walk away, good. You just made room for better clients. This one's from Donnell and Gary, Indiana. He writes, I've got an idea for an app, but I don't know any coders.
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Should I just give up? Hell no, Gary. I didn't know how to make videos when I started my adult film business, I learned.
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You don't need to code. You need to lead.
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Find coders online, offer equity, or pay freelancers per milestone. Don't sell yourself short. Look, I built empires and industries I didn't have a damn degree in.
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The key was vision, not technical skills.
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Build it. Team around your weaknesses and keep the mission loud and clear. Next, we have Pilar in Madrid, Spain. She asks, how do I deal with burnout from running my shop alone? Pilar, I get it. I once worked 22 days straight when I opened my bar.
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Felt like I was married to that damn cash register. But you got to recognize burnout is a signal, not a badge. You're not weak for needing help. You're smart for protecting your engine. Outsource small tasks, even if it's just social media or inventory. Build in time to reset. I didn't learn that lesson until my blood pressure landed me in the ER. Your business dies if you die. Never forget that. This one comes from Mikael in Toronto, Canada. He asks, how do I get people to take my business seriously when I'm just starting my business? Mikael, people respect consistency over hype. I've had folks laugh when I told them I made and sold adult films, and then they sat quietly when I showed them my six-figure profit sheets. I explained to them that to this day, I'm still profiting off of the ladies that have either retired, gotten married, and sadly, some have died. Yet, I'm still making money. Show up every day.
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Deliver. Keep receipts. Keep records. Let your results slap louder than your mouth.
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I wore suits to meetings with liquor distributors when I still had plastic chairs in the club. Perception matters, but proof runs the game. Here's your Coke Pull of the Week. All right, listen up, because this is your weekly Coke Pull. And this one's coming straight from the old school. Don't let the smooth taste fool you. You might be sitting at a table with someone who's all smiles and sweet talk, but underneath, they could be plotting your downfall. Always be aware of the undertow, the hidden currents that can pull you under. Stay sharp, stay woke, and keep your eyes peeled. Don't confuse motion with progress. Just because you're busy doesn't mean you're building. A hamster runs fast as hell, and don't move an inch. Check your direction. Not just your speed. I'll leave you with this. It's better to build slow and own everything you've built than to scale up fast and owe everybody you know. Don't rush into partnerships just to look like a boss.
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Don't sign papers you don't understand.
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And if they haven't been with you at your lowest, they damn sure don't deserve a percentage at your peak. Major love to everybody who supported this week. Shout out to Kashia Miller on IG for the donation. Your love keeps this mic hot.
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Big salute to Dre Day Moves for reposting every episode like clockwork. And respect to Carlos M from Patreon. You're a day one subscriber. That's the lowdown for this week's Let Me Pull Your Coat. If you soaked up any of this game, if you're feeling a little more hip to the game, then do the right thing. Subscribe to Let Me Pull Your Coat, the unfiltered world of Master Silk on Spotify, Apple, and Amazon Podcasts, or wherever you get your audio.
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Send your questions, your dilemmas, your head scratchers to LetMePullYourCoat at gmail .com. Share this with someone who needs to get their head right. Someone who's ready to step up their game.
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Remember, you don't get ahead by playing it square. You get ahead by being street smart, book sharp, and always knowing where the back door is. Stay cool. Stay dangerous. And keep it real. This is Master Silk, signing off. Much love and much respect.