The entrepreneurs behind the Earn Your Leisure Network touched down in Toronto for a two-day show tour at the Meridian Arts Centre.

Hosts Rashad Bilal, Ian Dunlap, Jibrial Muhammad Jones, and Troy Millings gave audiences game on real estate, technology, AI, stocks, and other investment areas and provided lessons from their experiences.

"Get information, learn information, and teach information so people can execute — that's what it's all about," Millings told Black Dollar Magazine. "We put the medicine in the candy by being authentically who we are. People gravitate toward things they can understand, so mixing the entertainment aspect with financial education makes it fun."

Hundreds of people came out to support, young and old, including Black business owners and investors from parts of Canada and the U.S.

Isaac Olowolafe, founder and general partner of Dream Maker Ventures, a Toronto-based venture capital firm, and Sherard McQueen, real estate developer and CEO of M5V Developments, served as guest speakers. Entrepreneur Michael Jones also participated.

The Market Mondays tour made its first stop in Los Angeles before coming to Toronto for two sold-out shows.

Ian Dunlap, known as the master investor and founder of Red Panda Academy, said that the idea to do Market Mondays stemmed from a desire to teach the same investment advice you'd get from a hedge fund manager to the Black community.

In return, the group has created a fanbase akin to those in the sports and music industries by intertwining Black culture with financial literacy, normalizing money talk.

"Without them, you don't have as much scale growth because they're the ultimate word-of-mouth platform. So the No. 1 thing is to always take care of them, never lie to them. No. 2, when you make a mistake, always tell them right away. Number three, focus on what's best for them. I feel like a lot of artists and companies will focus on what's best for the company first, and that leaves the pan out to dry. I think that's a recipe for disaster. The people made us and we don't take that lightly," Dunlap said.

For many attending, it was the first time they got to see the moguls in person.
Andron McKoy and Natasha Helwig, both from Toronto, were two of the hundreds in attendance and are regular watchers of the EYL Network.

The duo said that the real estate investment advice they learned in the program has helped them create generational wealth in Canada and the U.S. in markets the EYL entrepreneurs advised.

"They put us on to short-term real estate markets, so we started investing in American real estate, which got us thinking about cash flow differently. We didn't get much leadership from the older generation when it comes to money, so listening to them definitely changed my perspective on things and how we could create generational wealth," McKoy said.

EYL will soon head to London, Chicago, and Ghana as part of the global tour.
Dunlap said that the plan to hit European and African markets represents a unique opportunity for the EYL entrepreneurs, who are always looking to grow their fanbase with young audiences.

"It helps us reach people on a whole new level, especially if we can catch them between three and 10 years old," Dunlap said. "It's really hard to do that in the States without the curriculum allowing us to do so. I feel like the European market is a bit more advanced. We're looking at Abu Dhabi, Mexico, Nigeria — we want to go everywhere."

Rashad Bilal, the co-founder of EYL, lauded the support of Toronto, specifically Black Canadians, and said the fanfare is creating a game-changing opportunity to go global.

"We talk about topics that are relevant across the board, like AI and politics, not just focusing on America but also being consistent, travelling, and touching different parts of the world," Bilal said. "I think people appreciate that, and that helps you build your audience. Collaborating with other people helps as well.

"I think going to Africa is going to be very game-changing, spreading financial literacy and business awareness. It feels great to inspire people. I think that's the biggest compliment anybody can give you," he added.

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