During our interview, Jesse Mitchell was dressed sharply before filming the episode of his podcast. His demeanor perfectly matched his attire, as he was determined to reach new heights. Mitchell owns the podcast Strait No Chase, a platform where he discusses life, business, and finance without sugarcoating the realities.
He will celebrate his fourth anniversary as a podcaster on May 1st. In his 4 years, his unique podcasting approach and entrepreneurial spirit have garnered him a substantial following of over 115K on TikTok and Instagram and 70K on Facebook. His podcast reached streaming services like YouTube, King Network TV, Your Home TV, and GOBO TV. His podcast was also previously broadcast on the Fox 50 TV station in the Raleigh-Durham-Fayetteville area.
In addition, he owns Illusions Consulting, a business that helps veterans secure disability benefits, connected to 100%, and provides education on building their credit scores, investing, stocks, and bonds. He attributes his determination to his adaptability to change.
DRIVE YOUR DREAM
Mitchell is a natural-born leader who has taught himself the ropes of life. After his basketball aspirations were sidelined, he co-owned an auto shop and did acting gigs. The Fayetteville native found his creative niche, noting that he should consider doing a talk show after receiving praise for his fun-loving personality. He used that as an opportunity to hone his craft.
Jesse firmly believes that college isn’t the only path to success. He advocates for following your purpose, a journey he took, which is a testament to the power of his driven success.
Life isn’t always going to be easy on the road to success. He shared that the key is to remain steadfast and allow God to direct your path instead of wanting something instant, as he calls it, wanting to live in the microwave era.
“I always thought that to own a business, you have to go to school and get a bunch of degrees. No, you have to have $125 and a name,” he shared.
“They sold us the jive when they sold us the college thing, but frown on our daddy, uncles, granddaddy, and great-granddaddy who own a business—that little mom-and-pop store your granddaddy had, four generations were raised on that,” he added.
ADAPT OR GO EXTINCT
Strait No Chase, which used to be a guest variety show featuring many locals, celebrities, and up-and-comers, has become a blessing in disguise since transitioning to an individual talk show format after embracing innovative approaches during unexpected circumstances.
“We had guests that would either reschedule at the last minute or not show up at all. My producer and I were sitting here twiddling our thumbs. So, I was like, Let’s roll. I shot it and started talking and doing my thing. We put it out, and people started liking it. We’ve been rolling in that format ever since,” he stated.
For Mitchell, the show doesn’t stop with just one person; it must go on for him.
“Old keys don’t open new doors. You never want to be dimensional; when one door closes, you must pivot. You must be able to be flexible and move,” he stated.
The show now offers financial planning tips, discusses the stock market, explains how to get business loans, discusses ways to monetize your podcast, and covers the latest world and local news.
JESSE MITCHELL SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND FINANCE
Since changing the show’s format, he has garnered many viewers for his expertise in podcast monetization and practical financial advice, empowering his audience to take control of their financial future. People frequently contact him, sharing that they followed some of his stock tips and doubled their investments, resulting in significant business profits, even tripling their money, and receiving grants for their businesses.
Mitchell’s insight for those aspiring to become business owners or needing income is to take a chance on yourself. He quotes his best friend, rapper J. Cole, when it comes to those, particularly in the Black race, who are afraid of stocks, bonds, investments, and loans: “If you’re scared to take a chance, how are we going to get rich?”
Mitchell shared some interesting stats on the lifespan of those with good credit scores compared to those with low credit scores.
“The average life span is if you have a 700-credit score, you’re going to live 20 years or more than a person with a 500-credit score. Statistics indicate that “credit dictates lifestyle,” he shared.
Mitchell’s commitment to learning is unwavering. He could go on and on about his knowledge of investments and loans. He began studying stocks and bonds in 2017-2018, but it was during the pandemic that he delved deeper. He watched YouTube videos, did future research, and woke up early to watch the news on the stock market. His dedication to learning is a testament to investing in one’s education.
His favorite Malcolm X quote resonates with his life and the decision he made for a brighter future:
“Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow is for those who prepare for it today.”
He also shared that his secret to monetizing a podcast is capturing your audience’s attention by being organic, marketing yourself outside your zip code, maintaining a professional image, and altering your time slot.
“You got to give people what they want. If people will resonate with it, you must give them what they want,” he shared.
THE ONLY WAY IS UP
He is happy with where his success has led him since taking a leap of faith as a podcaster. He hopes to get onto bigger networks and do more touring. Whatever the next level for him is, he’s ready.
He shared what he has achieved since 2021; it is a surreal experience. He also understands that he’s in the right direction when it comes to his craft, especially from gaining a large fanbase and conversing with athletes and celebs he idolized as a kid, such as actor and comedian Arsenio Hall, Orlando Jones and former Duke Blue Devil basketball player and assistant coach Chris Carrawell.
He continues to live in the present moment, eager to see what next year will bring for him in year five as a podcaster. He shared in his interview that he was supposed to be a basketball phenom, but that didn’t work out.
“I thought it was over for me. I never saw any of this coming. God put me here. I’m just here doing his work. I’m just walking while he’s guiding me,” he stated.
His motto is to “never give up on your dreams. There’s no expiration date on dreams.” Even in the face of adversity, this unwavering perseverance is a testament to Mitchell’s willingness to take charge of his skill and turn it into what he always wanted to do, motivating others to follow that “strait chase” path.
Readers interested in watching Jesse Mitchell’s show can follow him on the following social media platforms: TikTok at @StraitNoChase1, Instagram at @Strait_No_Chase, and Facebook at Strait No Chase.
His podcast is also on streaming services like Apple Podcasts, Patreon, and Spotify.
