I am a native New Yorker. I left for many reasons, but one of them is the absolute fakeness of some of the people in my industry whose eyes only glisten, becoming more cordial along the way, when they realize who you are and who you’re connected to. I don’t roll like that.

I have said this a million times and I will say it again: I do not do transactional relationships. I don’t allow just anybody in my space. I can sniff out people who see me as a gateway to an opportunity or only nice to me because I’m me, and I ward it off at all costs.

If you want to navigate this industry with your soul intact, some advice: Know who your people are and hold onto them, stay intune with your intuition and moral compass, stand on your word, and don’t be fake.