Episode Details

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Dr. Willie Jolley.

Summary of the Interview: Dr. Willie Jolley on Money Making Conversations Masterclass

Dr. Willie Jolley—Hall of Fame speaker, bestselling author, and longtime SiriusXM host—joins Rushion McDonald to discuss his new book Rich Is Good, Wealthy Is Better. The conversation focuses on redefining wealth, transforming money mindsets, developing discipline, and overcoming setbacks to build generational prosperity.

Throughout the interview, Dr. Jolley shares insights gathered over 20 years of interviewing billionaires, CEOs, and major wealth creators. He outlines the crucial difference between being rich (high income) and being wealthy (owning assets that work without you). He emphasizes the role of discipline, humility, learning, and generational thinking in achieving sustainable wealth.

The interview closes with Jolley’s personal comeback story—from nightclub singer to world‑renowned speaker—and his message that it’s never too late to change your financial future.

Purpose of the Interview

The interview aims to:

1. Promote and explain Jolley’s new book

“Rich Is Good, Wealthy Is Better,” which clarifies the difference between income-based wealth (rich) and asset‑based, multi‑generational wealth (wealthy). 

2. Teach listeners how to shift their money mindset

Jolley walks through the five levels of money thinking, showing how most Americans operate in the lower levels due to habit or lack of knowledge. 

3. Encourage financial independence and discipline

Listeners—especially entrepreneurs and families—learn the role of discipline, insurance, multiple income streams, and investment. 

4. Provide motivation through Jolley’s story

His setback-to-comeback story proves that financial and personal reinvention is possible at any age. 

5. Address generational wealth and financial stewardship

The book is also written for parents/grandparents worried their heirs may squander what they built. 

Key Takeaways 1. The crucial difference between rich and wealthy

• Rich = working income; stops when you stop.
• Wealthy = assets + systems; money works even when you don’t.
• Rich is “good”—but wealth is “better” because it is sustainable.

2. Wealth begins with mindset

Jolley identifies five money mindsets:

1. One‑day mindset (daily survival)
2. 30‑day mindset (check-to-check)
3. One‑year mindset
4. Decade mindset (athletes/entertainers)
5. Generational mindset (true wealth builders)

His goal: move people one level higher. 

3. Discipline is the #1 lever for wealth

Wealth requires:

• Living below your means
• Consistent investment
• Protecting what you have
• Maintaining health, relationships, reputation, and intellectual capital 

4. The “Five Types of Wealth”

1. Financial wealth
2. Health wealth
3. Relationship wealth
4. Reputational/brand wealth
5. Intellectual capital wealth
   All contribute to long-term prosperity.

5. The 3 Legs of Wealth

1. Income
2. Save & invest the difference
3. Insurance to protect assets (life, health, disability, long‑term care) 

6. At l