Love, Art, and War: The Birth of Malcolm Inc
How Loyalty and Vision Turned Friendship into a Successful Business
Success isn’t built alone. It’s a team sport—one that requires the right people, the right strategy, and the right mindset. Looking back at the path that led to Malcolm Inc, I can see how love, art, and war weren’t just themes—they were the driving forces behind its creation.
This is the first piece in a series introducing Malcolm Inc, a venture born out of friendship, strategy, and a desire to protect our own interests. In the posts to follow, I’ll break down the three pillars of Malcolm Inc—investment, franchising, and philanthropy—by highlighting the people who power them: Ralonda, Joe Johnson, and my mother, Gwendolyn V. Jenkins. But first, let’s lay the foundation.
Love: The Power of Friendship in Business
At the heart of Malcolm Inc is friendship. Ralonda, her husband Joe, and I didn’t come together just as business partners—we came together as people deeply invested in one another’s success. That mutual trust is what built this.
Ralonda serves as our President and Chief Investment Officer, overseeing financial strategy across our portfolio companies. She’s also one of the few Black women in the country leading a venture capital fund as a general partner. Joe’s our expert in franchising—he helped us scale from one quick-service restaurant to over 27. And my mother, Gwendolyn Jenkins, through The Malcolm Jenkins Foundation, leads our philanthropic work, now celebrating 15 years of impact across four states.
But it all started with a simple question: What do you do with $9 million at 23 years old? That was my reality in my second year in the league. I had the money—but no real plan to make it last.
That’s when Ralonda stepped in—not as a paid advisor, but as a friend who cared more about me avoiding the “broke athlete” trap than sparing my feelings. At the time, she was a seasoned finance professional with a résumé that included auditing roles at Prudential Financial, Tiffany & Co., and Ernst & Young. She understood how the wealthy structured their businesses. What started as casual advice became a blueprint for what would become Malcolm Inc.
Joe brought his own fire to the table. Before we co-founded Disrupt Foods in 2016, he had already made his mark at Target and Cisco, leading operations and growth initiatives. Together, we built something rooted in trust, but driven by precision.
Art: The Craft of Building the Right Team
In business, assembling the right team is everything—something athletes should understand better than anyone. Watching how LeBron James built his inner circle was a turning point for me. He didn’t just roll with his crew—he recognized talent in people like Rich Paul and Maverick Carter, empowered them, and built an empire alongside them.
Rich Paul’s Klutch Sports went from four clients in 2012 to more than 400 athletes today. Their partnership with United Talent Agency (UTA) expanded their reach into entertainment, podcasting, and film. Meanwhile, SpringHill—named after the building LeBron grew up in—has produced acclaimed work like The Shop and Self Made. Now, with its evolution into Fulwell Entertainment, their impact is only growing.
That model inspired me. I saw Ralonda and Joe not just as friends, but as my own Maverick and Rich. My job was to invest in their growth, trust their leadership, and let them cook.
But let me be clear—this doesn’t mean blindly hiring friends and family. It’s about seeing the talent that’s already around you, putting people in the right roles, and giving them room to thrive. Too often, we put well-meaning people in positions they’re not equipped for, and it backfires. Building the right team isn’t just about loyalty—it’s about alignment.
That’s how Malcolm Inc evolved into a multi-vertical enterprise:
Franchising: 27 quick-service restaurants through Papa John’s and Wingstop, led by Joe’s team at Disrupt Foods.
Venture Capital: A $10 million fund helmed by Ralonda at Broad Street Ventures.
Strategic Investments: Stakes in pro sports teams, leagues, real estate, and spirits.
War: Protecting Ourselves from the ‘Broke Athlete’ Narrative
Let’s be real—Malcolm Inc isn’t just about building wealth; it’s about defending it. My mentor, Rashaun Williams, once asked me a question that still haunts me: “How are 80% of y’all going broke, if 100% of y’all have advisors?”
Rashaun is a powerhouse in the world of venture capital—with over 170 investments and more than 50 successful exits. He’s a limited partner in the Atlanta Falcons and a trusted advisor to athletes, entertainers, and entrepreneurs who are serious about legacy.
We’ve all seen the stats: a staggeringly high amount of pro athletes go broke after retirement, despite having financial advisors. So maybe the problem isn’t the athletes. Maybe it’s the system.
In Chapter 7 of my book, What Winners Won’t Tell You, I talk about the importance of a “Self Scout”—an honest look at who’s really serving your best interests. Too often, reps, advisors, and institutions are incentivized to keep players dependent, not independent.
That’s why I went inward instead of outward. People say the knowledge doesn’t exist in our communities—but I’ve seen firsthand that it does. I had people in my circle with the skills to help me win. I just had to trust them.
That trust saved me. A single conversation with someone at the NFLPA helped me avoid giving away 20% of a deal I had already negotiated. That’s the power of information. And that’s why Malcolm Inc exists—to help us own our decisions, protect our assets, and build lasting legacies.
This is just the beginning. In the next post, we’ll go deeper into our foundation—literally. I’ll share the story of The Malcolm Jenkins Foundation and how my mother, Gwendolyn Jenkins, has been the heart and engine of our impact for over 15 years.
Because business isn’t just about profit. It’s about purpose.
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Well done. Thanks for sharing.