People, welcome to the Sunside Kingdom show.
The place where we highlight individuals with, oh, so important skills,
such important impact,
people that just make the difference in their communities,
especially those from the Dutch Caribbean, because that's what we're here for.
Welcome, welcome.
Today we have with us, oh, a very interesting lady.
Oh, Lord.
So today we have the immense pleasure of welcoming Sherma Rouse,
a dynamic singer, songwriter and performer
known for her soulful voice and powerful stage presence.
Born on the island of Curacao, that's correct.
Yes, all right.
With deep connections to synesthesia,
she has worked with top artists like Anouk, Treintje Oosterhuis
and gained international recognition during Anouk's Eurovision 2013 performance.
Sherma made waves on The Voice of Holland, released several acclaimed
solo albums and even topped the Dutch charts.
But she's not just a singer, she's an author of two cookbooks,
which are amazing, if I might add, thank you, that celebrate her Caribbean roots.
She has her own TV show, Sherma's Soul Food.
And this year she's launched her first series,
Sherma's Caribi Smaken.
Her influence extends beyond music, movies and television
as she inspires and uplifts others by promoting culture and the arts.
We are beyond excited to have her.
Thank you so much.
And thank you for coming all the way down from the Randstad.
Hey, hey.
To below the river to chill with us here for this for this coming hour.
Welcome to.
The Sunside Kingdom Show.
Thank you. What a welcome. I love it.
Appreciate it. Nice to be here. Nice to be here.
Thank you. So you're.
Multitalented, entrepreneurial.
We just had a nice little conversation before before we got started.
But but can you tell us a bit about what keeps you busy today in 2024?
Well, you know, you said I'm an artist, I cook as well.
And I think the the most important thing right now,
the shift that I'm going through is trying to create
things that will long term create wealth.
So, of course, I'm busy with music and concerts and touring,
but also trying to create partnerships or like I wear glasses are one of my like.
Things. Yeah.
So one of your one of the things that you're known for.
Yes, because I always see you with the freshest, most.
Exquisite style. Thank you so much. I appreciate it.
That's why I had to pull out my nice shades.
I see the. I see it. I see it.
You know, so I'm like, like, like, for example,
like looking at new business models, like creating my own my own glasses line.
Different things. So my focus is now I've been a singer for a very long time.
I've made a lot of music.
I've traveled the world through music.
So now it's time to like go to the other side of business.
Yeah. And that is getting to.
Creating products that are associated with my brand,
because I see myself as a product, not just I'm not a singer, I'm not a cook.
I'm Sherma. And that that thing.
I can market it. Yeah.
So I'm working on that.
So working on on on product ties in certain elements of the world.
Yes. Yes. Yes. Nice. Nice.
So in in we well, we touched on a few of those accomplishments,
but I know there's many more that I haven't even mentioned here.
Is there anything specific as you as you sort of look back on your on your career
in general that you would say was one of the biggest highlights?
Oh, there's so many.
There's so many. Let's pick three.
OK. So I'm going to pick three.
OK. Well, I think the latest one that I did was a tour
with an orchestra that I produced myself.
So, oh, wow. So I had 40, 54 people on stage.
54. Yeah. With me.
And that was a big investment because, you know,
you have a dream of vision and you have a you know that you will sell tickets,
but you don't know how many and you have big venues.
So that was a investment in.
So that was amazing because it was very successful.
It was sold out. So that was like, wow, I did that.
Yeah. Amazing. It was really amazing.
And and before that, I think writing my first cookbook, you know,
I've been cooking for a long time, you know, cook food is a part of our culture.
It's a big part of our culture.
But I think as the Dutch Antilles, that Netherlands has no idea
about our cuisine, our kitchens.
So I really wanted to write a book to, you know, to show, to exhibit our culture.
Yeah. And so I was really glad when the first one came on the market
and it was like people loved it.
So then I did part two.
But the first one was like really something special. Yeah.
And I think the third one was a longer time ago,
like 15 years ago when I released my first record.
Next year is 15 years since I released my first record.
And I had I financed it myself.
I did. I had 15 musicians playing strings and horns.
And that was a big accomplishment, something that I will never forget.
Yeah. Yeah. Because that that.
So let's maybe go back to that moment.
So what? How was that process?
So when when did it click in your mind that I'm going to finance this myself?
Well, you know, it's like sometimes.
Like I'm you know, sometimes some people dream, right?
They have a vision and they dream me. I do.
So I don't wait. Yeah.
Because I'm always busy with creating like a buffer.
So I'm always busy saving and putting money aside.
So when this came to me, I could just step
because I didn't have to worry about finding the money to do it.
Yeah. Because I had it.
So then I could just do so when I decided, you know,
I was doing my last year of conservatorium, I studied in Rotterdam.
And as a last year, you could do an album.
I did. I chose to do an album as a project. OK. Yeah.
Like but then it was just to perform it, to write songs and perform.
Then I was like, well, if I'm writing the songs, I might as well record the songs.
And so it it developed. Yeah.
But it was very natural.
It wasn't like, oh, somebody discovered me.
No, I was touring and traveling the world with other people being a backing vocalist.
So like like which people?
Different people from Tasha's world, a lot of artists
that in the beginning of the 2000s that were like doing really well.
But I played with a lot of famous people, Shaka Khan, Michael Bolton.
I had the opportunity to do backing vocals for
so many people. And here in the Netherlands, for sure.
A lot of the artists, a lot of records, a lot of albums, a lot of top
40 singles for other people.
I did a lot of different things.
Oh, you did a lot of backing vocals on those as well?
Yeah. OK. A lot of records.
Yeah. So.
So I was already making music, but then I thought it was time for my story.
Yeah. But I did the end exam project and that's how it developed.
But it was very natural. Yeah.
Because at that point, how long had you already been
touring and working with other people?
Because this is now 2009, right? So.
Yeah. So then I was like, I was like, I was like,
I was like, I came to live in the Netherlands in 99.
And by 99 December, I was already playing in bands,
you know, like Candy Doll for so many different people.
It's like you would have to Google it to take a look.
It's too many different things.
I did a lot of different things like Tribute to a Marley with Reggae.
We toured in Africa. We've been all over the place.
I've been to like 15 countries in Africa.
Oh, wow. Asia, Japan, my own music.
You know, South Korea was in China two weeks ago.
You know, so it's and China that was also touring.
Yeah, yes. Yes. Three shows, three countries in six days.
So it's music was always something that I started from.
I was doing as soon as I got to the Netherlands.
Yeah. And before that, in the Caribbean, a lot of the Calypso and Soka artists.
My dad was a musician.
So I did a lot of backing vocals even then.
And I grew up in church.
You know, you sing in church, you sing the gospel.
So music was about to ask.
So where did the music actually start in church?
I think I think I think that is
how do you say it?
It's the beginning for most acceptance criteria
for actually being a soul singer or being a singer, I think.
I think it's in general.
Like that, like really true great vocalist.
They always started in church.
Church, definitely.
If we go back to now, that that that moment in 2009
and and you unpack that a little bit more.
So you said you you finance the project.
It was a very special moment for you.
And and what specifically about it
15 years later is still ringing as as as sort of this turning point,
defining moment.
I think it was the.
The start of me becoming the Sherman that people see today.
You know what I mean?
Because when you put out your own music, you become you would
you're like vulnerable because you're putting out your own story.
Yeah. And I think it's it gave me like a boost towards doing more for myself
to choosing myself and putting myself first.
Because, you know, as a as a musician in a band,
you're very invested in making sure that the person you're working for,
that they can fly because you're a part of the the the the bed,
the carpet that they're like floating on.
Yeah.
And so that's my nature.
You know, I love to uplift people.
I love to.
Like be a support that if you look back,
you see me smiling, focusing on you.
Yeah. And I think I had to.
It's the start of me learning to.
Be that for myself, you know, yeah, and I did a first my first record.
Because essentially it was from 1990 to 2009.
So the first 10 years you supported so many people.
And even after even even though I recorded and released an album,
I still was doing backing vocal work.
I did it up until like 2014.
OK, another five years.
Yes, because it's also hard to sometimes, you know, when change,
you have to make a change.
Change takes time because you know, as a solo artist,
you start to invest more.
But being a backing vocal, I was making an amazing living.
Amazing. So you have to see it like this.
Yeah. You're a set set payer.
Yeah. Just you are the only person that's.
Necessary to make your business happen.
Yeah. But the moment you become a baby, you have like 15, 20 people
that need something from you.
You need to have a totally different mindset.
Yep. You need to evolve.
You need to evolve into a whole different person.
Yeah. And it takes time.
Well, but also have like more financial stability.
Yeah. To be able to, you know,
be flexible enough that if something happens,
that you have the financial power to take care of it.
Yeah. Like Covid. Yeah. Covid came.
I had my agenda was full.
I had tours lined up, concerts.
And then all of a sudden that all fell away. Gone.
And I have eight musicians, lights, sound, all of these people that are.
Dependent on. Yeah, but they are, you know, set set payers.
Set set payers for English again.
Independent contractors. Independent contractors.
So I didn't have any
obligation. Yeah.
In the sense of they send me an invoice and I pay.
Yeah. So if there's no work, there's no invoice.
But emotionally. Yeah.
And you have you feel very
responsible because these people commit themselves to you.
You're in, you're out.
So I had to really think about creating different ways to keep them working.
Then it's stressful. Yeah.
Because then I have to also invest more.
I felt like I had to, but that's the responsibility that I feel.
And that's why they still work with me, because even in Covid,
I try to keep them keep them working.
Like three of the four musicians have a normal job on the side.
But my guitar player, for example, he only plays music.
So, OK, like, for example, I took him on more gigs.
Like smaller things because I didn't have to.
But I did it so because I know it's I felt the loyalty to, you know,
the commitment to help.
And that is a financial load that comes with risks.
You know what I mean?
So to make that step from being a set set payer and independent
contractor to Enve or BV or whatever you want to call it,
Hodex Forum took some time.
Yeah, because I had to really create a healthy financial, like Vang Net.
Yeah. To be able to make that choice.
Understood. Yeah.
So if we if we now.
Go way back.
We go way back to Little Sherma. Oh, boy.
So Little Sherma was born in Curacao. Yeah.
And you you stayed there till what age?
Not maybe just one.
And then my mom and dad moved back to Stacia where they are from.
OK, since you Stacia's.
So then you mainly grew up on Stacia until I was 16.
OK. So what was life like on Stacia growing up?
Amazing. You know, the safety.
And the freedom that I have experienced as a child
is you can't buy it.
Yeah. It's all about.
You know, it's that you're in a community where if you're walking,
heading to town, anybody that passes and sees you, hey, where are you going?
Let me give you a ride. Yeah.
Or you go to school after school, you go to grandma's house.
There's a grandma to choose from who you want to go or to an auntie.
You didn't lock the doors at night.
You could go to sleep and not worry about somebody breaking into your house.
Yeah. We were 10 minutes on the beach.
You could swim. My dad took us to swim almost every day.
Oh, wow. I mean, golden.
Yeah, it was it was.
It was idealistic.
It was it was unbelievable.
And I think coming from such a small community and then
coming into the world where I'm living right now, I think the most important thing
is that I know I'm I think that a lot of the the.
It is Norman and Vardar that I sort of values all the values that I carry with me
were born on that island.
Yeah. On that small safe community, you know, the the work ethic
in and how I do what I do in.
So where would you say the work, the work ethic specifically came from?
My mother, my father.
There were people, you know, we were we were kids.
We didn't.
We were focused on doing our best in school.
You watch National Geographic Discovery Channel, CNN.
You were it wasn't.
Or you were outside playing what you weren't.
Are you reading a book?
Yeah, it was it was a different
focus because they understood that education was very important.
Yeah, they understood that investing in
society is very important.
My mom did a lot of give a lot of kids like
bail less tutoring.
Yeah, tutoring. We always had classmates and kids that would come to our house.
Because what does your mom do specifically?
My mom is a medical analyst.
OK, she was chemistry, physics, mathematics.
She was really good. Yeah.
And those subjects, so she did a lot of extra teaching at home.
Kids would always come that problems with subjects that she would help.
Yeah. So, you know, or working with the auxiliary home with the old folks.
Yeah. Spending time, you know, always giving back something.
And I think those things,
seeing those things have formed who I am today.
You know, I do a lot for charity.
I think it's very important.
I love the children a lot for.
Because you mentioned earlier.
Well, before we started recording
some of the charities specifically, could you maybe touch on that a bit?
Yeah, sure.
Sure, I do.
I'm ambassador for for a charity that's called Heartakint, for example.
And it's a charity that focuses on
collecting money for research
pertaining to children that are born with heart defects.
Oh, OK. Yeah.
Children born with a heart defect is the is the biggest
has the biggest mortality rate of children in this country.
It's even more than cancer in children.
Oh, wow. But it's something that's something I didn't even.
A lot of people don't know. Yeah.
Because, praise God, you have healthy children.
But it's a lot of people every year.
1500 children are born at least with a heart deficiency here in the Netherlands.
In the Netherlands. Oh, wow.
Yes, a lot of children. Yeah.
So it's like three, four, five a day
are born that have serious heart issues.
And so, you know, you have the Heart Stichting, the Heart Foundation,
but they'd focus on grown adults.
And we focus on children.
And it started because someone had a child that was born with a heart
and he was like, what can we do? Yeah.
So I've been doing that for like for eight years now.
Oh, nice. And another one is called Stichting Dushi.
Stichting Dushi. Dushi, you.
Yeah. But it's special because it's a foundation that focuses on children
that have had more than one, that have like, in Dutch you say,
Hechtingsproblematiek.
Children that have issues with connection, with connecting,
because they've had several foster homes or very dangerous situations.
Yeah.
So we have six houses here in the Netherlands where we, you know,
take care of each house has at least about ten kids that live with us.
And we take care of them. Oh, wow.
And but this is this is this is a foundation that that
that that you're like ambassador as well.
Ambassador of. Yeah, as well. Yes.
So I invest. I try to like create connections at companies that want
to sponsor or do different things for the Stichting or like
workshops or nice things for the kids.
Yeah. You know, that they can go on holiday.
And like we took five of our kids two years ago to Suriname.
Oh, wow. Took them back to their roots.
We have children from all different, several different kinds of denominations,
not only Dutch children, but Curaçao, Suriname, Moroccan, Chinese.
And we try to keep brothers and sisters together.
So it's it's very beautiful.
And it's something that's very necessary because there's a lot of children
that haven't didn't have the youth that I had.
Yeah. Yeah. So for me, that's something very important to invest in that
group of children. So I do that.
I've been doing it for like 14 years almost already.
Oh, wow. So I do that.
And then so that started around the time of the first album.
A little bit, a little bit after. Yeah. Right. Yeah.
But I've been doing, you know, I'm a teacher as well.
I've been teaching for a very long time.
And what specifically music? OK, music.
So Alvaro Colleges, me as an MBO.
I taught for like eight years.
So, you know, you you come into a segment where you deal with children
that need help, the need you see where they come from.
And so for me, I've been always investing in the new generation.
So teaching or coaching, studio, mamba, glider,
Vertrouwenspersoon, different things, all things pertaining to children.
Yeah. So that's the like the giving back side of what I do.
Yeah. That's very important.
I think that's for me, very important.
Yeah. If I ever would have the finances and the financial freedom
to only do that, to be a beneficiary to certain things, that would be a goal.
That would be the dream. Yeah, definitely.
Definitely. And so you mentioned your mom and dad as as.
As very important figures in your life that taught you
many of these foundational things that formed you, the person that you are today.
Were there any other specific role models, mentors that you had along the way
that you would say really gave you a couple of golden nuggets
and helped you to grow to the next level?
I think on several on different levels, you know, you have as a person,
you have different facets, right?
So as a human being, as a person, as an mensi manas,
that's my parents, you know, like the basics.
Yeah. But then you have my like my grandmother's, you know, the love for.
God, music came a lot also from seeing them do what they did.
My grandmother was a heaven organ player and the other one was a singer in church.
Yeah. Very inspiring to me.
Yeah. To see what they did to people when people heard them play or sing.
When people heard them play or sing what it did.
Yeah. That was like one of my earliest memories of, well, I want to be a singer.
You know. So because your mom didn't sing.
No, no, no. My dad is in position.
Yeah. OK. And my mom would play some guitar.
But in the singers were my grandmother's.
So and your dad, your dad's mom was the musician.
Yes. She made she sang.
She played organ and mom's mom was an amazing singer.
Oh, OK. The music was on both sides.
Both sides. Yeah. Yeah.
And my mom said it was a saxophone player and steel band player.
So I have a lot of music.
Yeah. A lot. A lot. A lot of music in my family.
Music and cooks.
So where did the cooks come from?
Both sides. Both sides.
Yeah. Yeah.
So it was just destined that you had to sing and you had to cook.
This is it. 100 percent.
As a musician, for example, I learned a lot from the artists that I toured with,
you know, like a Candy Dolphur, for example.
Yeah. She is amazing and showing how not only being professional,
but also how you take care of your musicians, you know, how you treat your people.
So that was part.
And some of those lessons is also what you take took along
and had to execute yourself during Covid, for instance.
Definitely. Definitely.
Or a nuke, you know, she's also very focused on what her crowd
experiences, you know, when they come to a concert.
I think it's amazing that you also focus on the experience of your public.
Yeah. Which is super important.
Yeah, but a lot of people don't do it.
Yeah. But I think it's amazing.
And yeah, that's how you actually create the repeat business
that people would love to.
Keep asking, coming back.
Coming back. Yeah.
So, yeah, you know, those little nuggets are.
But also I've learned a lot of things of what not to do.
You know, you don't have to call out any names of those persons.
But could you give me some examples of.
You know, like, you know, like to become an artist
where your musicians don't even have a conversation with you.
Oh, wow. That you don't even talk to anybody.
You just come and do your work and you go back home.
So that's the Hollywood stuff.
No, that's closer than you think.
Yeah, it's.
The Dutch version of Hollywood. It's humbling.
What would we say that is?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Hilliville.
You got Hollywood and you got Hilliville.
Hilliville. Yeah.
Yeah, so it's I think it's about knowing what's for you
and what's not for you.
Yeah.
In all facets of your life.
I believe it.
And so we touched on the musician mentors.
We touched on the family mentors and role models.
On the business side, were there any specific ones?
My uncle.
Your uncle.
Woyo.
Tell me.
He.
My uncle could sell.
A panty to the king.
He had a gift, a natural.
He had many baskets.
So a car rental, money gram.
He was.
And this is all on Stacia.
All on Stacia.
He was agent to the cruise ships and oil tankers had come to put to tank the ships.
This man, he had so much vision.
He could.
He was a photographer.
I mean, and it was somebody that didn't even finish sixth grade.
Didn't finish.
The basic education.
Yeah.
But he was such a gifted.
They can social power.
Yeah.
Was very inspiring.
You know, so as a kid, I always saw him creating something new.
So that I think that's part of my fire.
Yeah.
That I don't just do one thing.
You know, he always just say, well, he never said it, but he lived.
He lived it.
He lived like.
An example.
He lived in a way that, you know, that we have more than one gift.
Yeah.
And a lot of times we ourselves by our social surroundings, we can be forced to just see
one thing or we have to do that.
And that's why I think that social society also kind of.
Social society.
To force you in to believe in that you have to choose one thing.
You know, and a lot of people go through life.
Doing the same work for 45 years.
Yeah.
Doing the same work.
The same routine.
Like if the bus is two minutes late, they're like out of their.
You know, element.
And then seeing him create so many different.
Baskets of income really inspired me.
Because.
Because then when, when we translate this now to your, you know, your own life.
What.
What are the different baskets that you have right now?
Oh yeah.
Several.
I'm always busy creating baskets.
What you know about the music.
Yes.
We've spoken about that.
Cookbooks.
cookbooks. So then I guess we would tie the cookbook also to the TV show.
Yes, TV programs.
So that is Sherma the chef, Sherma the singer.
Sherma the teacher. Sherma the teacher. You still teach?
Sometimes with private lessons. Okay so Sherma the teacher. Don't call
because I have no time. Don't do it. I already don't know how there's any time
left with these three but I know there's probably a fourth and a fifth.
So what is that fourth and fifth? Then there's coach.
Coach, yeah. Yes, so like and specifically?
Like for example you call me and say hey Sherma
I'm at like a standstill and you're a
assistant peer and you come to me with your whole like ideas
and then I'm good in analyzing a situation and seeing
up and seeing possibilities. That's a gift.
It's what it is and I like to do that with like on the
neighbors with artists. Sometimes people that own restaurants
or looking to change a vision. I do that kind of stuff as well.
So that's like the coaching but also coaching
in kids that have emotional difficulties.
So then that's more like a close network based on the stuff that I do with
the charities. You know what I mean? So that as well and I also do
the drives coaching. That's company coaching but more based on management.
Okay. So like for example you have a big company you have like 18
managers on CFOs and this and this and we want it and we do like a
workshop with music and with
a bit of ownership like be realizing your position within the whole
total and like to isolate yourself. Those kind of things. But those
things are specific. They come through a certain
channel. It's not something that I that you're actively marketing or
pursuing but when they come along then I do it.
The creative scientificity in you is like
I'll do it. Yeah yeah yeah or even like the other side is also
to presentation like if you're a big event
international and you speak English or whatever language
or different cultures. I do a lot of that as well but I'm also a curator.
I've made museum, tento selenga. Several different things. I mean
you're really a centipede. I'm not sure if that's the right word but
yeah that's what's coming in like octopus like yeah I mean I thought I
dabble in a lot of different things but this is a yeah that's a lot of different
things and there's also the investment side
right? Yes also. Okay any any any stuff you want to touch on
on the investment side? For me the biggest and most important investment
is anything that I can do for myself.
Okay anything that is for example even in
where I live, how I live, that my home is situated in a way that
I'm happy. That's for me like that's investment pertaining to
what I need but investment in for example
generational that's like one of my biggest focuses
is creating a generational wealth that my nieces
their grandchildren won't have to work as hard as I worked.
So it's not only the next generation with the generations to come.
So I'm trying to create and that I'm doing that in different ways
that is in wasgoed. It's a real estate. Real estate yeah I'm doing that also in
literally saving and I'm doing that also in
spreading knowledge so that not only that I will give them something
but they have the tools to make it even bigger. Yeah
to do for themselves for them but to make also the investment that I make
the sacrifices that I make that they can they can capitalize on it and multiply
it multiply it yes yeah to the next level.
Yes and I don't only do that for my sister's kids but I do that for my
friend's kids for the the next generation that we
create awareness with our children. Yeah you know
I mean it's so important because we were talking about it earlier that
is also something that is not as much spoken about or shared in our
culture. I think in general in the world as it
is today it's not as shared as it as it should be but
definitely within our cultures within our dynamics it's
it's not as strong but and I think also that a lot of people that see
artists they see what you do on stage yeah
but they don't see like I feel sometimes I feel like an iceberg
and you know the tip is what you see yeah right indeed and under the water
level it goes on way deeper deeper and so much broader
and so much more but you just see what
I want to do the iceberg what I want you to see because that's my action
but that's the outworking for my action so the results is what you see yeah but
the steps that I have to take how hard I have to climb how fast and
how much I have to carry yeah it's not visible but I think that a
lot of people underestimate what is necessary to be
a product you know yeah not only as an artist but as a designer
as a builder as a straterlecher whatever it is you do that you have a
gift that you share a welder or I mean my cousin my mom's cousin
he does welding but so specific that very few people can do it
so it's very specific yeah and if you and people just see the ships
sailing by but not knowing the kind of work and
and quality and investment and studying knowledge is necessary
to do the work so that that ship can sail yeah and that's the
and nowadays I think that a lot of people underestimate what is necessary
to do a good thing yeah you know the type of work and
dedication it takes to get to that level to become that expert
that can can create things that just only few can exactly yeah and
again I'm ping-ponging back to our earlier conversation because
that was a pretty interesting one earlier you were mentioning about
one of your life philosophies of that you you took some time to
transition from allowing your cup to oh yes leak from both ends to flow
out the top but also to leak from the bottom and that you had to make
changes there could you maybe elaborate expand on that a bit
in general and I think that's what I call a deficiency and it's mostly I
for me it feels like some a part of our culture
of the black culture the caribbean culture
is that we we grow up learning to take care of people around us we learn
to turn the other cheek we learn to if to help yeah right but if you take
that character that's characteristic and take it out of the
controlled environment and bring it into the world yeah it's something that's
it can work because 99 percent of the people around you
don't have that same upbringing don't have that same character yeah
that was formed on that small island community
and and and they will tend to take advantage of
they will let you pour without filling your cup ever
you know what I mean yeah and so I had to see
that for me to be able to do for you that's what I learned here is that I
have to do for myself first yeah and so we didn't learn to be selfish
we learned to help yeah but I think to be able to do for another you have to
do for yourself yeah first yeah so when when I had the cup it
was like at 45 degrees I was pouring but there were holes in the
bottom so my cup was never full it was like maybe
on a slant yeah this little bit was in the cup
unless it until I decided to turn it straight
straight up and put the titanium
bottom yeah titanium titanium and cover up all the holes
and then started pouring in and when it got full
my overflow is what I can let you catch yeah and not everybody I had to be also
be actual discernment in who yeah gets my overflow
yeah because if you sow on unfertilized ground
there's no return preach you see what I'm saying
so if you know we we plant seeds to harvest
you don't plant seed for to stay in the ground and you plant seed for it to
multiply right but if we are like planting seeds
sowing seeds in ground that is not fruitful
we will never harvest and it has to you have to be aware
what discern what is fruitful yeah and and and isolate loyalty
isolate oh I know you for a long time no not because I know you that means that I
will sow in what you're doing yeah no no no I have to see
that whatever I tell you that you take it and you multiply it
if you don't multiply I can't invest yeah so that means that my
my overflow is not accessible my access my having more doesn't
mean it's accessible to you yeah so I had to learn that lesson so
we could you could you maybe pinpoint one of those moments and when you
really learn that lesson it's big like for example you know um
sometimes we can work with people out of loyalty
so then you're pouring into them pouring into them but
it's never enough yeah they're never satisfied
and they never it's not reciprocated you know it's not
gave and name yeah it's given and cry is that a given take
it's a given receipt yeah or receive you want to receive it's a but a lot of
times we work in we're giving so because we're expecting
it to come back and but most of the time when we do that
people that are not like-minded they don't have the same upbringing
don't have the same ethics yeah they morals and values
they will never be able to do that for you yeah
and so I had it in a lot of work settings
with different musicians or whoever did like a
person that does your I don't know that did
drive drive my car or you invested in everything and then when you need them
they're never there only when it suits their purpose yeah
small things yeah but are very big things in a bigger picture
you know what I mean or people that you paid for
every month for the 12 years for them to work for you and then all of a sudden
um something goes wrong and they cannot
understand that hey you ain't got it right now
yeah for example yeah it's a simple example
or even that that somebody this is a nice one that you
always treat people well always do good and then
they hear something and they don't come and ask you a question
they just assume but then and then but also not
being aware that hey um I have you you can trust that I will never do
something to hurt you so why would you take someone's
word who has never done anything with you but just put something on you to
make trouble and not see it and so on and so on
and so on and so then you have to or sometimes you can see people doing
certain things and you're like no but we're friends you'll never do that to me
those things are dangerous things yeah and those are things that I had to
learn so that my cup could be filled yeah because you can be
friends with people you can have personal or business relationships
with people but if you see them showing certain
correct characteristics that might not sit right but they
didn't do it with you or to you yeah but don't underestimate
that it can come right back around and bite you in the ass true
and they can do the same thing that they've been doing to everybody else to
you as soon as the shit hits the fan yeah my
grandmother said it the best she said know your friends and treat
them well never your friends your secret tell
oh for when your friends become your fo
around the world your shit will go oh shit that that one we gotta write down
thanks grandma hey I'm like okay but only now I understand
I because I was just about to ask you like uh
I I sure grandma told you this as a kid as a kid
and and it's and and it's so many years later that it really starts to click and
be so many years decades later decades later grandma
hey if she was still alive I would be uh be telling her thanks every day
you know it's like a lot of you know a lot of generational wealth is
also in lessons you know and and and I mean like me I came
to the Netherlands at 19 years uh 19 years old into a
country where I spoke the language but I didn't know
the culture yeah was very lonely because you come into a place where
there's nobody like you there's other students that come but
they're suffering the same thing you're suffering
yeah so before you can make a connection it takes months
yeah and I believe that knowing what I now know
I can tell my nieces you know be prepared them
even better for what it would be like but my parents never studied in the
Netherlands so they had no idea yeah oh I'm sure they would have prepared
us you know so it's it's also generational
wisdom it's not only financial generational wealth but
in knowledge yeah you know in in empowering
our children but also to know where you're from
super important you know to know that you know I
I have a vision on slavery and on the mindset Marcus Garvey said
that he says we have to emancipate ourselves from mental slavery
for none of our ourselves can free our minds but Marty sang the song
yeah I just got goosebumps it's one of my favorite Bob Marley songs
yeah but it's the redemption it's a speech from Marcus Garvey
the the entire song oh yes oh I didn't know it's a speech
that's why if you listen to this if you read the lyrics you see that it's
he's speaking live yeah and it's because for us to grow as a people
but not only the black person that experienced racism but the
white person that is a is is a part of the generation
is not saying that it wasn't there but saying
but seeing that it hit an ice vatican new north state
yeah still it's still visible yeah but I'm not saying that you did it I'm just
saying it's what it's you're behaving from a place of
having that freedom and I'm behaving from a place of having no freedom
yeah and so that we have to teach our children
to have a mindset to see that you can be anything you want to be
yeah you can be more than whatever anybody says about you
but that's the generational knowledge wealth
that is also necessary 100% it's a mindset shift and that's the only reason
that I can do what I'm doing and that I can
you know have that financial freedom is because I believe I can do anything
yeah because it all starts in the mind if you if you don't believe you can then
you never will but that's if you don't believe it's
possible then it won't be possible but I had parents that taught me
that I could be anything god bless them amen
but I mean but I know a lot of kids our kids today still struggle with
you know acceptance or struggle with having the room
to be more than what someone thinks they can be
yeah so that's also part of my yeah my my hope for the future
so that there can be more shirma's more girls
and boys that they're not only to dream but to do
yeah you know because that they that they have the possibility to
be a owner of a house and have a car and have
nice things and have the possibility to leave their children
set for life yeah we have that possibility in us
100 we have it and it's I mean it doesn't have to happen in one
generation but you can plant a seed and see it
grow what what what what the what what they do in the cruise they do
the finger snapping yeah yeah yeah
amazing um so maybe let's let's let's let's kind of
continue in this pocket a little bit with
which which particular facets do you think of your
caribbean upbringing has played a crucial positive role
in growing your career love
leave there yeah we are a culture that's very welcoming very open
um and I think that's something that has made room for me
yeah is that you that I'm accessible to people
but also the um
yeah it's it's the gift it's a gift also you know
yeah it's not it's not mine for me it comes from
a different source and I and I learned about that source in that small
community yeah you know you work on an island where 90% of the people go to
church then you have no choice but to learn
to know you know what I mean yeah it's different than coming to live in the
Netherlands and most people have no faith yeah
then they don't want it but they didn't they're not
they weren't really exposed to it exactly because a lot of things
in religion here were you know like put on you and you must
but at home we had a choice you know you but it was a choice but it was like
another choice but a choice yeah yeah because you could be forced to
go to church but you didn't have to because you learned
that it was something that's part of the culture like my niece
my niece this week she's six she told my sister
messaged me she said she was walking with her to school and she said mama
um tante is not afraid to sing for people
she said and she's not also she's not afraid to sing for god
so my sister said like what what do you mean because she sings in church
she said yeah because god lives there right
and I was like that's so beautiful because that she can
already know yeah without having to be forced and without someone explaining
to her she thinks about it yeah I think so
beautiful because that's the you want to be that kind of example and I
think that that that's what we had at home yeah
you know as growing up it wasn't like a must god was like a
a part of our existence and I think without
being an entrepreneur being an artist I cannot claim anything
without acknowledging that for me that's god
in my life yeah I can't preach it's not by my own but by his
you know yeah the facts facts facts hard facts
facts so let's uh let's rewind the clock one more time
why are you going back how long are we talking already
this might be the last one if uh we could talk for hours
you know right okay I know we can so we we we we go
we hopefully we're gonna continue some conversation
you guys getting like a what have we been talking for two hours already
okay but looking back to let's say 18 19 year old
shirma yeah right because um 19 year old shirma is the one that
moved to the netherlands yeah and and and got a bit of the culture shock
and and had to sort of refigure out what life is for her
from that point on um the shirma of today
what what advice would you give that 19 year old girl
why that's a really good question I think um
the only thing I would say is it will get better
it will get better it will get better have faith it will get better
that's I touched myself wow
it will get better wow wow that one just gave me goosebumps
so that one bring me to tears wow you know sometimes
you know as a student coming here you know dealing with racism
dealing with being different you know I came to study
chemistry I'm a chemist so I came to to study in a very white
um I didn't come to do like a teacher or a nurse in
where you had more a bit more diversity none at all
yeah so you you gotta feel like you know I felt like a
uh I was like a unicorn
I was a unicorn yeah because an exception to the rules
and it's like this the this not supposed to exist yeah
yeah not for me because my leave the food is a unicorn is beautiful it's
it's majestic so you know you your your your background already
taught you your your beautiful and majestic
you know your value yes uh but the coming to a situation where
a unicorn is not normal yeah of others was best or have to you know it was very
lonely very lonely and so I would just say
it's it it's gonna get better yeah yeah I wasn't expecting that one but
me neither me either but you asked the question
so any any final thoughts or words for uh for our audience
well if it pertaining to achieving your goals
I would say there are four things that for me
have always been very important is you know to be the best in the room
and being the best in the room is not meaning you know that you
are better than anybody else but to be your best
self to be the best version of yourself yeah
at all times yeah and number two is have social skills don't let
your worries your energy be the thing that shifts the room
be it let it be something positive the room uplifting something
that you bring that inspires be an inspiration
yeah number three is time be on time be on time because
me people don't wait on me I hate it I hate it so it but it's important
because time is money yeah
there's money and number four never stop learning oh yeah
never stop learning 100 be aware that it's never done yeah so keep honing
your skill keep looking for things to add on to what
you have to offer those four things have brought me this far
beautiful that's it I think with that we can
we can wrap a nice bow tie on this one
oh Sherma thank you very very much my pleasure John my pleasure
for coming down all this way and and spending this time with us here
another problem thank you yeah I had I had an amazing time it's
been a very inspirational conversation thank you thank you me too even a part
emotional roller coaster towards the end but but I fully get it
because it's uh when when you make that shift
it it can feel so dark and lonely at times
100 but I also when I also believe that we need to
speak about this more 100 but also you know
be aware that not all bad things that happen to us
um will will will turn out bad sometimes it's for your good
yeah like you know I always say David needed Goliath to become a king
true so we need to have shooting we need to have bad days to have good days
yeah and you need to have those bad days to even
understand what a good day is so that's the thing it will get better
thanks again welcome and with that one we're signing out
like subscribe leave some comments if I forgot to ask
miss Sherma any amazing questions then please let me know
um and I'll see you in the next one guys thank you bless
you