The 7209 Podcast!
Welcome to the home of The 7209 Podcast! Learn more about the hosts, Ebi Okiyefa and MarLan Parker!
About Us! - Ebi Okiyefa and MarLan Parker met in college back in 2003. Their collegiate experience consisted of numerous hilarious instances and stories that they share on this podcast. Come learn about family, the corporate world, business/entrepreneurship and much more! Love, learn and laugh with us!
Click Here: The 7209 Show (Anchor.FM)
Host Info:
Ebi Okiyefa is the Owner of Okiyefa Shades, a sunglasses and eyewear company that helps improve the communities’ ocular health in style. The parent organization; founded by Ebi Okiyefa, is E.E. Okiyefa, LLC. The organization comprises a diverse portfolio of multiple entities offering a combination of services, products and real estate investments.
Outside of these various and accomplished ventures, Ebi’s full-time career role falls within the healthcare industry. Going on 10 years now, Ebi serves in the Health Care Administration space as a leader providing his expertise in running small Hospitals and multi hospital health systems (IDN). His professional background entails high level supply chain, finance and sourcing/contract negotiations involving capital equipment, medical products and vendor/supplier management.
Ebi is based out in So. California. As a native, born in Inglewood, CA. Ebi is a full blooded Nigerian! Ekioebi Ebioghe Okiyefa is his full birth first/middle/last name. The meaning of Ekioebi means “good sense” which explains many attributes he carries as an individual. Mostly raised in Compton, CA with 3 other siblings; Ebi has always been exposed; at an early age, to work hard and grind for yours! Thanks to his parents, education was and still is the primary focus in one to be successfully knowledgeable in all endeavors. Current mentality is being instilled in his own family of five (soon to be six). Ebi is married to his beautiful wife; Diedra and both have 3 loving daughters (Ebitimi 10, Ebiere 8, Ebiere 4) and a son on the way!
Ebi has a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology-Pre Physical Therapy from California State University of San Bernardino. He also has a Masters of Health Administration degree and a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certification from the University of La Verne.
Ebi's Contact Info:
Email: OkiyefaShades@gmail.com
Instagram: @OkiyefaShades
Twitter: @DJEbroc
MarLan is an Educator by profession! As an amazing teacher and dynamic administrator, MarLan has changed lives through his unique approach to building relationships with his students. Inspired by a desire to impact lives in a greater manner, MarLan started Get Laced as a means of providing youth athletes and sneakerheads the opportunity to make their sneakers stand out. Having children involved in competitive youth sports and knowing many sneaker collectors, he knew that this was the lane that he wanted to be in.
He has been highlighted in online publications such as Voyage LA, Uncle Eddi3's; has been interviewed and featured on Shopify and was one of the NAACP's Black Entrepreneur's Day grant winners.
MarLan is a family man; a husband and father of 3 children. Family serves as the foundation of his motivation to financial freedom. The family LLC that he created, ML Parker, LLC, is named after himself, his siblings and his 3 children.
For MarLan, owning his own business means freedom. He’s created a business that provides him with a means to accumulate income 24/7. But it was not without its challenges and sacrifices. MarLan struggled to accumulate capital. Any extra money from his 9-5 was re-allocated to the business. He would DJ on weekends, periodically, and put the extra income back into Get Laced. He had to grind to meet the needs of this business in the hours after work. He sacrificed family events, happy hours and countless nights working on the business...sometimes from 6pm to 1-2 am. But it was worth every moment because he was making his dreams come true.
Along with The 7209 Podcast, MarLan also hosts a regular showcase on his Instagram page highlighting small businesses, owns real estate, offers consultations on Equity in Education and has a high demand webinar on "How To Start A Small Business". MarLan’s biggest takeaway from all of this is to always be your own biggest fan: “People will not be excited about your business if you are not. And you can’t be a silent fan either, you have to be loud, infectious and overly dedicated to promoting your business. Keep shining! Remember, the sun does not ask for permission..it just shines baby!”
MarLan has a BA in History & Single Subject Teaching Credential from Cal State Univ. San Bernardino, MA in Educational Leadership from Azusa Pacific University and has been working in public education since 2005.
MarLan's Contact Info:
Email: GetLaced82@gmail.com
Instagram: @GetLaced._
Twitter: @PrincipalPTheMC