Edward Cates pens a featured cover story with comedian, author and serial entrepreneur Steve Harvey for Savoy Magazine's Summer 2013 Issue. In the article Harvey has a candid discussion on his success in business, family and entertainment.

1. SAVOY
STEVE HARVEY THE MAN BEHIND THE BRAND • 2013 TRAVEL & VACATION GUIDE
Steve
Harvey
The Man
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
Behind
The Brand
2013
Travel &
Vacation
Guide
SUMMER 2013
$4.99
PLUS:
Corporate
Social
Responsibility
Matters
Diversity
in the
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SUMMER 2013
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2. eXCLuSive inteRvieW
Steve
Harvey
The
Man
Behind
the Brand
B Y e d Wa R d C at e S
52 Savoy Summer 2013
Before Steve Harvey goes out on stage he prays the
same prayer asking for the same thing.“Let my gift that you
have given me, shine through brightly and help me to remember my pace.” Steve Harvey mastered pace in comedy
a long time ago and has taken the practice of perfect timing
and applied it to expand the demand and influence of his
personal brand into a multimedia empire.
During a Valentines Day media blitz I was invited to New
York to interview Harvey for Savoy over lunch during a heavily scheduled media day of appearances. As an aficionado
on matters of the heart, Harvey was in demand for romantic
advice. By the time I landed in New York, he broadcast his
radio show remotely, appeared as a guest on a regional TV
morning show,“Today” and “The View” before we met for
lunch at Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant in the London Hotel.
Later that evening he would appear on “Late Night with
Jimmy Fallon”. As we settled into our interview and conversation it was an opportunity to observe his pace, see him in
his stride and get to know the elements of the man that are
the Steve Harvey brand.
“How do you do all of this? That’s the biggest question,”
said Harvey as he reflected upon his daily life. “The secret
is very simple. All you have to do is care about every single
minute of the day. And once you do that, you will be stunned
at what you can accomplish. I know exactly where I’m sup-

3. Steve Harvey and his family
celebrate at his Hollywood
Walk of Fame Star ceremony
(L-R Back: Lori, Marjorie, Steve,
Morgan, Brandi, Karli. L-R Front:
Broderick Jr., Jason, Wynton)
Chris Haston / NBC
Tim Hiatt / NBC
Oprah Winfrey sits
down with Steve
Harvey for a frank
and funny conversation on the set of
his hit syndicated
daytime show “Steve
Harvey” in Chicago.
posed to be during the course of a day. I map out the spaces where I can shut it
down, relax, meditate, take a moment to myself, lay on my back on a mat in my
dressing room and breathe. Once I’m done with that designated period I’m back
to the grind because what people do too much of… People do too much chilling.
See the harder I work, the harder I can play. It affords me the ability to give my
family a lifestyle beyond my dreams, their dreams and that’s the key to it.“
Examine closely the growth of Steve Harvey’s brand and business ventures
and you find purposeful connectivity in everything he does. The “Steve Harvey”
daytime television show is becoming one of the most successful new first-run
syndication launches in the past decade. In the February 2013 sweep,“Steve Harvey” was the #1 new first-run show with Women 18-49 nationally.“Family Feud”
is achieving its highest ratings in syndication in 22 years since Steve Harvey
became the host in Fall of 2010 competing with Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy and
Judge Judy. The Steve Harvey Morning Show airs Monday-Friday, 6-10am EST
on 63 radio station in the US and has approximately 7 million weekly listeners.
Harvey’s first book,“Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man” was released in 2009 and
held the #1 spot on the New York Times Best Seller list for 23 straight weeks and
was listed for 64 weeks total. His second book,“Straight Talk, No Chaser” was
released in 2010 and debuted at #1 on the New York Times Best Seller List. The
success of his first book spawned the film adaptation “Think Like A Man” that
released domestically and internationally in 2012, grossing over $90 million at
the box office. It was the #1 movie in America two weeks in a row and unseated
the blockbuster movie “The Hunger Games” after a month at #1. The Steve Harvey apparel lines include the Steve Harvey Collection for Men, The Young Kings
Collection (for boys) and The Steve Harvey Women’s Collection and are available
at K&G Fashion Superstore, Burlington Coat Factory, JC Penney
and Kohls.com. In May of this
year, Harvey was nominated for
two Daytime Emmy Awards; as
best talk show host and outstanding game show host and received
a Star on the Hollywood Walk of
Fame.
A serial entrepreneur, he couples
his awareness of his influence with
business ventures that support his
brand and make sense. Harvey
thanks his father for his entrepreneurial spirit and belief that
he could define his own destiny.
“My father only had a third grade
education but he was a master at
motivating. He said,“Son, there
are two types of people born in the
hospital every day. There’s a person born in the hospital that’s going to get a job.” He said,“There’s
also a person in the same hospital
being born that is going to give
them a job.” He said,“You get to
pick what kind of person you’re
going to be.”
Retired from stand-up comedy,
Harvey’s perspective on his most
beloved business venture is based
Summer 2013 Savoy 53

4. upon knowing his audience and being himself.
“Stand-up was my most treasured possession. It
was a gut wrenching decision to leave standup
because it got me here. But as far as business
goes my radio show is my favorite because it
promotes the brand that I am. The radio show
tells you about the book and makes you want it.
The radio show tells you about Family Feud, my
daytime talk show and makes you want to view it. The radio
show is the catalyst that drives this. It’s my favorite because
it allows me to go either way. I can be stupid funny, I can be
flat-out just ignorant or I can be incredibly informative and I
can’t do that anywhere else.“
Harvey’s success is no accident. His career exemplifies what
happens when God given talent is coupled with a good team
and a disciplined work ethic.“You have to surround yourself
with top quality people because even though I’m doing all
this, I can’t do all this by myself,” added Harvey with his
manager, business partner and friend Rushion McDonald
(also television and radio producer) within earshot at the
next table working on his laptop.“If every entertainer had
a Rushion, they’d all be doing much better because he’s a
workhorse. I have found a guy who is not only my friend but
he is my business partner and his agenda first and foremost
is me because he understands very well that we’re tied into
this. How I go, he goes. How I eat determines how he eats.
He makes sure I’m eating very well so he can eat well. You’ve
got to have great people around you in business.”
As Harvey recalls the moment of upswing in his career he
credits meeting his wife Marjorie in 2005 as inspiration for
First Lady Michelle
Obama visits Steve
Harvey for an
interview on the set
of his new syndicated daytime show
“Steve Harvey” in
Chicago last year.
54 Savoy Summer 2013
his rise to new heights.“Marrying Marjorie was the single
most game changing event in my life. The only woman I’ve
ever known that was sweeter to me than her was my Mother.
Marjorie is the kindest person and one of the happiest people I’ve ever met. God knew I needed her to be the person
he wanted me to be. Marjorie’s attitude, her belief in me and
calming spirit would say “Steve you’ve got to do better than
that. You can’t get to where you’re trying to go like that.” I discovered that a woman is really the key to every great man’s
success.”
Beyond the professional success and fame of Harvey is the
substance of his character. Harvey is a dedicated husband,
caring father, respectful son, brother, loyal friend and philanthropist. He has a sincere desire to impact lives that is seeded
in lessons from his mother.“My mother was a Sunday school
teacher and she taught us, God Blesses you to become a
blessing. So I always kept that in mind as I climbed this ladder, made money, got famous. Everyone ain’t that fortunate. I
have to show as many people I can how to get here.”
Harvey understands his brand is bigger than the African
American community yet stays connected and committed
to giving back. The Steve & Marjorie Harvey Foundation is a
non-profit organization that focuses on meeting the needs of
the whole child through development of programs and support of community-based organizations that foster excellence
in the areas of health, education, and social well being within
urban and ethnically diverse communities. Foundation
programs include the Girls Who Rule the World Mentoring
Weekend, the Steve Harvey Mentoring Program for Young
Men, scholarships and partnerships with non-profit organi-

5. “How do you do all of this? That’s the
zations committed to developing ethnically diverse youth.
For 6 years, the Disney Dreamers Academy with Steve
Harvey and Essence Magazine has impacted the lives of
600 high school age young men and women giving them
tools and resources to achieve their dream.
This year marks the 11th year of the Ford Neighborhood Awards (formerly the Hoodie Awards). The
Neighborhood Awards celebrates and recognizes local
businesses, neighborhood leaders, educators, churches
and high schools. Created by Harvey and McDonald, the
show started out of a conversation about recognizing
people in the community.
“Me and Rushion were in LA and I said,“Man, I’ve got a
pretty cool gig. When I come to work people clap for me.
I feel sorry for people who never get a round of applause
for doing what they do.” And then he said jokingly,“Well,
go down there and clap for them.” I said,“Man, wouldn’t
that be slick if celebrities honored people in the community? We started talking and one thing led to another and
he said “An awards show!” and that was it. The Hoodies
were born in LA. It’s been sold out every year. My favorite
part is watching the winners walk up to that stage dressed
in evening wear for the first time in their life—in front of
12,000 people. And when that music is playing, watching
them come up there and get their clothes together, get to
those steps, get their chin up and watch that man take his
girl up there—that’s my favorite thing about it.”
As we concluded, in the midst of a hectic media day,
our interview transitioned into a discussion. He was
100% open, present and engaged. In time it felt less like
a journalist and a celebrity interview and more like two
brothers talking at the barbershop. Steve Harvey’s brand
is based in truth, honesty and transparency. His projects
and business ventures are a magnification of who he is.
When asked what he wants his legacy to be or how he
wants his life remembered, his answer illuminated his
character even further.
“I hope people say that Steve Harvey cared about people
and service and he took time out often to see if we were
okay. They’re going to say I was funny. I got tapes. I got
syndicated shows. They’re going to be talking about me
way after I’m gone. I learned that the tombstone has
three things on it—the date of your birth, it has a dash
and the date of your demise. The most important thing
on that tombstone isn’t the day you were born or the date
you die. It is that dash. It’s what you do in the middle—
that little dash—that’s who you are. If they say “He’s gone
now, man. The world would be better if he was still here.”
That’s what I want them to say. They say that, brother—
God will probably let me in heaven on that.” S
The Steve & Marjorie Harvey Foundation
Chuck Hodes / NBC
biggest question,” said Harvey as he reflected upon
his daily life. “The secret is very simple. All you
have to do is care about every single minute of the
day. And once you do that, you will be stunned at
what you can accomplish.
Young mentees listen closely as Steve Harvey shares straight talk at his Steve Harvey Mentoring Program for Young Men.
Summer 2013 Savoy 55