Business Innovators Radio - Devon Michael Sangiovanni: How a Cute Little Kitten Inspired a Children’s Book

Episode Date: October 22, 2023

Devon Michael Sangiovanni is author of children’s book “He Loves me! He Truly Loves Me! the Story of Mupsie and Me and How We Came to Be.” He was a children’s Songwriter and studied with a piano prodigy right outside of New York City for 9 years. Devon is a born lyricist and his life was changed forever when he was blessed with a tiny, little furball kitten with big beautiful blue eyes and a heart to match!Learn more at: mupsie.comRebelpreneur Radio with Ralph Brogdenhttps://businessinnovatorsradio.com/rebelpreneur-radio-with-ralph-brogden/Source: https://businessinnovatorsradio.com/devon-michael-sangiovanni-how-a-cute-little-kitten-inspired-a-childrens-book

Your Resistance is future. The revolution has begun. We're listening to Revelepreneur Radio, helping you break the rules and build the business you need for the life you want. And now, broadcasting his pirate signal from somewhere beyond the status quo.

Here's your host, best-selling author, Marketing and Media Strategist, Ralph Brogden. Hello and welcome to Rebelpreneur Radio. It's the show that helps you build the business you need so you can live the life you want. I'm Ralph Brogden. Well, at the intersection of life and business are matters of faith. And regardless of what you believe, your faith, the things that you believe, have a definite impact on your life and on your business. And as you're trying to build the business you need so you can live the life you want, faith, hopefully if it's in there someplace, so that you understand business is not all about.

profits, I do believe that no money, no mission. So it's very important. Whatever your mission and purpose in life is, you have to be able to finance it with something. One model that is working very well for me and for other rebelpreneurs out there is to build the business you need so you can live the life you want and so you can fund your purpose, your nonprofit organization, your mission, your movement, whatever it is. And that also was another way that you can give back and it gives purpose and meaning to everything that you do. So towards that goal, we are really fortunate to have a gifted author with us today to discuss his children's book.

I'm pleased to introduce Devin Michael San Giovanni. He was a children's songwriter, and he studied with a piano prodigy right outside of New York City for nine years. Devin is a born lyricist. and his life was changed forever when he was blessed with a tiny little fur ball kitten with big beautiful blue eyes and a heart to match. He is the author of the children's book. He loves me, he truly loves me, the story of Mupsie and me and how we came to be.

Devin, welcome to Rebel Per Nuba Radio. Thank you so much, Ralph. well, you couldn't have said it any better. Thank you. You're such a good personality here. Well, it helps when you have some great material to work with. I have had the pleasure of reading an advanced copy of the book. And it is a children's book, but it has a definite message as a parent, as a grandparent.

I'm really impressed with it, and I think my kids will love it as well. And I want to talk about your book. First, I want to find out more. about you and your work. Tell us a little bit more about who you are and what you do. Thank you, Ralph. You know, the truth of it is I am a born lyricist. It just, it was just a natural gift from when I was really little. I mean, I would just write. And even all to grammar school, all through high school, I always won all the awards for the writing contest. But, you know, I didn't really have to try, Ralph. Like, it wasn't like a big stress where I had

to do something, usually in the last five minutes when I threw it together, it always just came out. You know, and I attribute that to, you know, to my natural gift, that was what I was given to, you know, that was what was given to me as a talent. And I was also a musician. And when I grew up, my sister, my brother, they were 10 and 14 years older than me. So they always played, my sister played beautiful music in the house. You know, we went from one end to the next. So being that they were older than me. I had all these different genres of music in me. So it's really in my soul. And I met a woman, her name's Vera Tesh. And she was the piano prodigy. And I remember her coming up to me and saying, we used to go to this, we used to go to a class together. And after the

class, you know, I'll talk to a few people here and there. And finally one day, I was on my way up the stairs and she was tugging on my sleeve. And she said, you know, she was like, hi, how are you? I was like, hi, how are you? And she said, you have no idea. who I am, do you? And I was like, no, I have no idea who you are. And she said, well, you know, my name is Vera and I'm a, you know, I'm a music producer. So I was like, oh, nice to meet you. And she said, you know, you always talk about your music. I'd like to have you come over, you know, would you come over? Because she said, I've been watching you. And I'm thinking to myself, you've been watching me. It's like, yeah, she's like, every time I see you have a group of people,

like a crowd of people always around you. And I was like, yeah, it's like, she's like, what is it about you and I said up I was like I'm just nice you know that's it she's like oh she's like there's something a little more I'm like no I don't know I'm just nice and sure enough that is really honestly what I believe like I'm just a nice person I how are you you know can I help you can I get you something you know I was always that kid that would always go out of my way if I could help somebody so anyway I did I went to her house I was invited over and if I tell you I placed my guitar case next to her concert grand that was in her living room and it looked like a ukulele But needless to say, every song I'd start to play, she's like, I love that song.

I love that song. I love that song. And it turns out, that's what happened. I ended up studying with her for, oh, very long time. And how I got into Children's was there was also, I mean, she, only the top people studied with this woman. So there was a woman who played the obo for the, she was first chair obo for the Philharmonic. And she lived in that particular town, which is Englewood, New Jersey, very expensive high-end, where all the artists and Tony Bennett lived there.

They, you know, some of the top people lived there. And Eddie Murphy. So what happened was she was studying with Vera, and she had a little boy. And he had these golf clubs that were made specifically for him, because they were so wealthy, little ones. And he was outside. He was, you know, hitting golf balls out on the front lawn. But every time he passed, he did the same, he would do the same thing.

He passed by. He'd Jeremy singing his song. He's like, oh, I like that song. And then he would sit on Vera's lap, and he'd like that. Can you play this song? I'll be sure. And I play this song. He's like, oh, I like that one.

You know, can you play another one? I'll make sure I play this one. So we'd play every single one. And then when he would go home, he would not stop talking about me. He'd be like, Mom, we've got to get back there. We've got to go to Vervea's. I have to get that guy, Devon Singh. I want to go sing with him.

So, okay. All right, I was singing, writing music. And, you know, me, I thought my first show was going to be in Madison Square Garden. Well, a little did I know. My first show was going to be in kindergarten. So anyway, one day, Vera's son comes home, Alexander, and now he's another genius. You know, he went to Elizabeth Marl. He also went to NYU and wrote his own curriculum.

I mean, the kid, he's so successful right now, too. And he started, one day he came home, and it was a Sunday afternoon, and he had the New York Times in front of him. And he said, there's an article in the New York Times, and there's a gaping hole between Barney and Rafi. Do you think you can fill it? and I literally went home and wrote 15 songs and walked back in the door and they were all floored. So they looked at me, they said you have a career. So for 10 years, I wrote children's music and I played all over. I actually played in Central Park, the Bunk Zoo, Brooklyn Children's Museum.

I was in Cape May Baby Parade, but then I also played in Times Square, which is a big thing. And we had, I mean, it was a whole show. We had Diggetty. The name, I was Diggety Devin back then, and we had Diggety Dance. and we had a big backdrop and I was the voice of the character so I could be behind the scene, you know, behind the screen, and then they had a professional in the costume, and then the kids did the dances. So we weren't really, really far. Unfortunately, there was no social media back then. So after 10 years, you know, studying is incredibly expensive, but to me, that's where my life was.

That was where my investment went. So we still do, we do have a big, we have a great body of music. As a matter of fact, one of the songs is going to be released. now. I wrote a pediatric dentist song because, you know, going to the dentist, so it's not exactly a kid's favorite thing to do. But I convinced them, and Vera wrote, oh, my God, Vera produced it in Alexander, and we had kids singing, fantastic. So that should be coming out. And it's going to be sent out to all pediatric dentists because Alexander's doing that part. That's amazing. I'm on my side. That's amazing. So you've got a real gift and also a heart to work with kids. How did you make that transition from composing?

to writing a children's book? You know, that's so interesting, too, because I wanted a Seal Point Himalayan, but I wanted a female. I called all over the country looking for a female seal point Himalayan and could not find one. So about a year went by,

and finally, someone answered, and they said, yes, I have females. I said, good, I'm coming. I'm coming tomorrow. He calls me in the morning, and he says, they're males. And I said, I'm coming anyway. So this book is a true story

This is really what happened I went to look at the kittens And I called and he said Yeah we have females What time? You know, yes we have little girl kittens What time will you be here Okay see you then

You know in one by one The people would come and pick up the little girl kittens And he would be left behind Sad, so sad But doesn't anybody want a boy kitten He would stop He began to think that No one would ever love him

And he waited And he waited And he waited and he waited So it is a true story because I literally went there, and the man handed me the little kittens, the girl kittens. And in the book, you'll see, you know, like there's a basket of kittens, but they were torties, and what torties are, they're a splash, meaning their colors are black and white and rust color, and they're beautiful. But that wasn't what I wanted.

I wanted a seal point, and sure enough, you put those little girl kittens in my hands, and I was in the big chair, and they were kind of cute, but I did have that look at despair. And then it was then that I turned And I saw him sitting there And our hearts began to flutter And love filled the air Could it be he was the one Who was the answer to my prayers?

He knelt right down beside me And put me in his arms I knew right then and there That I was safe from arm And I closed my big blue eyes And I began to purr He tickle my little belly And my soft and cuddly fur

So I knew right from the start That we would never be apart We would always be together Forever in my heart And he says he loves me He truly loves me And I say put your coat out

with going home. Now, I don't want you to give away the whole book because I want people to go out and buy it.

But it is, it's such a great story. I read it the other day and it hits all the buttons and it really is, it really is fun. It's inspiring. You definitely have a gift for it.

That's obvious and that's for sure. And I think that children everywhere will just love this thing to pieces. You know, you write a children's book, but you're really writing it for the parents and the grandparents. They're the ones that are going to end up buying the book and reading it to their kids and their grandkids. What message are you wanting to communicate through your book to the parents and grandparents and other people in the lives of children? I guess that is

the secondary audience. What is your message to them? What are you trying to say to them through the book? You know, it's so interesting because the preface is so powerful. You know, and like I said, like whenever I wrote anything for school or anything, I would just sit down and write it. It didn't take me hours and hours. But, you know, in this, the preference is, you know, it's in the presence of love that all children can grow and prosper. And as parents, and of course, as grandparents, You know, it is our responsibility to provide them with that love, you know? And then we owe it to this little child a sense of security that he or she is well taken care of in all situations. You know, because as parents or as whoever grandparents, guardians, aunts, uncles, there are most precious gifts are the children.

But what's the most important gift? It's love. You know, you can, I want children to prosper. You know, I do. because that's important too. But it's the love with which we give them, you know. You know, when we encourage their strengths, we help them with their weaknesses. It's that love that will, you know, it's in this experience of us that they will find their own strength to grow and prosper.

Because, you know, those first seven years are really important. You know, that's where all the grounding comes from or that's where all the disasters come from. But they just need to know that they're loved. and their own ability to love, you know, comes from that. And I believe that animals play such a big part in that. And, boy, did I get lucky? You know, I got the greatest little guy on the planet. So it's like a combination.

It's like a family, you know? And sometimes that's all the kids have is maybe a dog or a cat. You know, I mean, parents, look at the parents today. Everybody's working. You know, everybody has to work so much that, you know, I don't want them to miss that. maybe, you know, story time and that love at the end of the day or they love as soon as you get home, like, show the love. Let them feel how much you love them and be allowed, you know, and allow them to love you back.

You know, that's pretty important. Absolutely. Well, that's a powerful message. I think given the times that we live in, the challenges that we all have with family, with raising children, and with the mental health crisis that everyone is talking about, it is still, regardless of what's going on in the world, there are some basic absolutes. And I think you've touched on them that every child needs love. Every child needs to feel that they are in a safe place. And I say parents and grandparents, it's not always that cut and dry.

There's a lot of different families and relationships and combinations and blended families and single parents out there and guardians and guardians and just adopted parents. There's a lot of different situations. And so the more complex the world gets, here's where I'm going with this. more complex the world gets, the more it requires us to get back to the simplicity of what are the basic things that kids need, regardless of whether the family is a traditional family or non-traditional or no family at all. Every child needs love. They need safety.

They need someone to care for them. They need a safe place and to know that someone cares for them. And that's really, that really comes through in your story here. Yeah. And, you know, he was so adorable. It's so lovable. You know what I mean? That's just, that's it.

It just seems like the minute that I laid my eyes on him, like that was it, like my world changed. And the same thing I hear from parents, you know, the minute they look at that baby and it's in their arms, like, that's, they've never loved so deeply. And, you know, but like you said, there's a lot of different situations nowadays and struggles. You know, it's not that easy. It's not that easy to work and have a couple of kids. you know, it's a full-time job. You know, and a lot of moms have to go out and work, and then there's single parents. I see it every day.

But, you know, I've also seen miracles. And that's what, I mean, I've just, for me, you know, the difference, the difference for him was when he wasn't, like, the minute that he saw me, he knew I was the one, too, like, and I was gentle and kind. And I think that's what kids need the most. They need somebody to be gentle and kind. You know, yes, be disciplined. And, you know, mine are peas and cues, because sometimes the kids nowadays, I mean, is anybody teaching them anything for values or respect for elders and things like that? The old fashioned values. But today, I think it's belief.

Like, for me, I'm just blessed because I have, I just believe. And I've always believed in my talents. I've always believed in my gifts. You know, and that came from the love as a child. you know, because my father, he loved me. He truly loved me. And that makes all the difference for me, even now, when things could get hard. You know, listen, it was a long road, and it was a lot of work because I worked a lot to pay for all my lessons and things like that.

But it's so worth it because now the message that I can get out to the world is this one. You know, he loves me, he truly loves me, how important love is, how important faith is, you know, how important is your belief. I mean, we have to help these kids find some type of solace. You know, all the video games are, you know, listen, they're great. The kids are advanced the way that they whip around on the computers and things like that. But what about this silence? You know, what about getting quiet for a little while? You know, because for me, I, you know, different religions.

There's all different faith. And none of them are wrong. You know, they're just different. and we have to get the kids to understand that, that everybody's different. You know, all the bullying that goes on, I mean, the trauma, that, I mean, kids are committing suicide. So, you know, to bring it back to love and kindness and gentleness and also charity, you know, can we get together and join together and start something that could help other people? You know, like for me, like this book, it's about the love, but it's also about, you know, raising awareness, you know, raising awareness for animals and pets and shelters and, you know, raising, money and fundraisers and fund drives.

You know, there's so much that can be done by allowing my natural gifts and my natural love and talent to get out into the world, which is what I heard a lot of your, you know, I read a lot of your stuff on getting out into the world and impacting people. It's, I have to be able to voice and say what it is that I want to help people with. You know, I want to help people all around the world. Like, let's come together instead of breaking apart. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, that's a wonderful and powerful message for everybody, everywhere.

The name of the book is, he loves me, exclamation point. And both of these are exclamation points. So he loves me, he truly loves me, the story of Mupsie and me and how we came to be. So you've been pretty busy since the book has come out. And I imagine you've got some promotional things going on. Where are you headed and what's on your calendar here in the next few months? Well, that's interesting because I did hire Aaron Saxton, and she's running the marketing campaign,

and I have a social media girl who has a six or seven-year-old daughter who loves Mupsie. I made watches with Mupsie's face on it, and also with the little basket of kittens. So the different colors, like the blue is the Mupsie face, and the kittens are in the pink, and then we have him sitting by the phone with the big red phone, And then we have another one of them praying in front of the church.

And it's so interesting because the kids love the watches and the watches light up. But for me, you know, like I'm building a whole, you know, marketing campaign or if you call it that, time to pray. There's a big message here. It's time to pray. And that's what the watches are all about, the time to pray, which is a central thing to the book, right? Yes, because they just, you know, kids need to be, listen, I can't tell. anybody had a pray. I can't teach anybody how to pray. But, you know, I can tell them how I pray. For me, it's the opposite. I don't pray and ask for all these things. I, I, when I pray, I get silent. And you know who taught me that,

don't you? Mopsy! He was very lazy. He's very lazy. And we would lay, you know, in the morning when he gets in the bed, he just purrs, and he's just so happy. And we get to be in the silence. And for me, the silence is when I can hear the messages, you know, coming from inside of me, who am I really and why am I here? You know, with all the hubbub and, you know, the text messaging and the emailing, you know, I mean, even television takes a back seat to YouTube. You know, I can learn so much on YouTube and I can be on all day long, but it's when I can really, really, really get quiet that I can hear the messages that I'm supposed to hear. And those may just be whispers, you know, but.

I think if I can help people learn just a little bit, just to be quiet for a little part of the day, you know, and start them with, you know, time to pray. It's simple. The thing about me and the reason why I am a children's artist is because I can break down all the major, you know, all the major things that it takes us as adults so long to learn can really be simplified for children. And that is the gift I have. You know, it's simple. It's really not that difficult.

but we make things difficult. That's true. And, you know, the pace and the speed that we're running at, there's no quiet time anymore. And I think, you know, when the kids are with the pets, you know, sometimes the pets are quiet. You know, it's just nice to be with somebody, and the cats stay purr.

I mean, he purrs so loud. It's beautiful. But I know that there's a lot of cat people out there that are going to love this guy. You know, and it's so many markets, you know, there's a whole Christian market. And, you know, as you brought up before, you know, the homeschooling and the children's hospitals, like, I have a lot of work to do because I want to go to the children's hospitals. Like, I want to give those kids hope, you know.

I want to give them the book. I want to give them the watches. I want to give them. Like, that's me. You know, but I'd give it all way. You know, but I just believe that all the merchandise and marketing underneath it is to help fund, you know, the spread of the word. Yeah.

You know, to get out to so many people. It's marketing your mission, and that is, that's life-changing. That takes it to a higher level than just ordinary transactions. So how can our listeners find out more about the book, and better yet, how can they buy it? Where do they go? Yes, well, I think what I'm going to do is I'm going to have it all. Well, it's on mupsie.com right now. You know, I think I'm going to make everything exclusive to Mupsi.com.

So they don't have to go all over like on Amazon or Walmart or Walgreens. No, it's just going to be Mupsi.com. And then we have a big social media arm now. And the woman, oh my God, my social media girl, she loves my mission. She just loves it. She read it. She plays over this book every night because this, you know, she has a six-year-old. This message needs to get out to more people.

So she's doing a lot. And all that other, all the social media is at the Mopsy series. So if you go on Facebook or you're looking for us on Instagram, just do at the Mopsy series. And that's where you'll find us. And my email is the MupsieSeries.com. Like we tried to keep everything as simple and coordinated as possible. Sure.

So you want of those. Mopsy.com. Yeah, so Mupsie.com and I'll spell that. We'll put that on the website as well, but it's M-U-P-S-I-E-com, which is. is a great brand, a great name and a great domain name. It's nice and short, easy to remember, mupsie.com, and we'll put that link on the rebelpreneur website as well. I'm really excited that we were able to get you on and talk about your book and about

your message to everyone, and I appreciate you sharing your story with us. Any final thoughts or words of wisdom that you'd like to leave us with? you know it's always all about the love I don't know it just always boils down to that and belief you know you have to believe that things are going to happen for you that the good things are going to happen

you know because a lot of times we worry and we worry so much and the worry just takes away the joy out of life and you know I've worked a lot with time you know managing my time because there's not that much time to do so many things but that's another area that I want to get into with the kids You know, like maybe on Facebook we're going to do Mupsie Mondays.

Tuesday will be time Tuesday. Wednesday will be workout Wednesday. You know, Thursday will be teaching Thursdays on Friday is going to be Fashion Fridays. You know, what's in fashion these days? And, you know, what are we looking for? Because I think that kids kind of need that, I don't know, I don't know, the ideas that I get just come to me. And they don't believe they come from me. You know, I believe that they come from up above who's ever running.

the show because, you know, I'm not it. I just follow directions, which I'm very, very good at. I can follow the directions. So I just, when I get silent and I take that time, you know, just to be quiet and hear the messages, you know, that's what I get, you know, help the kids, because that's the future. And I want to bring them all together, all different religions, all different countries, the whole world, because where are we headed if we don't? So we have to start there. So I'm going to try to start a Kickstarter, you know, to get a. get things up and running even better or further or, you know, faster. Because doing it all by myself, it's a big job.

But listen, I'm willing and I'm ready. So I appreciate everybody out there. Thank you so much for listening and coming. And if you buy the book, you know, be careful because you're going to fall in love with Mr. Moop. It'll steal your heart. So be careful. And thank you so much.

And thank you, Ralph, for having me. What a pleasure. It's been so much fun. Absolutely. Absolutely. Devin Michael San Giovanni is a children's songwriter. He's the author of the book. He loves me.

He truly loves me. The story of Mupsi and me and how we came to be. And you can pick that up at Mupsi.com. So, Devin, thank you so much for your time and for sharing your wisdom and your gift with us here on Rebelpreneur Radio. I really appreciate it. Thank you, Ralph, for having me. You've been listening to Rebelpreneur Radio with Ralph Brogden. Download the show notes and much more at rebelpreneur.com.