ABOUT RUSHION
Writer. Producer. Branding Architect. Entrepreneur. Baker.
Rushion McDonald: Renaissance Man
Rushion McDonald’s 3815 Media management company represents ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith and CNN Legal Analyst Areva Martin. Rushion is a two-time Emmy Award-winning Executive Producer, Motivational Speaker, Social Media Influencer, Sitcom Writer, Brand Ambassador for the Perfect Bake Pro Scale, and host of the popular “Money Making Conversations” podcast. He managed all of the marketing and branding campaigns for recruitment and retention, including social media posts, live events, call center, media buys, and website updates for the Air National Guard in all 50 states, Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Washington DC. His diverse background includes a degree in mathematics, a career at IBM, and headlined comedy clubs as an award-winning Showtime Network stand-up comic. Rushion has produced national campaigns for State Farm, Ford, JC Penney, General Mills, iHeart Radio, Radio One, NBC, BET, and ABC. His multi-media platform consists of radio, digital, podcast, social media, and fan club members. Rushion has written and produced for Kevin Hart, Taraji P. Henson, Mo’Nique, Gabrielle Union, Tia, and Tamara Mowry, Stephen A. Smith, Jamie Foxx, and he is the architect of Steve Harvey’s multi-media entertainment career. Rushion’s popular weekly podcast called “Money Making Conversations” is about entrepreneurship and entertainment. Rushion provides the consumer and business owner access to Celebrities, CEOs, Entrepreneurs, and Industry Decision Makers. They, in turn, deliver information about career planning, motivation, financial literacy and how they lead a balanced life. Rushion McDonald graduated from the University of Houston’s College of Natural Science and Mathematics with a Degree in Mathematics and a Minor in Sociology.
From Humble Beginnings to Media Mogul
Rushion McDonald grew up in the Fifth Ward district of Houston, Texas, as the middle child of nine with six sisters and two brothers. Despite his humble beginnings, he learned to never let other people’s expectations limit his dreams or opportunities. From an early age, McDonald understood how to make money, whether it was selling photos of couples at parties in high school or making pizzas in his dorm room in college. Rushion attended the University of Houston and studied Mathematics and Sociology, degrees which would later fuel his success in marketing and branding. While still in college, he served as an Administrative Accountant at IBM, a position only intended to be semester-long, but which grew into a five year career.
During McDonald’s final years at IBM, he tried his hand at standup comedy. Winning the title of Showtime’s “Funniest Person in Texas” for three consecutive years, Rushion went on to compete for “Funniest Person in America,” only losing in the finals to Ellen DeGeneres. In 1986, McDonald met Steve Harvey, who was his opening act. Over the next few years, McDonald fully realized Harvey’s true talent and passion, so McDonald put his standup comedy career aside and jumped at the opportunity to become a writer on Harvey’s new ABC show called Me and the Boys. Within the next 30 years, McDonald and Harvey would build a media empire that included the #1 syndicated Steve Harvey Morning Show, #1 new syndicated Steve Harvey Talk Show series, and #1 syndicated Family Feud game show series; three consecutives #1 New York Times Best Selling books Act Like A Lady, Think Like A Man, Straight Talk, No Chaser and Act Like A Success, and Think Like A Success; and finally #1 blockbuster movies Think Like a Man and Think Like a Man Too.
Today Rushion McDonald is a motivating entrepreneur and brand architect holding the titles of a two-time Emmy Award Winning TV Producer and three-time NAACP Image Award Winner. Rushion launched his 3815 Media company now representing top talent like Stephen A. Smith from ESPN and CNN Legal Analyst Areva Martin. Rushion hosts a popular iHeart Media podcast called Money Making Conversations, with guests like ABC’s The Good Doctor actor, Hill Harper; NFL Hall of Fame Pro Deion Sanders; Bishop TD Jakes; actor Morris Chestnut; TV host and entrepreneur Nick Cannon, CNN’s Van Jones; comedian and actor Cedric The Entertainer, five-time Grammy Award-winning Gospel singer Yolanda Adams and many more. McDonald enjoys being the Brand Ambassador for the Perfect Bake Pro Scale, which pairs a smart scale with a companion recipe app on your phone or tablet. It measures as you pour and guides you step-by-step to make mouth-watering desserts, loaves of bread, appetizers, and has a downloadable Perfect Bake app filled with 80 of his original homemade baking recipes. Rushion is also the host of the popular social media segment Baker Spotlight.
CAREER TIMELINE
1994
Story editor for Me and the Boys from 1994-1995 on ABC
1995
Executive Story Editor for The Parent ‘Hood from 1995-1997 on The WB
1997
Producer for The Arsenio Hall Show on ABC Supervising Producer for Sister, Sister from 1997-1999 on The WB
1999
Co-Executive Producer for The Jamie Foxx Show from 1999-2000 on The WB
2000
Consulting Producer for The Parkers from 2000-2002 on UPN Negotiated the Los Angeles Radio Deal with Radio One for the Steve Harvey Morning Show to broadcast on 92.3 The Beat.
2005
Negotiated the Nationally Syndicated Radio Deal with Premiere Radio Networks for the Steve Harvey Morning Show.
2009
Negotiated the book deal with Harper Collins Publishers, which resulted in the following New York Times Number #1 Best Sellers: Act Like A Lady, Think Like A Man, Straight Talk, No Chaser, and Act Like A Success, Think Like A Success.
2010
Negotiated with Freemantle Media for Steve Harvey to host Syndicated Family Feud.
2011
Negotiated with Screen Gems for the movie rights to Act Like A Lady, Think Like A Man. This led to production of the box office hits, Think Like A Man and Think Like A Man Too. Negotiated with Endemol/NBC to produce and air the syndicated Steve Harvey Talk Show.
2012
Negotiated the contract extension for the Steve Harvey Morning Show with iHeartMedia.
2015
Rushion McDonald named Spokesperson for the Perfect Bake Pro Scale.
2001 - Present
Co-Creator and Executive Producer of the Neighborhood Awards, a 3-Day Festival that celebrated and recognized the community leaders and business leaders in 92 radio markets. The event was sold out for 14 consecutive years.
2017
Rushion launched Money Making Conversations radio show.
Rushion negotiated a brand new show for TV One called Evidence of Innocence.
Rushion launched a new video series called “Perfect Bake Time with Rushion McDonald” with Perfect Company
2018
Evidence of Innocence premiered on TV One.
Rushion launched BakerSpotlight.com, a library of recipes created by his social media fans.
Appointed Chief Marketing Officer for Air National Guard national account.
