Pouur Decisions
Bold Stories of Business Journeys, Legal Tips and a Toast To Doing It Anyway
Hosted by Attorney Sharece Miller-Curry
Pouur Decisions
Derrick A. King Left Corporate to Bet on Himself
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
What does it really take to walk away from stability and bet on yourself?
In this episode of Pouur Decisions, actor Derrick A. King shares the real story behind leaving a corporate career at Nestlé to pursue acting. From growing up in performing arts to navigating risk, uncertainty, and rejection, Derrick breaks down the moments that shaped his journey and the mindset it takes to keep going.
This is a grounded conversation about relationships, financial awareness, faith, and the decisions that happen when no one is watching. Derrick also opens up about missed opportunities, trusting your intuition, and what it means to build a career without a clear path.
Welcome back. Okay, so we're talking about leaps and lessons and journeys along the entrepreneurship journey. And today I am so excited because we are gonna talk about a journey with a guy that decided to make a big leap and make a bet on himself. And that's um Derek A. King.
SPEAKER_03Hey, how are you doing?
SPEAKER_04Thank you so much for being on Um Poor Decisions. I'm so excited to have you.
SPEAKER_03No, thank you for having me. Yes. You know, I like I like to talk, so it's not an easy sale for me.
SPEAKER_04Great. Because we're gonna I'm gonna be asking you a lot of questions. So and we I I mean I like to just get into it. Um so take us back when you were younger and um and you realized that you know you were going to perform as your career and all. Um is that um did you feel that that was something that was like a calling? Um, that you just like had a responsibility to do it, or was it just kind of like, oh, this is just gonna be fun?
SPEAKER_03Or yeah, I think for me, honestly, it was so it happened so young. I was I went to perform in art schools, uh, kindergarten through eighth grade. So I mean, as far back as I can remember, that's always been a prerequisite of my day in my life and my journey. We started off like kindergarten through fifth grade. We did, we had like five mates, like we had to sing, act, dance, draw, and we all had to choose an instrument. I chose trombone for whatever reason, but uh I don't play trombone too much now.
SPEAKER_04But um was that just because of the name, or you think or you just wanted to play the trends? I have no idea.
SPEAKER_03It was just, you know, I was I've always been one of those kind of off-kilter, you know what I mean? Everybody else is playing this, but I'm playing the trombone. This is a good human. No, I'm saying just uh see the time on the train.
SPEAKER_04Oh my god. No, I don't even think I hit record.
SPEAKER_03I'm glad I caught it this early. I was like, wait a minute, that uh from what I know about cell phones, that looks to be off. Yeah, it takes about ten to get there.
SPEAKER_04So try to start all over. Okay. Okay, so the trombone you picked that.
SPEAKER_03Okay, yeah. So I was saying, um I went to perform in our school in kindergarten through through eighth grade, but K through five, we had to sing act, dance, draw, and play an instrument. Mine was the trombone, don't know why I chose that. Uh but then in fifth grade you get to choose a major and mine was theater. And when I look back and see how much that influenced my ability and um my ability to speak in front of people and be creative and my desire to do that, yeah, um, it really changed my life. It truly did. Without me, it's not one of those prerequisites like when you go to college and you're like, I'm going because I want to be a. It's like I was just living. That was it. That's all I knew as a child. So I think that's where the passion came from. And then I, of course, I remember watching The Lion King for the first time, and my name's Derrick King, so King always has been a uh chime word for me and my family. Um the whole I just can't wait to be king thing was always a thing for me.
SPEAKER_04So So you going around singing that song?
SPEAKER_03Oh, for sure. I still do. It's my rington. Is it really? No, no, no. But um, but no, I've I've always had a likening to wanting to perform and wanting to not even because Simba was a lion, and obviously I'm not a lion, but I've always wanted to be. That was one of my first idols, Simba. Yeah, right? So being outside of my body and being familiar with things that aren't necessarily who and what I am, it just always re resonated with me. And it's really a stroke of of God and and purpose and alignment for me to actually be doing this as a professional.
SPEAKER_04Yes. Well, no, that's the that's awesome. Um, and there's a lot of other um just big names that came out of PG County where you where you grew up, right?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure. I mean, not only in entertainment, I just like the means Michael Yaley's or the Taraji P. Hinton, you know, just but also like PG County is well known for like sports. Yeah, really. Kevin Durant, uh Martin Lawrence also came from we went to the same middle school, Thomas Miller, the one I was just talking about. Um yes, there's a lot of talent that comes from this DC area. Then when you're talking about DMV, now you're talking about you know Chris Brown and Missy Elliott and Timberland and you know uh Chris Brown and all just it's a very, very fruitful area. It is when it comes to creatives.
SPEAKER_04Now, so do you find that you're able to utilize some of the like hometown, like you know, feel and everything that you got from from growing up in you know PG County in your role in any of your roles that you played?
SPEAKER_03In any of the roles that I've played so far. Um, this is always hard for me when I think about my like you pulled up my IMDP or something, I'd be like, okay, I remember this, this, and that. Um, but uh not not necessarily in the roles that I've played so far, but definitely in the way I've maneuvered myself in the industry and in life 110%.
SPEAKER_04Okay.
SPEAKER_03I'm so blessed to be able to be from what I call, at this point, I call it hood adjacent. Like I definitely, I definitely grew up in, you know, a place that people would be like, okay, this is not necessarily where I want to raise my family. Um but because I went to perform in art school, so I'm taking that bus out to somewhere that that feels a little bit more safer, and I'm being creative in ways that when I come home, nobody in my neighborhood is going to be a good one. Understands at all. Right. Or understands. I'm sneaking a leotard in my, you know what I mean, in my book bag because I got dance today. Right. Right, of course, of course. You know what I mean? One through five and what now where to put your feet, and then you come back home and they're they're in basketball shoes and basketball shoes with new gang. We going, you know what I mean, who just got in the wood. So, but that juxtaposition, that duality there really set me up for a way to be able to maneuver being in entertainment and in business, or go into corporate America, or when I go to neighborhoods and have to be of the streets industry, I'm super comfortable. It's not like a fake thing. So even when I get those auditions and when I get into those roles where I do get to lean more into a urban side, it's it's how I was raised. Yeah, authentically though. Right in both sides. Right.
SPEAKER_04Well, I mean, and having the ability to be able to, you know, fluctuate between that is key. Um and we have a so we have a lot of like entrepreneurs that are listening and watching this. Um as a, you know, you're a business. Your name and all is your business that you're promoting and utilizing to, you know, generate income.
SPEAKER_03What type of skills would you say that you have to have um, you know, for your as a you know, for your business that other entrepreneurs can, you know, it can translate for them if they're opening up a business or I think the f very the very first thing is uh personal skills, being able to relate to but also just speak to people, being kind. People love to work with people that they like or that they would like to work with. If you're talking about my industry specifically, we're talking about um being on set or being in a movie or a TV show, when they're casting, one of the first things they're thinking is like, do I want to be with this person every day or around this person? Right. That makes sense. Um, but then also in business, it's not just who you know, it's who you know and how they feel about you. I say that all the time because it's so very true. I'm much more uh available, literally, I'll make myself much more available to do something for someone that I have good feelings toward. Yeah. Versus doing something for somebody just like, yeah, I know I've known them for longer. We work together longer. It means nothing. Do you know them? Yes, I do know them. I've known them for 15 years. I've not liked them for 15 years. You know what I mean? I've known, yeah, I mean, I've known this guy for a year and a half, but it's been a pleasant year and a half. That's what takes you far. Relationships are gonna take you the furthest. I was actually just talking to a friend of mine that's in the industry, and they were talking about firing their manager. And I was like, you know what I mean, like, hey, it's tough for everybody out here right now. Um they was like, yeah, but this person just got an audition, and I did, and it's been a while. And I was sharing with her, I feel like right now in the industry, we're in a place where relationships are what is gonna get you in the door. Because it's just so tight and so small right now that the people that are working are people that were already in the industry or already have relationships or were right on the brink of things, and it's a little bit tougher for a fresh new face or somebody that doesn't know anybody to break in unless you happen to be dealing with a production that's looking for a fresh new face. You've got to be aware of your environment. But back to your business question.
SPEAKER_04I mean, that that applies to business, yeah. Oh, for sure.
SPEAKER_03Um, another piece is the financial awareness. Okay, right. There takes a financial discipline in order to have security in your life, obviously. But to have peace of mind and the risk that you're gonna have to take in being a business owner and a business creator. Yes. There's a huge difference between maintaining business, like if you inherit something or you're working for somebody and creating business and legacy. Yes. Because when you create, there's no way, let me not say no way, I have not I haven't experienced or seen anybody be able to create something worth creating without at the same time taking an extreme amount of risk. Right?
SPEAKER_04Absolutely.
SPEAKER_03For example, when I started being an actor, I was working at Nestle USA, right, in corporate America. This is very new for me and my family. I'm the one that went to college, I'm the one that actually got a job with a 401k and a pension, and I'm sitting here in 2017, about to leave, to become an actor, and nobody's there when I'm in my bathroom looking in the mirror, saying, I'm going in tomorrow to tell my boss I quit. This great job where I'm making a very decent salary coming out of college.
SPEAKER_04Um like a dream job that everyone's like, that's what you went to college for.
SPEAKER_03Eight out of ten people would be like, This is this is a great scenario coming out of college. I went to college and I got a job, a corporate job, where it's an accelerated program too that I was in. It was a sales program where you're on you're on track to be a manager, a leader, uh a president. Oh man. Why would you leave that to be an actor?
SPEAKER_04Right. There's no guarantees. It's no guarantees.
SPEAKER_03I don't understand what you're doing. That step is the only reason that we're here talking right now. Yeah. Right?
SPEAKER_04Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_03Nobody can teach you that.
SPEAKER_04You're right.
SPEAKER_03Right. Yeah. But what helps that a whole lot is having a mental awareness and understanding of where you are as a person, but also where you are financially. Because there's gonna be times no matter what venture you're going into. If you don't have a billionaire daddy behind you or something like that, you know, or some, you know, somebody that's gonna fund what it is you're doing, it's gonna have to be a time where you have to be aware of what you're doing financially. So those are probably the two biggest things that uh have gotten me to where I am now. And growing in those things, not just having them, but finding ways to get better in financial awareness, better in in people management.
SPEAKER_04Gosh, that's so good. Because you're right. It's not just about the knowledge about those two, but it but the growth so that you're you know, so that it's getting better. And because hopefully you're you know, you're gonna keep progressing and and those skills you need to be able to keep developing.
SPEAKER_03I can't I can't stress it enough. Definitely, uh specifically when I look at people that look like me, right? And raised in environments like myself. I didn't know about stocks and investing until I was 30. Right? Now I just bought three stocks, you know, before I walk in here. You know what I mean? Facebook is down today. I was like, hey, this is over this is over 10% off on Facebook right now. I'm about to take advantage of it. A Facebook stock, and I'm looking at my portfolio and I'm like, whoa, I have a really decent portfolio. That's a good idea. Stock portfolio, like a very decent portfolio where I'm like, I'm really proud of this because my son or daughter won't have to figure this out. Because I'll have a custodial account for them already set up because I know what a custodial account is because I had to do the work and do the research and and and be active behind understanding finances because that's what people respect on a real level. When you get to the level you want to go, you don't dress or you don't you say you know how they say dress the part you want to be.
SPEAKER_04You want to be, right? You don't dress really. Not really where you are right now, right? Right, right.
SPEAKER_03It's the same way financially or professionally. When I walk in rooms and I'm talking to people about if I speak on me buying meta today because it's down 10%. Right. In the rooms I want to go into, they're also like, yeah, I bought two today too because this, this, and that. But I'm not sure exactly what's gonna happen after the Fed cut rates. Uh yesterday, I wonder he said he wasn't gonna do it in December. Maybe he will, maybe, you know, and and now I'm in a different class of conversation. Yes. That puts me at a different eye level with the with the rooms that I want to be in. Absolutely. So it's important. It's really important.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, and I think financial piece. That um it that kind of reminds me too of because I know that um you talk a lot about, you know, wanting to be respected and not just having like the fame and notoriety and all of that. Um obviously they can run, you know, together, but being able to be respected. Um have there ever been any times in your career where like someone, you didn't know someone was watching you, and maybe you found out and you were like, oh, during those quiet times when I still was making sure I was, you know, doing the right thing so that um I could be respected, and and then you found out that you know people were watching and um they did continue to respect you.
SPEAKER_03Um yeah, I think I think that happens. I I honestly I feel like that's the name of the game, really. It's uh it's not who you are, you know, when when everybody's watching, it's when you who you are when nobody's watching. That really defines what your character is. And I do believe that quote, I'm uh I deeply believe even in my personal life, there's times it's not about what I can get away with. Yeah, it's about the decisions I make when I could get away with things. Because I personally believe in energy. That's just who I am. I believe in God, I believe in and um in the energy that God creates around his people. And when you make certain decisions and you create a certain being, you bring certain things to you. Yes, right? And that could be negative or positive. Absolutely, yeah. I try to walk as close with God as I can with all my decisions. And when I allow God to lead in that way, I feel like I always end up in the place I should be. And I realize when I start moving in ways when I know when I don't know anybody's watching, that's when I get those phone calls from people, businesses, casting directors, um, how uh Howard University, where I'm a professor at now. Right? Yes. That that I didn't apply for that. Somebody called me to be a professor at Howard University. That's above my pay grade. That's above my uh, not pay grade, that's above my um level of of goals. That was not on my to-do list.
SPEAKER_04Not at all. You didn't even I can't plan that.
SPEAKER_03That's not one of those things like, yeah, and I took I took a couple weeks and and I reached out to this person. That is me saying, God, lead me to the place you want me to be. But somebody was watching me have a monologue um workshop with Mark McKinnon uh that has MAS Studios, which is a fantastic studio. Mark McKinnon is a a great um actor and and coach that works out of the Maryland area, but he allowed me to do a monologue workshop at his at his studio. He happened to be a graduate of Howard. Uh and his students spoke so highly of that workshop, and he spoke so highly of me in his circles that they were like, oh, well, we have an opening for intro to TV and film. Do you mind giving me his contact? We need there. This this isn't even this is not me planning anything. This is just me and me being a decent person to Mark and Mark respecting the work that I do so much. Respect. Right. He respects what I did in LA, respects me leaving my job and going at it, respects what I was able to do here. That he's like, hey, you know monologues, come teach you this monologue class if you're available. And him respecting what he saw me do so much that he brought my name up randomly in conversation with enough that somebody was like, Hey, let me look him up. And they respected what they saw me do in the way I speak online or the the way I present myself enough to be like, hey, we have this opening, are you interested at all? And allowing me to take, you know, an opportunity there, and then now it's in my hands.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_03And it wasn't, it's not like they offered me the job.
SPEAKER_04I still had to interview for it and everything.
SPEAKER_03What would you be doing and curriculums and interviews and stuff like that? But now it's in my hands.
SPEAKER_04Right.
SPEAKER_03Look how much happened outside of my hands for you to even be there though.
SPEAKER_04That's where, you know, being in alignment and you know, having that respect and staying true to, you know, who you are, your goals, and everything. Nobody's watching, you know.
SPEAKER_03I didn't have to be thorough at Mark's workshop. You know, I didn't have to show up on time. I didn't have to keep a relationship with him or you know what I mean, or be kind. I could have came in there and been like, look, y'all, I've been in some stuff in Hollywood, y'all haven't. We in Maryland, I've been in LA, like you know, I just could have I could have been someone that I'm absolutely not, but I could have been that. And he would have been like, Yeah, well, yeah, he's on a lot of shows, but he came and taught this class and he was a jerk. Like, I didn't like him, nobody liked him. He said some great things, he knew what he was talking about, but that's not a good dude. No, right? It matters, it truly matters.
SPEAKER_04It does, it does. Yeah. And you've had the opportunity to play, you know, a number of different types of roles. I know one um is the 4400, um, and you know, playing the Reverend in that um show. So that was that the I don't was that like a a huge transition for you to to play a sci-fi, you know, black male um with a role? That was like that.
SPEAKER_03That was when I think about that opportunity, like it really does make me smile. That's one moment in my life where I'm like, what? You did that. Like, what? Is this real? Like what they yeah, they really allowed me to uh to be on a major network playing a uh a black pastor with with superpowers. Like, I don't know, like if somebody told 10-year-old me that, I'd be like, word again, people are able to tune in and watch and and all of that stuff. You get some fans from you, you'll get recognized every once in a while from the piece. Like I bet it's like that is the coolest thing. That is the apex. Like obviously, you want you know what I mean, awards and Oscars, and you know what I mean, and I want to do it on a higher level, but the apex was always to be able to play on somebody else's dive. Somebody paid me money, yes, good money to play make-believe. So, yeah, I did all I did like I do every time. I did all the work, I do all the work. I watched Obama speeches, Castro, anybody that I felt like was a powerful speaker or leader, watched those. I learned about um you mean pastors in church, obviously go to church, went to church, uh, outfits, hand motions, the the intention in which they speak, right? Like I'm able, I'm able to be that now. It's not like I had that before I booked the audition. When I booked the audition, I was just, you know, auditioning. Right. But after I got it, I really went into, again, a place where I can see the difference between me being me and me speaking and thinking like I would if I was Reverend Johnston and 4400. It's a character. I'm a character actor. That was one of the first opportunities for me to actually act. Where I'm like, this isn't just me saying lines, like, you know, like a lot of roles can be. We're just like, oh yeah, that's just him or her saying, you know what I mean, saying lines that was written, but it's that she just like that outside of here.
SPEAKER_04Right, right, right.
SPEAKER_03Nah, that was like I'm not like that.
SPEAKER_04Totally different. Um that was curated.
SPEAKER_03And I love it. Oh man, I love that.
SPEAKER_04Did you did you like have to emotionally change anything um to be able to to really perform that that that role?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, for sure. Again, me and me and him weren't super aligned. Like I, you know, I love God as much as the rest the next person, but he was a preacher's kid, you know, next in line. He and he was very specific about how he felt because of his his uh faith, how he felt about certain topics and certain, you know what I mean, certain people and certain things. And he was also at a conflicting space because he had gotten his then girlfriend pregnant out of wedlock. And you know what I mean? That doesn't work in the church, and he was just a very conflicted and morally based person where those emotions don't really affect me in the same way in my in my personal life. But I had to really feel them. Yes, bring them up, yes, yes. Um so yeah, that was that for me, that was a game changer for me as an artist where I walked away from that. And I was in stuff before that, nothing that big, but I walked away from that like oh, I'm really, I'm really an actor. It doesn't matter how big this is. Like, yeah, this may not be Stranger Things or the Bear or something like that, but I went in there, got hired to act, and really form.
SPEAKER_04Yes.
SPEAKER_03I can do this.
SPEAKER_04Yes, yeah.
SPEAKER_03I wonder what could possibly be next. And it opened up my mind in that way.
SPEAKER_04That's awesome. When you were younger and you were like, okay, this is this is the career choice. Was there something that you envisioned like the you know like the highlight of of your you know acting career? This is what's gonna happen and you're like envisioning it, you know, um was there was there something that you have always you know envisioned?
SPEAKER_03Well yeah after I mean after Power Rangers of course you know it depends on what era of me being a child you're talking about. I don't know if you're talking about like my Pokemon era, my WWF era, my you know I it changed throughout but I think at my first the first era that I can recollect where it was like acting being a goal I mean it's always the the Oscar speech right for me personally it was training day like if I would do like a training day prequel or be a part of that universe that one always um stuck out to me. It meant a lot to me paid in full and it's so interesting because 50 Cent just bought the paid the rights to paid in full which is uh an early like I want to say Rockefeller movie um and he just bought the rights to it and it's talking about doing a TV show with paid in full so that would be outstanding. But yeah those those two like being in a paid in full or training day universe and and then winning an Oscar. And that has now been tailored to more specifically understanding why I would want to win an Oscar. Okay. It's not necessarily like the fame or recognition of it all. It's just it's a milestone where you can say kind of like I did with having that character 4400 where it's like oh I'm an actor like I don't just think I'm um good. Like it's like no I've got a little bit of validation like somebody's paying me to do this role that it's like that like oh I don't know I don't just think I was I thought I was pretty good but they just gave me an Oscar like you know like I treated people well I did the you know I mean I did the job I I made it. Yeah I think it's that validation that makes it you know desired. But yeah that's the goal okay definitely a war show uh a war show win I want to be up there to see see what my emotions do at that moment.
SPEAKER_04Well I can't wait to see you up there.
SPEAKER_03Yeah thank you thank you thank you I pray that Lord willing yes yes so what's um what's next what can people expect to you know see next from um Derek the most the most immediate thing is uh I'm in Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married again so it's the third installment of Tyler Perry one of Tyler Perry's most successful and well known um franchises. Yes yeah so it's a pretty big deal I have a legitimate role that's probably one of my first roles I can't speak too much on what it is I'm doing in the movie but it is a probably one of my first roles where the people that I grew up around and my community my mom and her friends they're all gonna know but anybody in that type of community will be able to if they saw that movie it would be like uh are you talking about do you know who Derek King is like no he's the one that did this and that and they'll be like oh okay yeah yeah we know we know I know exactly who you're talking about it won't be you know it'll be no if ands or but about it like I know exactly who you're talking about because if you see the movie you can't not know who I am after watching it you know um so I'm really excited about that whenever that's gonna come out but we just recently finished you know rapped don't um shooting that out in Italy um and at Taliper Studios we shot a little bit in Italy a little bit in Atlanta but yeah that's the next thing and I'm excited to see what can happen. It's a Netflix exclusive movie so I'm praying that it'll be a number one movie on Netflix. Yes. And you know after that it will it will again still trust in God and the whole thing but I always say to myself or I genuinely think to myself if I was able to make it this far with nothing which I did like leaving nothing I don't got no uncle cousin brother in the industry I there's no handouts anything like that it was pure God emotion talent and ambition and it was able to bring me to this moment I have way more than I've ever had before I did all of this with nothing. Now I got a Tyler movie you know on my resume now and more and and more so I feel like you're always you're always just one opportunity away one day away I can get an audition tomorrow. I can leave here and check my phone and go oh I got an audition and then that wound up being a thing that's like oh yeah that was my first series where I go on this Apple show that won an Emmy and then they put me in Black Panther 4. Right right happens like that. It does it and now I'm witnessing it witnessing and experiencing it happen like that. Because this Tyler Perry movie the Why D I Get Married again is big enough for me to feel like that. Yeah you know coming home and and your mom and your aunt and everybody just why don't you just call Tyler Perry and you're like I think like actually I can I do have his phone number you know it's it's a little bit different now.
SPEAKER_01But when you're saying it and it's not that when I first moved back to DC from LA last year you know so you're coming back you still acting is you know you didn't you did you reach out to 50 Cent or what are you talking?
SPEAKER_03No I did it's not it doesn't work like that right but I know those names and those projects are big enough where it's like if you are in that then you've gotten to a certain level so to be a part of one of those names that were brought up so much in the in the on the level that I am and in the capacity that I am in that I'm like oh I really uh I really did something this isn't a this isn't a little one this isn't one of those oh yeah you could check it out I'm like nah this is one of those check it out yeah check it out yeah share it yeah post post that I'm that I'm in that like share that this is a big this I think this is a big deal this is a moment in my career I think yes absolutely so I'm excited to see what could come from that could be everything could be nothing whatever God has planned of you well I always believe in speaking up so it's going to be more than yes yes very big yes and I'm I'm rooting for you and I can't wait to see it and um and see you in it and everything.
SPEAKER_04Thank you. Yes I really appreciate that yeah I'm absolutely you know 100% want everybody to pursue and do everything that they want to do so I want that for for you.
unknownThank you.
SPEAKER_04Now okay so um so you I wanted to talk a little bit about your teaching at Howard um what what are you um teaching there?
SPEAKER_03Uh so I teach intro to TV and film.
SPEAKER_04Okay. And um the this is the you've been here you said so this is my first year.
SPEAKER_03This is my first semester actually so it's very new I'm loving it. I love the students there. The students seem to appreciate what it is that I'm bringing to that class having a uh a professor that's actually you know in the industry still doing it still very much in the I'm not even in my prime yet you know so for them to be able to watch and experience everything I everything I say kind of turns into gold in that room because it's like hey you can't I believe him like you know he can't be lying because it put them in this situation. So I'm really enjoying being able to give back in that way. Because I've always enjoyed not I want to say teaching because I don't like teaching everybody.
SPEAKER_04I'm not gonna lie I don't like teaching you know I don't like people that teaching to people that don't want to be taught how about that okay yes you know like teaching in middle schools elementary schools kids it's like you're trying to get them together hey look I'm trying to I don't like that no no but imparting knowledge on people that are thirsty for knowledge oh I love that I love that and they are they're super talented but they're everybody's an elective so everybody in there is they want they want to be there yeah it's not right really soaking it up they're really applying it and that that's a great feeling I love it can you think of in your career any type of like this um as traditionally with the podcast it's called because it's called poor decisions we t I you know I ask have you thought have you um do you have like a poor decision you made in the career um your that you were able to overcome still be successful and but just learn something from um absolutely um there's a litany of poor decisions that I've made for sure um I normally harp and underline on the good ones right so that we keep things bothered.
SPEAKER_03Yeah um but if I think back one of the in there like I say there's many more but one that I'm thinking of right now is passing up on opportunities or an opportunity because of the optics of it as opposed to going with my gut about it. It's just one opportunity I passed up on that I actually wanted to do seem cool look cool but I asked my team about it and they're like well coming off of this project is that really what you want to be doing you know where's that gonna go it's not even attached to a network all this stuff and I and I let them talk me into passing on the opportunity. Fast forward to now that that project is winning awards at every award show I've gone to this year. Oh the people that are in the project I've seen win awards from the project etc and I'm constantly watching I'm happy for them because I know a lot of them yeah but I'm watching it like wow I could have been that literally could have been my role it's not it wasn't just an audition that person that director wanted me in this you know uh and I turned it down because I felt like no now I'm at a place where so it's not about saying yes to everything but there is a lot to say about trusting your intuition and following what God is putting on your heart not just what optically looks like yeah it makes sense. Yeah yeah and the you mentioned team that's one thing that I know in business is so important is having you know a t a team of people around you yeah and it sounds like you you have a good group have a good team I like my team team's cool um did it take a while to develop that team it's and still it still is it's still you know I don't have I don't have that team yet right um I'm not trying to flex right now I promise you I'm not that's okay you can you can I'm I am cautioning but I was talking to Taraji last week and uh and she was telling me that she just she was like I didn't I was well into my career like I'm just now feeling like I have my team wow you know she was like oh now I have my team like are my people around me like I know you know I mean they know what they're doing if I want need meetings or I need to get something done my team I love my team I'm just in the place now where I trust my whole team and have my team in order right and Tarog you know Tarog so I understand that it takes that time in order to build things that are worth having and you have to be patient and what's presented to you and where you are so no my team isn't complete by any means but I feel safe in where I am now with with my team but I do think it's tremendously important more so than just saying building a team I think it's more important for me to say having the right people around you because I am quite a uh on the loner side you know I can be outgoing and I'm kind and all of those things but I'm not some I can I can stay in my house for days weeks at a time I don't need exterior validation in my chilling I don't need to be out I don't go to bars or clubs or any of that stuff I can just chill watch my movies eat my food play my games you know with this very small group of people you know I mean my girlfriend my best friend just kick it yeah right but having the with the people you know I mean but my girlfriend but my best friend but my mom they're all you know I mean but my family my nieces you know my sister my my aunts and that everybody I do surround myself with keep me energized right and focused and in a place where this is my team outside of agent and manager and stuff like this is my team because when agent and manager you mean move or decide to this or I still have my team you still have that core that core yes that was the biggest part of moving home for me easily easily hands down the best part of moving home and leaving Los Angeles the biggest lesson was God wanted you to do that and he put it on your heart because you need it to have your core and I believe and we'll see we'll look back on this one day and see if I was right or not but I believe that happened so that he could prepare me for where I'm going. It was like where you're at in LA right now I can't take you to where I need you to go your mission can't be fulfilled when you're in the mindset of what you are here. It's a lot of ego here it's a lot of expectation here I need you to relax I need you to find the people I need around you I need you because you're on mission you're not just here to to be famous or to be in the movie you're on mission but I need you to be a certain type of man to carry this mission and I came home and just started becoming that man and it's and I can see and feel everybody around me sees and feels a difference. I'm a different person so that is that's wonderful my gosh now um did you did you come back specifically for the position with to teach with Howard or oh no no no I came I came back for a house or for a home my aunt passed away last July yeah um thank you and she her home was basically available it was passed down to my mom my mom doesn't live in in DC so she was going to sell it type of thing I was like I'll buy it I was like I'll buy it you know I'll spend my last dollar uh buying a home which isn't which isn't a great advice for anybody don't be house rich and cash poor it's not a good it's not a good feeling but I trusted God in it and I kept it in the family because I was like this should be in a family but it also gave me an opportunity to have something yeah like I'm in my 30s I don't got no kids I ain't hearing I ain't got no house like I want something from my own and it seemed like the perfect opportunity and I had to decide in less than 72 hours it was quick like it was you know we're at the memorial for and it was like hey either I'm gonna sell it or you or you're gonna buy it. So let me know and I'm like uh let me know let me tell you them all you know I'll buy it and then I had to go to LA empty out my apartment and move to DC in two weeks out of nowhere. So it wasn't like a career decision it wasn't like I was running out of money it was just I made a choice. Yeah but me following God in that way led me to way more riches and opportunity than you know than I could have ever imagined including the Tyler Perry movie. Like there was a good time in that transformation over the last year and that those deep depths and the depression that I had to go through that brought me to the place where I thought I was like maybe I'm maybe I don't become an actor. Maybe that doesn't happen. How's that gonna happen when I'm in Maryland and DC the industry's not out here. I have to get back to LA yeah I said no I have other plans. You don't have to I'm gonna get you a job you know I'm gonna make you a professor teaching what you love and I'm gonna give you the biggest you know job of your career all from home. So don't worry about me making it happen. You just move in the way that I need you to move I'm witnessing it.
SPEAKER_04I'm literally living that we don't have to know the how we just have to you know put ourselves in the follow the steps and maybe do yes and doing the right thing and then the how works itself out and it just happened.
SPEAKER_03Effortlessly yes I didn't have nothing to do with none of this all the blessings that I speak on now unintentional. Had nothing to do with it you know yeah just being obedient yes yes yes yes oh man that is that that almost gives me like goosebumps I love that I love that I do I appreciate that and I think it's purposeful in that way because you're not unless you are you an actor you are a an actor as well in my in my mind in my mind yes I am yeah yeah yeah but I have not done um like you know acting like you or anything like that you know um no that's fair but there there is a lot of you know artists that are gonna be able to hear my story one day or are currently hearing it and be inspired in a way not just to do or be an actor or follow my footsteps my goal is to help bring them to God that's that's the goal bring them to a peace of mind because the devil the world let's call it the world the world will try so hard to bring you down and you know you see it and yeah and the way people move and the people act the way people treat each other. Yeah you know what I mean definitely the way LA tends to run. What can I take take take no giving you know the way the world money money money and I feel like God's choosing his soldiers and picking his people to be like I need I need some love injected back in here. I need you to bring some people to me to trust to love to relax to enjoy and I want you to be a testament of that. Yeah that's what I'm getting from it.
SPEAKER_04We'll see if it's something else but that's what I'm getting from my journey and the impact that you're making on other people around you yes and hopefully with them seeing that it can even have an impact on how they treat and act with other people and and then it's kind of like it trickles down to you know everybody and it changes everything.
SPEAKER_03God saying share it testimony share it continue to share it bring more people here bring bring the people here and allow them to trust and then they'll have their moments and then they'll continue to trust and then we just got more soldiers on our side.
SPEAKER_04Yes yes yes there was one other thing that um I bet I was gonna ask you about too when you left your job um at the the corporate job Nestle yeah what you know what what did you tell yourself to to um be able to do that um and are those the same things that you tell yourself kind of like if you ever are like in between roles and you're like oh my gosh you know I you know when's my next gig gonna come um I do remember I remember exactly what I told myself I don't necessarily it doesn't apply to now as much okay specifically what I'm about to say but I do remember what I told myself and that ultimatum was I think at the time I was like 23.
SPEAKER_03Okay and the ultimatum was will you look back at this moment when you're 30 or so and think to yourself what if that's exactly what it was I remember when it was in my bathroom I remember the the whole the whole situation. Yes and I was like if you look back at this and if you stay at this job and you're gonna look back and say man if I would have gone for it I would have I bet I would've oh he booked that oh he just won that Emmy oh he just won I could have been in that you know yes yes I was like you do not want to look back and say what if even if this fails even if you leave this job if it doesn't work out bro by the time you're like 30 31 or something maybe we'll think about getting a job again you'll still be yummy young enough to get back in the market try some new things and whatnot but we can't have the what if like what if I tried and you just never did oh man and that's what it came down to it's like all right so are we gonna really do it?
SPEAKER_04Yeah bro even if you fail you would never have to wonder what if right right because you know you went after it and then and that's when I did it that's when I went in and quit and I was like yeah I'm gonna you know I'm gonna do this yeah I'm gonna do this now if you are let's say in between like maybe you know you don't have anything going on and um what do you tell yourself to keep yourself motivated I've made it this far I don't believe God brought me this far to bring me this far.
SPEAKER_03And it's funny that's where faith comes in there's a difference between you you can't be worried and have faith at the same time. So true. It's just impossible. So true you um you can beat yourself up for it but when you find yourself worrying you have to realize like oh I'm lacking faith right now. Yeah right it's that seeing the staircase you know I mean by when you're only seeing the first stair but knowing the staircase is there type of thing. This is stuff that people you can quote it up all day you can talk about you can read all the books and on alignment and yeah and the agreements and you can you can do all of that the laws of attraction all you can do all of that. None of it matters until you start putting it into action yeah until you actually start believing and and meditating and trusting and reading God and you know and doing the things you have to do. Yeah and I became that type of person pretty early on uh one of the type of people that would actually apply it and not just talk about it.
SPEAKER_02You know what I'm saying?
SPEAKER_04Mm-hmm. So yeah yeah it has to be implemented in daily life so then it you know just it's becomes natural.
SPEAKER_03Yeah people ask me for advice all the time and I tell them like I know I I can I can have any help anybody out with the advice on how to get to where I'm at. People don't don't do it. You won't you just won't do it. I can tell you all day it's very simple. But you have to do it. But you just gotta do it. You gotta meditate. I meditate 10 minutes a day oh I don't be having time like that because it well bro I don't know what to tell you I got here I literally got here by meditating having peace of mind so if you work so hard that you don't have time to meditate bro you don't ask me about how I got here you know you gotta extra you got to read the Bible you gotta you know but what does that have to do with the audition bro I'm telling you it's not linear it's not one plus one equals two that's just not how it works. Yes you know one plus three plus eight plus sixteen minus eighteen and and then it'll finally equal two right right I didn't get this role because I had a good audition I got this role because a whole lot of other things happened years before and in time and in secrets in order for this person to see me in a certain way to put me in its position to get this audition to get this role. Right. Right.
SPEAKER_04Yes.
SPEAKER_03So if you think I'm about to just tell you how to do a good audition and you're gonna book something, it doesn't work. No. Try.
SPEAKER_04Well, that is uh wonderful, and I have so enjoyed this conversation, and we now get will toast to all the wonderful decisions and um that you've made in life business and and to you as well.
SPEAKER_03And I hope all your goals and dreams and all of the things that you're working toward come to come through and in fruition as well.
SPEAKER_04Thank you. Cheers. Cheers.