April 25, 2024 • 29 mins
Meet our My Cultura content creator, DJ Dramos. He joined our network in 2021, and is now the host of two podcasts; Life as a Gringo and The Street Stoic. Find out how he got his start in podcasting, why he’s focusing on topics like financial literacy and no sabo kids, and his advice for future podcasters
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
Welcome to Mike Duda presents a conversation with the head
of our network, Gazel Benceys and the host of Life
as a Eringo Dj Dramos.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
We we're one of the first content creators to launch
a podcast with our network, back in July twenty twenty one.
Speaker 3 (00:24):
Yeah, wow, doesn't feel like that long ago, but also
feels like so much has happened between.
Speaker 4 (00:28):
So that's a beautiful thing.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
We've done so much. You've done so much. You have
two podcasts with us, Life as a Green and The
Street Stoic, which relations on both Thank you and as
you know, Michael Dura is one of the few networks
that really elevates and celebrates our voices, our stories, our community,
our storytellers. You know, I wanted to start back to
(00:52):
like that July moment, but even a little bit further
back to when you first heard about the network. What
was your reaction to a network that really celebrated us
and why did you think it was the right home
for you?
Speaker 3 (01:07):
I was ecstatic, you know. I think for me as
a creator, it was kind of like I knew what
I wanted to speak about, you know, and I knew
the type of commentary that I wanted to have. I
knew that I wanted to start being able to move
into a place of really just being authentic and not
having to conform. But you know, prior to Micael Tura,
(01:28):
and you know, coming from the world of radio that
I existed in prior to really podcasting full time, it
was as if I had to keep kind of changing
parts of myself to adapt into this sort of pre
existing mold that was already existing, you know, and that
was getting frustrating for me.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
You know.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
So it was just kind of at a point where
as a creator, as a creative, not knowing what I
was going to do next, and then bam, I hear
the news about Michael Tuaan. It was just kind of
very serendipitous sort of moment where it was it was like,
this could be the thing I've been looking for, you know,
where I can speak to my community and speak to
it from my unique vantage point within the community. And
(02:06):
you know, I think it's been a beautiful sort of
showcase of the diversity that exists within the Latin community
as a whole. And that's kind of, you know, been
my most sort of and I guess what I'm most
excited about or most proud of, is the fact that
we're representing so many different facets of an incredibly diverse community.
And I don't think anybody feels like they have to
change who they are to exist within it, which is
(02:27):
a beautiful thing.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
Yeah. Absolutely. And you mentioned radio, So tell us a
little bit about that. You got your start in radio
and sort of how did that lead you and the podcasting.
Does it feel similar, does it feel different? Does it
feel natural?
Speaker 4 (02:44):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (02:44):
I mean what's ironic is I was doing podcasting like
years ago in my mom's basement basically, you know, like
before even radio is like on my radar as an opportunity.
I just remember like being really into the idea of
this sort of it felt like an act of rebellion almost,
you know, from from traditional format and you can talk
(03:04):
about whatever you want and there wasn't you know, this
censorship and it wasn't It was a very underground kind
of thing. And then you know, getting into too radio
and that was a beautiful experience because I think it
taught me how to hone my voice a little bit,
how to tell a story, how to you know, sort
of get better at the technical aspects of it. But
I still always, I think, longed for the freedom of podcasting.
(03:26):
But I think I look at radio kind of as
my college experience almost, you know, that was like my
years really learning, really kind of just grinding it out.
I was fortunate enough to really learn from some of
the best it is, particularly you know, with the Breakfast Club,
getting to be around people who are literally hall of
famers within their own industry, you know. I feel like
(03:46):
that definitely has led to my comfort in being unapologetically myself,
you know, seeing them be that way, speaking directly to
their community. Seeing people like Charlemagne start a black podcast network,
you know, and being on a unapologetic about it, you know,
and really harnessing those voices, I think showed me that
I can have a place, we can carve out our
(04:08):
own niches and find success doing so.
Speaker 4 (04:09):
So I think radio prepared me for some of.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
I think the boldness that you need to have in
order to go out into the podcasting world and really
want to make a difference by being unapologetically yourself.
Speaker 4 (04:25):
I think radio, like I said, was like that college.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
Learning experience for me, you know, honing my craft a
bit and then being able to sort of take the
reins off when it came to podcasting and just kind
of go all in on my own voice and being
truly creative without any limitations.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
Yeah, that's great, and you've definitely gone all in. You
have two those with us, as I contended earlier, Life
as a Greeno and The Street Stoic. Tell us a
little bit about each show and what makes it so
special for you.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
Yeah, So Life is a Greeno is obviously the first one.
It's like my baby, It's it's kind of my personal journal,
my personal.
Speaker 4 (05:02):
Diary, if you will.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
You know, it's, uh, the the sort of core of
it is my experience in my otherness, you know, sort
of not feeling fully ingratiated into my Latin community, but
also you know, being reminded that I am othered by
you know, my upbringing in in you know, suburban New.
Speaker 4 (05:21):
Jersey, you know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
So that gray area was kind of the core of
the show and and you know, sort of I guess
now there's a lot of other terminology for you know,
the Nosabo kids and things like that that I think
relate a lot to my story of of you know,
not speaking perfect Spanish and being shamed, you know by
your family for it and uh, and I think that
journey into finding comfort within your own skin and not
(05:45):
sort of feeling like you have to conform to some
asinine standards set by you know, god knows who. At
this point, we don't know who's the who's the one
sort of setting the tone for why you have to
speak Spanish, for why you don't.
Speaker 4 (05:56):
Or whatever it might be.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
Right, Like, it's really just about authenticity at the end
of the day. And I think within that it's a
journey of somebody finding themselves on a regular basis, the
one that we're all on, the never ending journey that
is personal growth. And I think that that's kind of
become the core of life as a good to go
and then to me also providing what sort of the
Thursday Trends sector of it we do the two episodes
(06:18):
a week, one of them being about you know, stories
directly affecting our community, because that was important to me
as well, is being able to provide people with sort
of a one stop shop to really feel connected to what's.
Speaker 4 (06:29):
Going on within the Latin community. And then the second one, the.
Speaker 3 (06:33):
Street Stoke Podcast, is a daily podcast that's you know,
just meant to inspire people, you know, and it combines
my love for hip hop with my love for ancient
philosophy and I think being able to again it's sort
of existing in that otherness of showcasing things that aren't
traditionally supposed to go together but actually fit perfectly, you know,
(06:54):
And that's sort of me being able to inspire others
using the language that I've been taught, you know, through
music and the culture that I've been brought up around.
Speaker 4 (07:02):
So, yeah, those are the two that we have right now.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
Yeah, that's great, and we love both of them. I
wanted to dive a little bit into life as a
gringo starting with the title. I fell in love with
the show because of the title. I thought it was
just a great title that kind of talks about the
in between right, yeah, between space that we all feel,
you know, were what they call the two hundred percenters,
(07:28):
right like we're American and then we also rep for
our flags. Where did the title come from? Like why
did you gravitate towards that specific title?
Speaker 3 (07:38):
So the story that like sticks out in my mind
of the actual like being called a kringo is is
me being in Puerto Rico, like eighteen or nineteen years
old hang out with my aunt who is around my age,
which is a whole nother story. But we go out
to like a club or a bar one night and
(08:00):
and I'm gonna go meet up with her friends. We're
gonna hang out. She's like showing me around and I
meet one of her friends. I instantly fall in love
with her, and I'm like trying to, you know, to
hit on her. And my my aunt introduces me and
she's like, you know, this is my nephew from from
the States, and this girl sort of without even blinking,
and I just like says, oh, so you're a gringo.
(08:20):
And it was like, you know, uh, it was like
in jest, and it was it wasn't meant to be
like this deep cut, but it was also like one
of those things.
Speaker 4 (08:28):
That's like a half joke, half serious type of.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
Thing where it's a reminder that you know, even though
you feel at home there, you're oftentimes viewed as other
because you know, you're not necessarily viewed as like one
hundred percent you know, peer within the culture.
Speaker 4 (08:42):
Right.
Speaker 3 (08:42):
I wasn't born and raised in Puerto Rico. My Spanish
is not great things like that, so they view you
as as something other, you know, and I think for me,
you know, growing up in the otherness of growing up
in an you know, in a town that was predominantly
like Italian and Irish, you know, my one thing that
I could fall back. I was like, well, you know what,
like they can have their stereotypes about what a Latino
(09:04):
looks like, dresses like, talks like, but I know when
I go to Puerto Rico, like that's home for me.
You know, my father's very proud. We brought me up
on a lot of Puerto Rican tradition and things like that.
So this was like a punch to the gut because
it was like a reminder that even though I thought
these were kind of my people and this is the
one place I could really let my hair down, it's
a reminder that I don't fit in here either, you know.
(09:24):
So that was sort of the word gringo just stuck
in my head from that moment on.
Speaker 4 (09:29):
And then you know, the podcast. Originally this was a
book idea that I just had.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
While driving one day, and then you know, you and
I got connected to start talking about podcast stuff and
pitching ideas. Ironically, life was a gringo was still kind
of like a thing in the back of my mind.
It wasn't even like the thing I was leading with
because I still was like battling that imposter syndrome of
if I say this now, does that take away my
(09:56):
credibility to be on a Latin podcast network?
Speaker 4 (09:59):
You know?
Speaker 3 (09:59):
So I ironically I think me pushing past that discomfort
and then you and the whole team welcoming it with
open arms and celebrating it, you know.
Speaker 4 (10:09):
With me, I think was.
Speaker 3 (10:10):
Like the last sort of piece of my old self
that I needed to shed before I can truly be
honest and vulnerable and represent myself in the most authentic way,
you know. So that's why it is so incredibly special,
and Michael Thud as a whole, and the whole team
and everybody behind it, you know, holds such a big
place in my heart.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
There's so many topics that you cover a lot of
the topics that I love and I think are important
conversations to have. One you mentioned earlier was language. I
think if your first episodes was with your parents, huh
and talking about you didn't grow up learning Spanish. Yeah,
And you know, one of the things about Mike Doa
(11:00):
is that we say language doesn't define how Latin or
Latina latinee. You are right, it's called and there is,
like you mentioned that shame around not knowing the language
or not speaking it perfectly. I think even myself, Yes,
(11:21):
I'm bilingual, and when I'm in rooms with native speakers,
I do get a little bit nervous because they're like,
you don't speak it perfectly doing it outside. I So,
I think there's a lot of conversations still around that.
But but tell me about that episode in particular, and
and why that conversation was important for you to have
with your parents and to basically, you know, put it
(11:44):
out there for the listeners.
Speaker 3 (11:46):
Yeah, I think it ironically, it's probably the first time
we've ever really had that conversation and we just happened
to it in front of microphones and recording.
Speaker 4 (11:53):
Which I think. I think it was a part of
that process.
Speaker 3 (11:57):
It was my goal with all of this really was
like just keep digging deeper, keep digging deeper into the vulnerability,
your honesty, Like that's what's really going to connect with people,
you know. For me going out on this journey and
taking the risk of like really going all in on podcasting,
it was like because I want to make sure I'm
making a difference and I'm representing people and I'm making
people feel seen. So part of that is like really
(12:17):
just being unafraid to throw myself out there and put
myself in the fire, you know. And part of that
was then having that conversation with my parents and making
sure we're recording it for other people to relate to it.
And and I think, you know, it's it's difficult because
your parents your parents, you love them, You're grateful for everything,
but it's difficult to have some of those harder conversations
of like why didn't you do this?
Speaker 4 (12:39):
You know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (12:40):
You know, I've held onto this for so long because
you never did this, and you know, obviously it's not
like they you know, I had some crazy traumatic.
Speaker 4 (12:49):
Childhood as a result of this, But I.
Speaker 3 (12:51):
Think there there is sort of parts of myself that,
you know, wishes that I had a little bit more
of that that confidence, and I wonder what it would
have been like to have at a younger age, you know,
to feel that connection at a younger age. And I think,
you know, then also hearing their mindset, you know, I
think was important to showcase as well, right where it's
not just a one sided story, you know, and and
(13:12):
them being able to sort of express maybe some of
the feelings of not wanting me to be alienated from
my peers, you know, going into a school that wasn't
predominantly Spanish speaking, you know that that wasn't didn't have
a large Latin population, So making sure that I didn't
have an acset in the things that might hold me back,
you know, from from being seen as as just you know,
(13:33):
your everyday kid there and having the same opportunities, you know.
So I think there are certain conversations around that, and
I think people probably related to it because I hear
a lot of feedback in about that episode. In particular,
I think just because like I said, you know, we
don't there's a I wanted to humanize my parents a
bit as well.
Speaker 4 (13:51):
I think was like the bigger goal within it. Right.
Speaker 3 (13:53):
We see our parents oftentimes as these like superheroes that
are supposed to have all the answers, you know, But
when I think back, it's like, Okay, my dad had me,
you know, he was in his twenties, Like what the
hell I wouldn't have known what the hell do with
to a kidnap my twenties, you know, when I think
back to that time period. So I think conversations like
that are really important in the bigger context when we
zoom out of like how we think about our relationship
(14:14):
with our parents, the things that we might be holding
against them, but also humanizing them, knowing that we're all
just you know, trying our best here and mistakes are
going to happen.
Speaker 4 (14:22):
And I think, you know.
Speaker 3 (14:23):
As a result of that episode, our relationship you know,
grew and we got a lot closer, and it becomes
easier and easier, you know. So I hope that putting
that on display, and that's why I love that episode
maybe encourage some other people to have some other conversations
with their parents, be it the same topic or just others,
but just being able to kind of get that connection
and get some of those answers that I think a
lot of us are searching for but maybe oftentimes are
(14:43):
a bit too afraid to ask about.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
Yeah, and there's a lot of reasons that parents sometimes
have for not passing down Spanish. You know, their experience
as immigrants here is something that wasn't you know, a
great experience, and so they want their children to learn English,
and and we do right, and and our lives are
(15:09):
lived in English, and for some of us, like, yes,
the language in Spanish is great. And I think again
that's why Michael Dura doesn't say that all our shows
need to be in Spanish, because English is really how
we consume our content. It is how we're living our lives.
And this conversation about kids, right, that's taken come into
(15:33):
popularity recently. Uh, can you define what that is and
why you're you're diving into those conversations.
Speaker 3 (15:43):
Yeah, so I think you know, as as my understanding,
it's it's really just sort of a funny way of
describing people who don't speak perfect Spanish essentially, right, So,
like you know, no, sobling less is probably has somebody
to respond obviously it's not perfect Spanish, right like you
So it's you you know what point you're trying to
get across, but you don't know how to actually perfectly
(16:03):
say it, right, And that's sort of the joke about it.
And I think it speaks perfect to that sort of
middle gray area where it's like, you know just enough
Spanish to like be a part of the conversation, but
you're also going to be like picked apart within the conversation,
you know, And I think that.
Speaker 4 (16:18):
That is sort of the the gist of it.
Speaker 3 (16:22):
And I think it's an important conversation that I keep
having because I keep running into it in different ways,
be it the feedback I get from listeners talking about
how they share in that experience, or even me personally.
You know, when I travel to Puerto Rico, which you
know I've done a lot over the last year, I
make it a point to try and speak in Spanish
everywhere I go, and I see sometimes some people are
(16:44):
receptive even if I'm not speaking it perfectly, but others then,
like the minute that I don't say something grammatically correct,
they start speaking to me in English and refuse to
speak to me in.
Speaker 4 (16:52):
Spanish from there.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
Right, So it's like that that conversation still needs to
keep happening because obviously there is some sort of disconnected
within the community of like the second you're not perfect
within your Spanish, it's like they take away your your
Latin card and now you're back to being a gringo. Right,
So I keep speaking about it because I want to
be a representative for people. I want people to know
(17:13):
I'm still on that journey, and I think it still
is this thing that we are like struggling with to
a degree, many of us when we are around native
Spanish speaking people.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
Yeah, it's definitely an important conversation. You're also talking quite
a bit about finance, finances and financial literacy, which I
think is also super important for our community. You know,
you've teamed up with State Farm, one of our sponsors,
to do a lot of financial literacy videos and conversations.
Why did you gravitate towards that topic? Why was that
(17:46):
important to you?
Speaker 3 (17:48):
I think for me, the biggest stressor that I can
remember as a kid growing up, like within the dynamic
of my parents, it was always around money. It was
around not having enough money, over spending, not being able
to do what we wanted to do, And there always
was just some sort of issue surrounding money. And then
you know, it's a lack of education, right, which I
(18:08):
know now, but you know at the time, not realizing
that other people were being brought up taught about what
makes up a credit score or getting a credit card,
you know, their parents opening a credit card, joint credit
card with them to help build up their credit right
or saving for college tuition or saving in general, right,
like these sort of practices. You know, my parents, specifically
(18:28):
on my mom's side, like my grandmother never had a
bank account.
Speaker 4 (18:31):
They kept money under the mattress, you know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (18:33):
So like what, like what financial literacy are they going
to pass down to then my mom like nothing, right,
So she's figuring it out on the spot.
Speaker 4 (18:39):
And that's pre internet, you know, and.
Speaker 3 (18:42):
School public school systems don't do a great job of
prioritizing these things. So it's not information that's readily available
unless for generations your family has been educating themselves on
this as homeowners and things of that nature. Right, But
my parents, you know, my mom was the first homeowner
on her side of the family, you know what I mean.
So these are all things that they're all learning on
the spot. And as a result of learning on the spot,
(19:04):
myself included, Like I got into financial trouble early on
with you know, credit cards and things like that, and
you know, for me, for a long time, I assumed
that I would never be able to buy a home
on my own, that I would have to basically go
under my spouse's name.
Speaker 2 (19:17):
You know.
Speaker 3 (19:17):
When I eventually got married, and I remember going apartment
hunting and like the second they give you the application,
being like, all right, I know they're not going to
approve me. I won't even bother you know, And that's
just being really frustrating in my life. So I made
it a point to turn that around, you know. And
I was fortunate enough at the time to get connected
through the Breakfast Club with somebody who was a credit
(19:38):
repair specialist, and working with them, it educated me on
the process of finances of what makes up a credit score,
and you know, then I paid down everything, I got
my credit my credit up, and then I learned about
pushing myself to saving and I wanted to buy a house.
Speaker 4 (19:51):
What does that take?
Speaker 3 (19:52):
Right, So going on this journey and recognizing like I
just changed the entire course of my life and future
generations on, you know, potentially of my children and things
like that. Just by going on this journey of doing
the hard work to educating myself right, my life is
completely different. It's in a far better situation than I
could have ever imagined. Because of this, you know, I'm
(20:13):
not relying on anybody else. So I recognize the value
in that and I want to pass it down. Like
for me, it's always about you know, throwing the ladder
back down once I've sort of you know, reached whatever,
you know, climax I'm going for. And I think that's
why I've made it a point of conversation, because I
want to make sure people are focusing in on the
things that actually going to have the most substantial change
(20:34):
to their life. Right we're talking about breaking generational curses,
like these are core things that we have to learn
about and do if we really want to get to
a better place and as a community, if we really
want to have a seat at the at the table,
you know, having people who are in great positions financially
is the only way that's really going to do.
Speaker 2 (20:52):
So You've also talked about relationships. There's there's a crossover
episode with Amarala that is just so hilarious, and you
guys talk about xicas and toxicos and all that juicy
stuff about being in relationships. Is there an episode that
stands out as one of your favorites?
Speaker 3 (21:13):
One of my favorite episodes? Actually, yeah, the one that
I did with Frankie Ganis is one of my favorite ones.
You know, I think his story is so incredible to me,
Like he was somebody who was like on his couch
till he was in his mid thirties. He's like sleeping
on a friend's couch till his mid thirties, right, just
trying to hold his dream alive. And I just found
(21:34):
that psychotic, but like psychotic in the most inspiring way.
And I loved hearing that that story because to me,
it was just like, you know, it was somebody who
just fell in love with what he does so much
that he was willing to give it his all, you know.
And I think it's it was so profound to see
somebody now who's seeing an incredible amount of success, well
(21:54):
earned success with the show on Hulu This Fool. He
has the podcast, you know as well, and I think
just hearing his first hand experience, you know, I think
it's just it was to me it was just like
a touching reminder of why I do what I do,
you know, because I felt inspired by I got a
lot of feedback from other people about how it was
the inspiration that they needed in that moment as well,
(22:16):
you know. So I think that being able to have
a platform to share these stories, you know, is so
incredibly important because sometimes that's all we need, right, Sometimes
we just need somebody who looks like us, or sounds
like us, or comes from our background to remind us
that it is possible, right that, and that the hardships
that you're going through are incredibly normal and you're not
by yourself within that you just have to push a
(22:36):
little bit further, right And it's why you know, movies
like the Flaming Hot movie are so impactful, and you know.
Speaker 4 (22:42):
Why that was like a huge movie for me that I.
Speaker 3 (22:45):
Was crying and felt so inspired afterwards. Right Like, these
are just moments that I think we all need every
once in a while to keep us on our journey
and on our path and to feel seen. So I
feel like I was able to contribute one of those
moments to some of our listeners.
Speaker 4 (22:59):
And that's that's incredible for me, is.
Speaker 2 (23:13):
Offering creators from from different parts of the country an
opportunity to tell to tell that and and different kinds
of stories. Right, yes, look forward to dram most the
content creator, Like, what's next? Where do you sort of
see yourself in the next couple of years?
Speaker 3 (23:35):
I definitely, you know, want to I want to expand
in more in person type of things. You know, I've
been doing some speaking engagements and things like that. I
would like to to really just be able to touch
the community in a real way. They'll go out step
outside of the normal corporate speaking gig type of thing
and try to connect with people where they are and
inspire people in that way.
Speaker 2 (23:56):
You know.
Speaker 3 (23:57):
I've been also building a wellness brand where we do
you know, group mentorship and coaching and trying to inspire
you know, members of our community, and that's been really fulfilling.
And seeing just the way that people's lives have been
changing just over the course of a few months from
having conversations and just having somebody to feed off of,
I think has been incredible. And then I think, you know,
(24:19):
beyond that, I want to do more things where I'm
not necessarily behind the microphone or in front of the camera.
I want to be able to give other people from
our community the opportunity to have their voice heard or
to bring their stories to life.
Speaker 2 (24:31):
You know.
Speaker 3 (24:31):
So I think I've been blessed with a lot of
doors slammed in my face and as well as a
lot of you know, beautiful opportunities like this one, where
I have a lot of lessons that I can teach
to other people. A lot, a lot of experience that
I can shed on others to help them on their
journey and maybe make it just a bit easier than
mine was. So that's definitely the bigger vision is to
be able to start helping others bring their ideas to
(24:52):
life as well.
Speaker 2 (24:53):
Yeah, I think it's a good reminder for us that
we are inspiring the next generation, right, Like I think
sometimes I know for my I'm like, oh, I'm just
here listening to podcasts and like the launching shows. But
it is good to hear sometimes that you know you
are making a difference or that the show really touched somebody,
And I know for me, it's just a reminder that
(25:15):
you know, we are we are doing important work right
and making a difference. With that, I would love for
you to give some advice to folks that you know,
want to follow in your footsteps, that want to launch
a podcast, that want to be a content creator. What
sort of advice do you have for them.
Speaker 3 (25:35):
I always think like you got to lead with authenticity, right,
You got to lead with what really speaks to you,
you know. I think it's it's easy to get hung
up and trying to recreate what's popular and all those
different things. But you know, this is a grind, and
if you don't truly have a passion or.
Speaker 4 (25:50):
A love for it, it's.
Speaker 3 (25:52):
Going to be very easy to sort of walk away
and quit, you know, if it's not something you genuinely
believe in, you know what I mean. And I'm fortunate
in it that, you know, I feel like I've sort
of found my voice and it's allowed me to push
past the more difficult moments, you know, And I think
that's probably the biggest thing.
Speaker 4 (26:08):
I think a lot of people.
Speaker 3 (26:11):
Also forget that their unique experience adds something fresh, you know.
I think that it's a lot of people get caught
up and thinking everything's already been done, or that they
have to be somebody else, and they're sort of missing
their greatest asset, which is their lived.
Speaker 4 (26:25):
Experience, their very unique vantage point.
Speaker 2 (26:27):
You know.
Speaker 3 (26:27):
I think that that's the greatest thing that you could
bring to the table. You know that That's been my experience.
The more I've become me and the more I've displayed
myself and you know, led with that, the more opportunities
have begun to present themselves, you know, And I'm grateful
that I kind of figure that out and That's the
biggest thing I would say is, like I always say,
(26:47):
authenticity is your superpower. And the second thing I always say
is if you don't see it, create it. You know,
for me, that is exactly what life is going to go.
And this whole journey I've been on is just that,
you know, I found my voice and then I tried
to convince other people, you know, in radio, that they
should give me an opportunity or that we should create this.
They didn't see the vision, so I went and created
(27:09):
it somewhere else, right. I didn't wait for somebody to
tell me that now is okay or that they agree
with it. You know, I had a vision and I
went out and created it, and you know, luckily other
people saw that vision. But I think those are the
two biggest things. You know, is lead with your authentic self,
create the thing that you want to see. And I
think those are the two things that are going to
kind of help you sort of weather the storms that
(27:31):
you're never going to face on your journey to finding
success into getting wherever you want to be.
Speaker 2 (27:35):
Absolutely, and I would just add, be bold, take chances,
write that email, fine into that DM. If you don't
advocate for yourself. Who better to advocate for you than you?
Speaker 4 (27:48):
Right, Absolutely a little tid, but I'll squeeze in there.
On that note.
Speaker 3 (27:56):
One of the listeners of Life as at gant Angle,
like one of the day one people.
Speaker 4 (27:59):
She's my business partner.
Speaker 3 (28:01):
Because she was bold enough to like keep being on
me every episode, giving me feedback, sending me her resume,
asking if I needed a virtual assistant, and it was like,
when I got to the point where I could hire
a virtual assistant, she's the person that I hit up.
And now like we've become business partners in my wellness brand, right,
So it's like it is that boldness, you know, and
being unafraid to say this is what I want and
(28:22):
this is what I can offer. So I love that
you mentioned that one a little tip, but I want
to add to that story.
Speaker 2 (28:27):
I love that see persistence exactly and putting yourself out there.
It's definitely important. One fun fact about Dramos and I
we share the same birthday, so you know, O query
there coming at you. Pamos. Thank you so much for
joining us. It's been a pleasure chatting with you. We
(28:49):
love having you as part of our network. They're doing
amazing things and we're so so proud of you and
you catch life as a green goal every Tuesday and
Thursday on Michael Dura. Thank you so much for chatting
with me and for telling your story. I know it's
going to be like super valuable for people to hear.
Speaker 4 (29:07):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (29:09):
Thank you for listening to the special conversation that showcases
the voices of our network. For more Michael da podcasts,
listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you
listen to your favorite shows.
Welcome to Mike Duda presents a conversation with the head
of our network, Gazel Benceys and the host of Life
as a Eringo Dj Dramos.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
We we're one of the first content creators to launch
a podcast with our network, back in July twenty twenty one.
Speaker 3 (00:24):
Yeah, wow, doesn't feel like that long ago, but also
feels like so much has happened between.
Speaker 4 (00:28):
So that's a beautiful thing.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
We've done so much. You've done so much. You have
two podcasts with us, Life as a Green and The
Street Stoic, which relations on both Thank you and as
you know, Michael Dura is one of the few networks
that really elevates and celebrates our voices, our stories, our community,
our storytellers. You know, I wanted to start back to
(00:52):
like that July moment, but even a little bit further
back to when you first heard about the network. What
was your reaction to a network that really celebrated us
and why did you think it was the right home
for you?
Speaker 3 (01:07):
I was ecstatic, you know. I think for me as
a creator, it was kind of like I knew what
I wanted to speak about, you know, and I knew
the type of commentary that I wanted to have. I
knew that I wanted to start being able to move
into a place of really just being authentic and not
having to conform. But you know, prior to Micael Tura,
(01:28):
and you know, coming from the world of radio that
I existed in prior to really podcasting full time, it
was as if I had to keep kind of changing
parts of myself to adapt into this sort of pre
existing mold that was already existing, you know, and that
was getting frustrating for me.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
You know.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
So it was just kind of at a point where
as a creator, as a creative, not knowing what I
was going to do next, and then bam, I hear
the news about Michael Tuaan. It was just kind of
very serendipitous sort of moment where it was it was like,
this could be the thing I've been looking for, you know,
where I can speak to my community and speak to
it from my unique vantage point within the community. And
(02:06):
you know, I think it's been a beautiful sort of
showcase of the diversity that exists within the Latin community
as a whole. And that's kind of, you know, been
my most sort of and I guess what I'm most
excited about or most proud of, is the fact that
we're representing so many different facets of an incredibly diverse community.
And I don't think anybody feels like they have to
change who they are to exist within it, which is
(02:27):
a beautiful thing.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
Yeah. Absolutely. And you mentioned radio, So tell us a
little bit about that. You got your start in radio
and sort of how did that lead you and the podcasting.
Does it feel similar, does it feel different? Does it
feel natural?
Speaker 4 (02:44):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (02:44):
I mean what's ironic is I was doing podcasting like
years ago in my mom's basement basically, you know, like
before even radio is like on my radar as an opportunity.
I just remember like being really into the idea of
this sort of it felt like an act of rebellion almost,
you know, from from traditional format and you can talk
(03:04):
about whatever you want and there wasn't you know, this
censorship and it wasn't It was a very underground kind
of thing. And then you know, getting into too radio
and that was a beautiful experience because I think it
taught me how to hone my voice a little bit,
how to tell a story, how to you know, sort
of get better at the technical aspects of it. But
I still always, I think, longed for the freedom of podcasting.
(03:26):
But I think I look at radio kind of as
my college experience almost, you know, that was like my
years really learning, really kind of just grinding it out.
I was fortunate enough to really learn from some of
the best it is, particularly you know, with the Breakfast Club,
getting to be around people who are literally hall of
famers within their own industry, you know. I feel like
(03:46):
that definitely has led to my comfort in being unapologetically myself,
you know, seeing them be that way, speaking directly to
their community. Seeing people like Charlemagne start a black podcast network,
you know, and being on a unapologetic about it, you know,
and really harnessing those voices, I think showed me that
I can have a place, we can carve out our
(04:08):
own niches and find success doing so.
Speaker 4 (04:09):
So I think radio prepared me for some of.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
I think the boldness that you need to have in
order to go out into the podcasting world and really
want to make a difference by being unapologetically yourself.
Speaker 4 (04:25):
I think radio, like I said, was like that college.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
Learning experience for me, you know, honing my craft a
bit and then being able to sort of take the
reins off when it came to podcasting and just kind
of go all in on my own voice and being
truly creative without any limitations.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
Yeah, that's great, and you've definitely gone all in. You
have two those with us, as I contended earlier, Life
as a Greeno and The Street Stoic. Tell us a
little bit about each show and what makes it so
special for you.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
Yeah, So Life is a Greeno is obviously the first one.
It's like my baby, It's it's kind of my personal journal,
my personal.
Speaker 4 (05:02):
Diary, if you will.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
You know, it's, uh, the the sort of core of
it is my experience in my otherness, you know, sort
of not feeling fully ingratiated into my Latin community, but
also you know, being reminded that I am othered by
you know, my upbringing in in you know, suburban New.
Speaker 4 (05:21):
Jersey, you know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
So that gray area was kind of the core of
the show and and you know, sort of I guess
now there's a lot of other terminology for you know,
the Nosabo kids and things like that that I think
relate a lot to my story of of you know,
not speaking perfect Spanish and being shamed, you know by
your family for it and uh, and I think that
journey into finding comfort within your own skin and not
(05:45):
sort of feeling like you have to conform to some
asinine standards set by you know, god knows who. At
this point, we don't know who's the who's the one
sort of setting the tone for why you have to
speak Spanish, for why you don't.
Speaker 4 (05:56):
Or whatever it might be.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
Right, Like, it's really just about authenticity at the end
of the day. And I think within that it's a
journey of somebody finding themselves on a regular basis, the
one that we're all on, the never ending journey that
is personal growth. And I think that that's kind of
become the core of life as a good to go
and then to me also providing what sort of the
Thursday Trends sector of it we do the two episodes
(06:18):
a week, one of them being about you know, stories
directly affecting our community, because that was important to me
as well, is being able to provide people with sort
of a one stop shop to really feel connected to what's.
Speaker 4 (06:29):
Going on within the Latin community. And then the second one, the.
Speaker 3 (06:33):
Street Stoke Podcast, is a daily podcast that's you know,
just meant to inspire people, you know, and it combines
my love for hip hop with my love for ancient
philosophy and I think being able to again it's sort
of existing in that otherness of showcasing things that aren't
traditionally supposed to go together but actually fit perfectly, you know,
(06:54):
And that's sort of me being able to inspire others
using the language that I've been taught, you know, through
music and the culture that I've been brought up around.
Speaker 4 (07:02):
So, yeah, those are the two that we have right now.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
Yeah, that's great, and we love both of them. I
wanted to dive a little bit into life as a
gringo starting with the title. I fell in love with
the show because of the title. I thought it was
just a great title that kind of talks about the
in between right, yeah, between space that we all feel,
you know, were what they call the two hundred percenters,
(07:28):
right like we're American and then we also rep for
our flags. Where did the title come from? Like why
did you gravitate towards that specific title?
Speaker 3 (07:38):
So the story that like sticks out in my mind
of the actual like being called a kringo is is
me being in Puerto Rico, like eighteen or nineteen years
old hang out with my aunt who is around my age,
which is a whole nother story. But we go out
to like a club or a bar one night and
(08:00):
and I'm gonna go meet up with her friends. We're
gonna hang out. She's like showing me around and I
meet one of her friends. I instantly fall in love
with her, and I'm like trying to, you know, to
hit on her. And my my aunt introduces me and
she's like, you know, this is my nephew from from
the States, and this girl sort of without even blinking,
and I just like says, oh, so you're a gringo.
(08:20):
And it was like, you know, uh, it was like
in jest, and it was it wasn't meant to be
like this deep cut, but it was also like one
of those things.
Speaker 4 (08:28):
That's like a half joke, half serious type of.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
Thing where it's a reminder that you know, even though
you feel at home there, you're oftentimes viewed as other
because you know, you're not necessarily viewed as like one
hundred percent you know, peer within the culture.
Speaker 4 (08:42):
Right.
Speaker 3 (08:42):
I wasn't born and raised in Puerto Rico. My Spanish
is not great things like that, so they view you
as as something other, you know, and I think for me,
you know, growing up in the otherness of growing up
in an you know, in a town that was predominantly
like Italian and Irish, you know, my one thing that
I could fall back. I was like, well, you know what,
like they can have their stereotypes about what a Latino
(09:04):
looks like, dresses like, talks like, but I know when
I go to Puerto Rico, like that's home for me.
You know, my father's very proud. We brought me up
on a lot of Puerto Rican tradition and things like that.
So this was like a punch to the gut because
it was like a reminder that even though I thought
these were kind of my people and this is the
one place I could really let my hair down, it's
a reminder that I don't fit in here either, you know.
(09:24):
So that was sort of the word gringo just stuck
in my head from that moment on.
Speaker 4 (09:29):
And then you know, the podcast. Originally this was a
book idea that I just had.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
While driving one day, and then you know, you and
I got connected to start talking about podcast stuff and
pitching ideas. Ironically, life was a gringo was still kind
of like a thing in the back of my mind.
It wasn't even like the thing I was leading with
because I still was like battling that imposter syndrome of
if I say this now, does that take away my
(09:56):
credibility to be on a Latin podcast network?
Speaker 4 (09:59):
You know?
Speaker 3 (09:59):
So I ironically I think me pushing past that discomfort
and then you and the whole team welcoming it with
open arms and celebrating it, you know.
Speaker 4 (10:09):
With me, I think was.
Speaker 3 (10:10):
Like the last sort of piece of my old self
that I needed to shed before I can truly be
honest and vulnerable and represent myself in the most authentic way,
you know. So that's why it is so incredibly special,
and Michael Thud as a whole, and the whole team
and everybody behind it, you know, holds such a big
place in my heart.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
There's so many topics that you cover a lot of
the topics that I love and I think are important
conversations to have. One you mentioned earlier was language. I
think if your first episodes was with your parents, huh
and talking about you didn't grow up learning Spanish. Yeah,
And you know, one of the things about Mike Doa
(11:00):
is that we say language doesn't define how Latin or
Latina latinee. You are right, it's called and there is,
like you mentioned that shame around not knowing the language
or not speaking it perfectly. I think even myself, Yes,
(11:21):
I'm bilingual, and when I'm in rooms with native speakers,
I do get a little bit nervous because they're like,
you don't speak it perfectly doing it outside. I So,
I think there's a lot of conversations still around that.
But but tell me about that episode in particular, and
and why that conversation was important for you to have
with your parents and to basically, you know, put it
(11:44):
out there for the listeners.
Speaker 3 (11:46):
Yeah, I think it ironically, it's probably the first time
we've ever really had that conversation and we just happened
to it in front of microphones and recording.
Speaker 4 (11:53):
Which I think. I think it was a part of
that process.
Speaker 3 (11:57):
It was my goal with all of this really was
like just keep digging deeper, keep digging deeper into the vulnerability,
your honesty, Like that's what's really going to connect with people,
you know. For me going out on this journey and
taking the risk of like really going all in on podcasting,
it was like because I want to make sure I'm
making a difference and I'm representing people and I'm making
people feel seen. So part of that is like really
(12:17):
just being unafraid to throw myself out there and put
myself in the fire, you know. And part of that
was then having that conversation with my parents and making
sure we're recording it for other people to relate to it.
And and I think, you know, it's it's difficult because
your parents your parents, you love them, You're grateful for everything,
but it's difficult to have some of those harder conversations
of like why didn't you do this?
Speaker 4 (12:39):
You know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (12:40):
You know, I've held onto this for so long because
you never did this, and you know, obviously it's not
like they you know, I had some crazy traumatic.
Speaker 4 (12:49):
Childhood as a result of this, But I.
Speaker 3 (12:51):
Think there there is sort of parts of myself that,
you know, wishes that I had a little bit more
of that that confidence, and I wonder what it would
have been like to have at a younger age, you know,
to feel that connection at a younger age. And I think,
you know, then also hearing their mindset, you know, I
think was important to showcase as well, right where it's
not just a one sided story, you know, and and
(13:12):
them being able to sort of express maybe some of
the feelings of not wanting me to be alienated from
my peers, you know, going into a school that wasn't
predominantly Spanish speaking, you know that that wasn't didn't have
a large Latin population, So making sure that I didn't
have an acset in the things that might hold me back,
you know, from from being seen as as just you know,
(13:33):
your everyday kid there and having the same opportunities, you know.
So I think there are certain conversations around that, and
I think people probably related to it because I hear
a lot of feedback in about that episode. In particular,
I think just because like I said, you know, we
don't there's a I wanted to humanize my parents a
bit as well.
Speaker 4 (13:51):
I think was like the bigger goal within it. Right.
Speaker 3 (13:53):
We see our parents oftentimes as these like superheroes that
are supposed to have all the answers, you know, But
when I think back, it's like, Okay, my dad had me,
you know, he was in his twenties, Like what the
hell I wouldn't have known what the hell do with
to a kidnap my twenties, you know, when I think
back to that time period. So I think conversations like
that are really important in the bigger context when we
zoom out of like how we think about our relationship
(14:14):
with our parents, the things that we might be holding
against them, but also humanizing them, knowing that we're all
just you know, trying our best here and mistakes are
going to happen.
Speaker 4 (14:22):
And I think, you know.
Speaker 3 (14:23):
As a result of that episode, our relationship you know,
grew and we got a lot closer, and it becomes
easier and easier, you know. So I hope that putting
that on display, and that's why I love that episode
maybe encourage some other people to have some other conversations
with their parents, be it the same topic or just others,
but just being able to kind of get that connection
and get some of those answers that I think a
lot of us are searching for but maybe oftentimes are
(14:43):
a bit too afraid to ask about.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
Yeah, and there's a lot of reasons that parents sometimes
have for not passing down Spanish. You know, their experience
as immigrants here is something that wasn't you know, a
great experience, and so they want their children to learn English,
and and we do right, and and our lives are
(15:09):
lived in English, and for some of us, like, yes,
the language in Spanish is great. And I think again
that's why Michael Dura doesn't say that all our shows
need to be in Spanish, because English is really how
we consume our content. It is how we're living our lives.
And this conversation about kids, right, that's taken come into
(15:33):
popularity recently. Uh, can you define what that is and
why you're you're diving into those conversations.
Speaker 3 (15:43):
Yeah, so I think you know, as as my understanding,
it's it's really just sort of a funny way of
describing people who don't speak perfect Spanish essentially, right, So,
like you know, no, sobling less is probably has somebody
to respond obviously it's not perfect Spanish, right like you
So it's you you know what point you're trying to
get across, but you don't know how to actually perfectly
(16:03):
say it, right, And that's sort of the joke about it.
And I think it speaks perfect to that sort of
middle gray area where it's like, you know just enough
Spanish to like be a part of the conversation, but
you're also going to be like picked apart within the conversation,
you know, And I think that.
Speaker 4 (16:18):
That is sort of the the gist of it.
Speaker 3 (16:22):
And I think it's an important conversation that I keep
having because I keep running into it in different ways,
be it the feedback I get from listeners talking about
how they share in that experience, or even me personally.
You know, when I travel to Puerto Rico, which you
know I've done a lot over the last year, I
make it a point to try and speak in Spanish
everywhere I go, and I see sometimes some people are
(16:44):
receptive even if I'm not speaking it perfectly, but others then,
like the minute that I don't say something grammatically correct,
they start speaking to me in English and refuse to
speak to me in.
Speaker 4 (16:52):
Spanish from there.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
Right, So it's like that that conversation still needs to
keep happening because obviously there is some sort of disconnected
within the community of like the second you're not perfect
within your Spanish, it's like they take away your your
Latin card and now you're back to being a gringo. Right,
So I keep speaking about it because I want to
be a representative for people. I want people to know
(17:13):
I'm still on that journey, and I think it still
is this thing that we are like struggling with to
a degree, many of us when we are around native
Spanish speaking people.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
Yeah, it's definitely an important conversation. You're also talking quite
a bit about finance, finances and financial literacy, which I
think is also super important for our community. You know,
you've teamed up with State Farm, one of our sponsors,
to do a lot of financial literacy videos and conversations.
Why did you gravitate towards that topic? Why was that
(17:46):
important to you?
Speaker 3 (17:48):
I think for me, the biggest stressor that I can
remember as a kid growing up, like within the dynamic
of my parents, it was always around money. It was
around not having enough money, over spending, not being able
to do what we wanted to do, And there always
was just some sort of issue surrounding money. And then
you know, it's a lack of education, right, which I
(18:08):
know now, but you know at the time, not realizing
that other people were being brought up taught about what
makes up a credit score or getting a credit card,
you know, their parents opening a credit card, joint credit
card with them to help build up their credit right
or saving for college tuition or saving in general, right,
like these sort of practices. You know, my parents, specifically
(18:28):
on my mom's side, like my grandmother never had a
bank account.
Speaker 4 (18:31):
They kept money under the mattress, you know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (18:33):
So like what, like what financial literacy are they going
to pass down to then my mom like nothing, right,
So she's figuring it out on the spot.
Speaker 4 (18:39):
And that's pre internet, you know, and.
Speaker 3 (18:42):
School public school systems don't do a great job of
prioritizing these things. So it's not information that's readily available
unless for generations your family has been educating themselves on
this as homeowners and things of that nature. Right, But
my parents, you know, my mom was the first homeowner
on her side of the family, you know what I mean.
So these are all things that they're all learning on
the spot. And as a result of learning on the spot,
(19:04):
myself included, Like I got into financial trouble early on
with you know, credit cards and things like that, and
you know, for me, for a long time, I assumed
that I would never be able to buy a home
on my own, that I would have to basically go
under my spouse's name.
Speaker 2 (19:17):
You know.
Speaker 3 (19:17):
When I eventually got married, and I remember going apartment
hunting and like the second they give you the application,
being like, all right, I know they're not going to
approve me. I won't even bother you know, And that's
just being really frustrating in my life. So I made
it a point to turn that around, you know. And
I was fortunate enough at the time to get connected
through the Breakfast Club with somebody who was a credit
(19:38):
repair specialist, and working with them, it educated me on
the process of finances of what makes up a credit score,
and you know, then I paid down everything, I got
my credit my credit up, and then I learned about
pushing myself to saving and I wanted to buy a house.
Speaker 4 (19:51):
What does that take?
Speaker 3 (19:52):
Right, So going on this journey and recognizing like I
just changed the entire course of my life and future
generations on, you know, potentially of my children and things
like that. Just by going on this journey of doing
the hard work to educating myself right, my life is
completely different. It's in a far better situation than I
could have ever imagined. Because of this, you know, I'm
(20:13):
not relying on anybody else. So I recognize the value
in that and I want to pass it down. Like
for me, it's always about you know, throwing the ladder
back down once I've sort of you know, reached whatever,
you know, climax I'm going for. And I think that's
why I've made it a point of conversation, because I
want to make sure people are focusing in on the
things that actually going to have the most substantial change
(20:34):
to their life. Right we're talking about breaking generational curses,
like these are core things that we have to learn
about and do if we really want to get to
a better place and as a community, if we really
want to have a seat at the at the table,
you know, having people who are in great positions financially
is the only way that's really going to do.
Speaker 2 (20:52):
So You've also talked about relationships. There's there's a crossover
episode with Amarala that is just so hilarious, and you
guys talk about xicas and toxicos and all that juicy
stuff about being in relationships. Is there an episode that
stands out as one of your favorites?
Speaker 3 (21:13):
One of my favorite episodes? Actually, yeah, the one that
I did with Frankie Ganis is one of my favorite ones.
You know, I think his story is so incredible to me,
Like he was somebody who was like on his couch
till he was in his mid thirties. He's like sleeping
on a friend's couch till his mid thirties, right, just
trying to hold his dream alive. And I just found
(21:34):
that psychotic, but like psychotic in the most inspiring way.
And I loved hearing that that story because to me,
it was just like, you know, it was somebody who
just fell in love with what he does so much
that he was willing to give it his all, you know.
And I think it's it was so profound to see
somebody now who's seeing an incredible amount of success, well
(21:54):
earned success with the show on Hulu This Fool. He
has the podcast, you know as well, and I think
just hearing his first hand experience, you know, I think
it's just it was to me it was just like
a touching reminder of why I do what I do,
you know, because I felt inspired by I got a
lot of feedback from other people about how it was
the inspiration that they needed in that moment as well,
(22:16):
you know. So I think that being able to have
a platform to share these stories, you know, is so
incredibly important because sometimes that's all we need, right, Sometimes
we just need somebody who looks like us, or sounds
like us, or comes from our background to remind us
that it is possible, right that, and that the hardships
that you're going through are incredibly normal and you're not
by yourself within that you just have to push a
(22:36):
little bit further, right And it's why you know, movies
like the Flaming Hot movie are so impactful, and you know.
Speaker 4 (22:42):
Why that was like a huge movie for me that I.
Speaker 3 (22:45):
Was crying and felt so inspired afterwards. Right Like, these
are just moments that I think we all need every
once in a while to keep us on our journey
and on our path and to feel seen. So I
feel like I was able to contribute one of those
moments to some of our listeners.
Speaker 4 (22:59):
And that's that's incredible for me, is.
Speaker 2 (23:13):
Offering creators from from different parts of the country an
opportunity to tell to tell that and and different kinds
of stories. Right, yes, look forward to dram most the
content creator, Like, what's next? Where do you sort of
see yourself in the next couple of years?
Speaker 3 (23:35):
I definitely, you know, want to I want to expand
in more in person type of things. You know, I've
been doing some speaking engagements and things like that. I
would like to to really just be able to touch
the community in a real way. They'll go out step
outside of the normal corporate speaking gig type of thing
and try to connect with people where they are and
inspire people in that way.
Speaker 2 (23:56):
You know.
Speaker 3 (23:57):
I've been also building a wellness brand where we do
you know, group mentorship and coaching and trying to inspire
you know, members of our community, and that's been really fulfilling.
And seeing just the way that people's lives have been
changing just over the course of a few months from
having conversations and just having somebody to feed off of,
I think has been incredible. And then I think, you know,
(24:19):
beyond that, I want to do more things where I'm
not necessarily behind the microphone or in front of the camera.
I want to be able to give other people from
our community the opportunity to have their voice heard or
to bring their stories to life.
Speaker 2 (24:31):
You know.
Speaker 3 (24:31):
So I think I've been blessed with a lot of
doors slammed in my face and as well as a
lot of you know, beautiful opportunities like this one, where
I have a lot of lessons that I can teach
to other people. A lot, a lot of experience that
I can shed on others to help them on their
journey and maybe make it just a bit easier than
mine was. So that's definitely the bigger vision is to
be able to start helping others bring their ideas to
(24:52):
life as well.
Speaker 2 (24:53):
Yeah, I think it's a good reminder for us that
we are inspiring the next generation, right, Like I think
sometimes I know for my I'm like, oh, I'm just
here listening to podcasts and like the launching shows. But
it is good to hear sometimes that you know you
are making a difference or that the show really touched somebody,
And I know for me, it's just a reminder that
(25:15):
you know, we are we are doing important work right
and making a difference. With that, I would love for
you to give some advice to folks that you know,
want to follow in your footsteps, that want to launch
a podcast, that want to be a content creator. What
sort of advice do you have for them.
Speaker 3 (25:35):
I always think like you got to lead with authenticity, right,
You got to lead with what really speaks to you,
you know. I think it's it's easy to get hung
up and trying to recreate what's popular and all those
different things. But you know, this is a grind, and
if you don't truly have a passion or.
Speaker 4 (25:50):
A love for it, it's.
Speaker 3 (25:52):
Going to be very easy to sort of walk away
and quit, you know, if it's not something you genuinely
believe in, you know what I mean. And I'm fortunate
in it that, you know, I feel like I've sort
of found my voice and it's allowed me to push
past the more difficult moments, you know, And I think
that's probably the biggest thing.
Speaker 4 (26:08):
I think a lot of people.
Speaker 3 (26:11):
Also forget that their unique experience adds something fresh, you know.
I think that it's a lot of people get caught
up and thinking everything's already been done, or that they
have to be somebody else, and they're sort of missing
their greatest asset, which is their lived.
Speaker 4 (26:25):
Experience, their very unique vantage point.
Speaker 2 (26:27):
You know.
Speaker 3 (26:27):
I think that that's the greatest thing that you could
bring to the table. You know that That's been my experience.
The more I've become me and the more I've displayed
myself and you know, led with that, the more opportunities
have begun to present themselves, you know, And I'm grateful
that I kind of figure that out and That's the
biggest thing I would say is, like I always say,
(26:47):
authenticity is your superpower. And the second thing I always say
is if you don't see it, create it. You know,
for me, that is exactly what life is going to go.
And this whole journey I've been on is just that,
you know, I found my voice and then I tried
to convince other people, you know, in radio, that they
should give me an opportunity or that we should create this.
They didn't see the vision, so I went and created
(27:09):
it somewhere else, right. I didn't wait for somebody to
tell me that now is okay or that they agree
with it. You know, I had a vision and I
went out and created it, and you know, luckily other
people saw that vision. But I think those are the
two biggest things. You know, is lead with your authentic self,
create the thing that you want to see. And I
think those are the two things that are going to
kind of help you sort of weather the storms that
(27:31):
you're never going to face on your journey to finding
success into getting wherever you want to be.
Speaker 2 (27:35):
Absolutely, and I would just add, be bold, take chances,
write that email, fine into that DM. If you don't
advocate for yourself. Who better to advocate for you than you?
Speaker 4 (27:48):
Right, Absolutely a little tid, but I'll squeeze in there.
On that note.
Speaker 3 (27:56):
One of the listeners of Life as at gant Angle,
like one of the day one people.
Speaker 4 (27:59):
She's my business partner.
Speaker 3 (28:01):
Because she was bold enough to like keep being on
me every episode, giving me feedback, sending me her resume,
asking if I needed a virtual assistant, and it was like,
when I got to the point where I could hire
a virtual assistant, she's the person that I hit up.
And now like we've become business partners in my wellness brand, right,
So it's like it is that boldness, you know, and
being unafraid to say this is what I want and
(28:22):
this is what I can offer. So I love that
you mentioned that one a little tip, but I want
to add to that story.
Speaker 2 (28:27):
I love that see persistence exactly and putting yourself out there.
It's definitely important. One fun fact about Dramos and I
we share the same birthday, so you know, O query
there coming at you. Pamos. Thank you so much for
joining us. It's been a pleasure chatting with you. We
(28:49):
love having you as part of our network. They're doing
amazing things and we're so so proud of you and
you catch life as a green goal every Tuesday and
Thursday on Michael Dura. Thank you so much for chatting
with me and for telling your story. I know it's
going to be like super valuable for people to hear.
Speaker 4 (29:07):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (29:09):
Thank you for listening to the special conversation that showcases
the voices of our network. For more Michael da podcasts,
listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you
listen to your favorite shows.
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