If you didn't read my first blog post about Episode 1 of In Proximity, you should check it out. In Proximity is a podcast that's a great listen and worth your time. Connecting and listening to others' stories and what they've been through is inspiring. Although Tessa Thompson and Kalia King aren't beside us during Episode 2, their journey and storytelling allowed us to be in proximity.

During my eight years in the entertainment industry, I've realized that finding your people takes time. It's just like marketing. You have to put yourself in the right place, promote yourself, and know what you're worth. Promotion, Place, Product, and Price, the four Ps of marketing. The people who see potential in you will invest in you. In Episode 2, Kalia King talked about having faith, not necessarily religious faith, but having faith in what you're doing. Having faith in that thing that motivates you to wake up every morning. What's your thing?

Tell Your Story: Networking in Virginia

The thing that motivates me is producing and publishing content so the masses can be informed. I started my entertainment industry journey eight years ago during my freshman year at Old Dominion University. I walked up to our campus radio station, WODU Studios, knocked on the door, and nobody answered. So, what was I supposed to do next? I had a plan for a radio show. I knew I wanted to use my voice, but how do I get to this place? I sent some emails, set up some meetings, kept knocking at the door, and found myself hosting "The Motive Show". I was beginning to find my people, and I became the music director and radio host. We had a team like no other.

Now, fast forward to 2019, two years after graduating from ODU, I reminisce on talking with Mike Scott Sr. Mike Scott Sr. was my track coach and mentor at Hugo Owens Middle School. In 2019, Mike Scott Sr. and I were in proximity. We were at our local library in Chesapeake, Virginia. I was registering Parable Kingdom as an LLC and still promoting my short film "Blind". During our networking session, I showed Mike Scott Sr. my short film, and he connected me with Curtis Symonds. He tells me, "Send this to Curtis". Now, I had no clue who Curtis Symonds was at this time, but Mr. Scott was a reliable, credible, experienced connection that I trusted due to our player-to-coach relationship. Talk about In Proximity, people that I've crossed paths with have told me to get out of Virginia to pursue an entertainment career, but I've been able to network, build, and find my people in Virginia.

It's not what you know, it's who you know.

This statement is so true, but at the same time, what I know has helped me to connect and maintain relationships with my people. It's what you know and who you know. Episode 2 was so packed with inspiration, greatness, and experience, I had to listen to it four times to catch the core of the message. Tessa and Kalia kept my attention the whole time. From career talk, storytelling, finding our people, networking, getting over the fear of trying something new, and staying the course when everyone else tells you to stop. Know this: the path you're on isn't always straight; there may be curves, hills, and bumps, but you can make it through the obstacles and over the hills with your faith. There are people waiting to be connected with you. People are waiting to keep in contact with you, and these aren't the people who are leeches, sucking the life out of you. These people will be connected to bless you, be there for you, and see you reach your goals. To stay updated about Parable Kingdom's blog post, subscribe to receive notifications or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Also, to listen to In Proximity Episode 2, go to YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts