Tag Archives: man

Stranger 49/100 – Brian

100 Strangers - BrianIt was hard not to notice our next stranger sitting on a tandem bike with his companion, Lyselle.

Meet Brian.

So you’re bike riding and having adventures today? “Yeah, that’s a way to put it.”

What do you do when you’re not out and about? “I own an industrial motor repair company. We basically repair big, bad-ass magnets for power plants and coal mines. We have a small foundry and some different metal cutting machines. I do some music, and I’m a self-development coach.”

What advice would you give to your younger self? “Engage people. You know, your network is your net worth. You’re as valuable was the ideas that surround you. The ideas that people possess. So, engage it. You gotta engage them. Know where you’re headed and get those ideas surrounding you. If you’re seeking money, well then you probably need to get around more affluent people. If you’re seeking art, you need to get around artists.”

I heard a saying that you’re the product of the five people you hang around with the most. “Absolutely. Your wealth, the amount of money you’ll see, your health, your attitude, all kinds of things, your manners… And I don’t believe that it’s six degrees of separation anymore. I think we’re probably looking at three or four now with the Internet. You’re only just a few steps away from the prince of any country or the king or the president of any nation. There are barriers to entry, but you can still navigate through them. The opportunities will follow, the success will follow, the dreams will follow quicker when you have the proper people on your team.”

Technical Notes: It was the end of the day and the sun was shining on Brian’s right side. I used a reflector to bounce some light onto his face to create a more even look.

Stranger 42/100 – Desi

Stranger-42–DesiOur next stranger stood out from the crowd of bustling people returning to work from lunch. I caught him while he was hanging out before going to work.

Meet Desi.

Desi has been skateboarding for eleven years. “I hang out with a bunch of locals in the neighborhood. There’s a bunch of skaters in Charlotte.”

What advice would you give to your younger self? “Listen to my parents. I kind of flew my own way.”

What would they have told you? “Stay in school. Go to college.”

What are your goals? “Right now, I’ve got this big old skateboarding thing going on. Hopefully I’ll be taking off with that.”

Are you trying to get sponsored? “I’ve been courting them for about four years. I’ve got to send more videos out.”

Thank you Desi for being part of the 100 Strangers Project. Best of luck in getting sponsored.

Stranger 41/100 – Tim

Stranger-41–Tim.jpgOur next stranger had such a cool look that I had to approach him and learn what he’s all about.

Meet Tim.

What brings you uptown? “Well, I work across the street at Charlotte Center City Partners. I’m the artist in residence there, so I do all the music programming for all the city funded events. So, right now I’m working on the big Thanksgiving parade that’s going to be on this street.”

What advice would give to your younger self? “Be patient. I’m a musician. My father was a professional musician. I grew up surrounded by some of the most talented and gifted musicians and artists and singers in the world. You know what I mean? I think, because of that, I’ve spent my whole life in a rush to get somewhere. So I’ve seen that life takes it’s own course. You kind of get to sit back and enjoy the ride. Patience is everything.”

What are your goals? “When I was younger, I wanted to work for a record label, but the record industry is non-existent. I started managing some groups a few years ago, and I really enjoyed it and had a really good knack for it. People started calling me and having me put things together. That kind of took me to the event production and event management world, and I’ve really taken strongly to it. So I just want to keep growing in that capacity. And I don’t know what that looks like yet. I don’t know if that means I’m going to start my own event management company one day or if I’ll just freelance… I don’t know yet. But, I’m enjoying this space. I’ve learned to be patient, so I’m not going to rush myself this time around.”

So you must be a people person? “Oh, yeah. Absolutely. I have to be.”

Being a musician might be kind of lonely? “It’s only lonely if you make it a lonely existence. I’ve never been in the spotlight. I play drums. You know what I mean? I’ve never been at the front of the stage in the spotlight. Sometimes for those kind of people it can be lonely I guess because there may be a different pressure”

“I feel like singers and musicians, we’re all part of the same community… the sound technicians and the roadies and the tech guys have the same relationships that you have. It’s just about knowing your place and understanding that we’re all in this together and we all need each other to make these shows work.”

“Everybody has to feel important and I want to make everybody feel comfortable enough to where they feel good about doing their job. So, at the end of the day, we can all leave the event feeling good about what we did. That’s important.“

Technical Notes: Tim was well lit from the street on his right side, and I used a small LED panel from below to add more light to the left side of his face.