Success leaves clues and one of my favorite guys on the internet as of late is certainly John Henry. When we make time to analyze and study the career trajectory of anyone whose work we admire and respect, we will eventually realize that most of the value and insight which we can apply to our lives can be found within the context and storytelling of our own journey.

When I look back on the past two years of my life, every opportunity afforded to me has come from me deciding to take the first step in regards to building a connection and establishing a relationship. Whether putting out content online or initiating a conversation in person, we play a major role in determining our next move and ultimately our own destiny.

Let’s get real micro and break things down:

| May 2017 |

I remember my good friend Israel Wilson being the first person to tell me about the work of Anthony Frasier of ABF Creative several years ago. After making some time to do some research and follow his work, I reached out to initiate contact as a means of staying in touch. I also made sure to purchase his book, “Don’t Dumb Down Your Greatness” to better understand his career and life path. Since then, I remember meeting and speaking with Anthony Frasier at Propelify in May of 2017 along with Gerard Adams in support of John Henry’s keynote that afternoon…KEEP BUILDING!!!

| May 2017 |

After Propelify, I attended a Mimconnect event where I had the opportunity to connect with Julian Mitchell. I’ve been a fan of Julian since I came across his work when I was a writer for Behind The Hustle from 2013 ~ 2016. After the event, I remember going out with Juels Pierrot, Wadnes Castelly, Ryan Staley, and Julian for dinner at a spot close by. We all had a conversation about culture, media, music, and sports. Since then, we have all been in touch while creating a name for ourselves within our respective career paths…KEEP BUILDING!!!

| August 2017 |

I met Franz Bowen of Driven Society after taking the liberty of doing a recap of their interview with Imani Ellis of The Creative Collective NYC and posting it on my feed on July 24, 2017. Through this, I was invited out to an event where I met Natalia Saavedra and Travis Weekes of Driven Society, Lindsey Day of CRWN Magazine, and reconnected with Julian Mitchell…KEEP BUILDING!!!

| June 2018 |

Thanks to Monique Marshall of Black To Business, I was given the great opportunity of moderating their “Men Who Lead” panel at Alley which was sponsored by Verizon…

…HERE’S WHERE THINGS COME AROUND FULL CIRCLE…

Three out of the five guys scheduled to be on the panel just happened to be Anthony Frasier, Julian Mitchell, and Ofo Ezeugwu. I started working with Ofo and Kelley Green on their WYL Podcast for Whose Your Landlord a few months after this event thanks to Franz of Driven Society. I also connected with the good brothers, Mark Clennon and Lloyd Cambridge…KEEP BUILDING!!!

Similar to guys such as Gary Vaynerchuk and John Henry, the CLIMB EXCITES ME!!! When we utilize our skills and talents while adding value to the lives of those around us, everything usually tends to pay off. The best thing is, even if it doesn’t “pay off,” hopefully we enjoyed the ride getting to wherever we end up. Most importantly, we will end up in a better place than we started as long as we continue to live a mission and purpose driven life.

Thanks Samuel Coleman-Dancer for inspiring me to do this post…KEEP BUILDING!!!

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(Uh • Kway • Us) Aquaus Kelley is a forward-thinking brand strategist, curator, and educator. As the Founder of A Lovers Ambition Lifestyle Group, he specializes in identifying talent and creating opportunities for brand development and social impact. Aquaus has worked with companies and organizations such as Behind The Hustle, Cornerstone Agency, City Year Miami, and W Hotels. He is extremely passionate about bridging the gap and building value between brands, communities, and culture. His ultimate mission is to use his influence to project positivity across the globe and invest in the collective future of society through the arts, education, entertainment, and leadership.

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