

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brandon Manning.
Hi Brandon, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
It’s hard to figure out exactly where to start because I feel like I’ve gone through so many different walks of life to get to become the man I am today. As a kid, I would swear up and down that I was going to be exactly where I want to in life by the time I was 20. Obviously, now I sit here and laugh thinking about how naïve I was because I’m 25 now and I’m not exactly where I’d like to be but it’s safe to say I’m finally confident enough to get where I desire.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been very passionate about anything pop culture related like music, movies and fashion. This has lead me on the path to build a bit of a social media presence. Not necessarily to become an “influencer’ but more so to engage with people who may be just as passionate about these things. Luckily, there have been numerous instances where I’ve been able to connect with people who share those same interests and some of them happen to be my closest friends to this day. It’s safe to say I’m very blessed to be in the position I’m in. I get to be surrounded by friends and family who love and support me every step of the way so how could I not feel that way? At this point, I just want to continue to doing my best to not take life for granted and appreciate the journey for what it is even through potential hardships that may come along the way.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely has not been a smooth road. The biggest obstacle I’ve had to face up to this point would probably have to be my pride/ego. Growing up, I was a very open let everyone in type of person but I had dealt with multiple instances that would cause me to get played in the end. This prompted me to want to protect my energy at all costs and only give time and effort to the ones I felt deserved it. As time has gone on, I’ve dwelled on certain moments and come to the realization that I was also apart of the problem. Selfishness had gotten the best of me, I was always trying to find someone else to blame for past transgressions because I couldn’t take proper accountability. Due to that, there are moments I’ve missed out on that I tend to look back and wish I handled differently. As much as it had felt like a struggle, it’s also something to be grateful for once recognized. It’s shaped me into wanting to be a better person and build that mentality that some things just aren’t meant for me. I’m happy to be much more aware of this now, it’s given me the willingness to truly open up again and push my ego aside. A very humbling experience to say the least.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’ve dabbled in a few areas throughout my adult life such as content creation through YouTube and TikTok, writing, even started a clothing brand with a friend of mine out of my mom’s garage at one point. Honestly, I can admit that some of those things didn’t quite sticking the landing but you never know until you try right? Luckily, out of all of those things TikTok has been going pretty well. I’ve been able to accumulate a little over 24 thousand followers in the span of a year or so. It has brought me some really great collaborative opportunities that I will forever appreciate. Luckily, since TikTok didn’t end up being banned, it gives me the chance to go even harder and keep building myself up!
Aside from that, I’d say I’m most known for a group of my friends and I started last year called “The Weekend Projects”. It’s an Art/Entertainment business that mainly revolves around putting together concert-like show and actually we’re looking continue expanding a bit more this year if we can. We offer a plethora of services like photo/videography, DJ bookings, music production and so much more! My current occupation in the group is one of the Creative Directors/Management. I specialize in bringing creative ideas for our marketing strategies, event themes, promotional videos, etc. I get my inspiration from many different art forms, movies have been a big one thus far. From my perspective, it seems like giving things a cinematic touch has the tendency to get attention. To be fair though, I can’t take all the credit because at the end of the day, everything we do has been a team effort.
I’d honestly say I’m most proud of taking the leap to start a business in the first place. In reality anyone can do it if they tried. In our case, it required stepping out of our comfort zone, constant networking and investing time/hard earned money. Some people might not think it’s worth that risk, which is understandable. I for one, am someone who tends to think a lot about what could be and that’s motivates me to continue taking those risks that others may prefer not to. It hasn’t necessarily always panned out how I’d hoped, but there’s no progression without failure.
I think something that sets me apart from others is that I don’t try to seize every opportunity that comes my direction just because it may be profitable. To be transparent, it’s never a bad thing to think about how you can make a few extra bucks but constantly looking at it from that angle tends to take away from the overall experience. I like to look at certain situations more from a perspective of “Does this particular thing align with my vision?”. Truthfully, there are many things you could consider making a “profit” and it doesn’t necessarily have to be money related. When having an opportunity to be in a room full of like-minded people, building connections and sharing knowledge, that is just as valuable to me if not more than any dollar. Yes, money can bring us to feel a temporary sense of value but the memories we share are priceless.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Yes, of course! I actually have 5 main things I advise to keep in mind when you’re trying to build a brand/social presence:
1. Accept failure – You will never see success in everything you do but don’t let it discourage you! It’s all about trial and error. Figure out what does/doesn’t work for you and learn from that. This can help to increase your confidence moving forward.
2. Be willing to invest in yourself – This doesn’t always mean you need to have a boat load of money (although it is helpful). Investing in yourself also involves your time and discipline. The effort you put into what you believe in will be your biggest asset. Stay focused on your path, it will pay off in due time.
3. Try not to be envious – It’s easy to think about what others have that you might not at the moment but you shouldn’t let jealousy become a distraction. Use it as motivation to work even harder. You’re just as deserving of whatever it is you desire as anyone else.
4. Not everyone will support you – As much as we’d love for everyone to be in our corner, it’s just not realistic. Understand that some people might just not be interested in what you’re doing and that’s okay! Determine who you want to be your target audience, then work at it. There’s always going to be someone who shares those same interests.
5. Have fun! – This might be the most important. What’s the point of working towards your goals if you don’t get to enjoy it? Sure, it might not always be fun and games on the road to success but learn to appreciate the journey because it’s the foundation of everything you’re working so hard for.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/superduperbmann
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/superduperbmann
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@superduperbmann
Image Credits
Alajie Jaiteh