We had the good fortune of connecting with Charles Gilbert and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Charles, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
When I think of risk I think of the Steve Harvey book “The Jump”. The reason behind me thinking of that book is because that book inspired me to take that leap of fate. You can never know if you can achieve something without taking that jump. I am a very spiritual person and I believe that God gave us all wings to fly but in order to reach our full potential we must trust in him. Don’t be afraid to take a risk win or lose you will always gain a lesson from it. Reading that book helped me understand more of the reason people should not be afraid of taking risk, taking that jump because there is greatness in everyone but people are too afraid to risk it because of failure. Taking risk for me played a huge role in my life and career. When I was younger in school a teacher told my mom I would not amount nothing and I will not do nothing with my life. Those words haunted me for ever and I would not want to take risk because of failure (As I mentioned before) it was not until my relationship with God grew and I started to trust him more. It was not until I realized that in order for me to be successful and set the example for my daughter I had to take a risk. The risk was attending college in my early 30’s for the first time. The risk has paid off, I successfully received my Associates Degree in Communication and Media Arts – Communication Arts and will be pursing my Bachelors degree in Communication Studies with my focus study being Media and Production at Buffalo State College. Also, taking a risk in starting the ground works of my production company focusing on Podcasting and expanding in the future to video production, films and books.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
What sets the podcasts me and my team do apart from others, I strongly believe that we are truly authentic. We are raw with our feelings and views. As a podcast host you are free to express yourself freely. I feel like we use our platforms to help spread change along with changing the narrative about alot of things that seem to hold us back as a society. We joke have fun and things in that nature but when it comes down to serious dialogue we engage in that matter very well. With the recent events going on in the world we took it upon ourselves to speak on these matters from a different levels from me and my co-host point of view (We are in our 30s) and from a younger person perspective and we are working on getting the views from someone from the opposite side as me and my co-host are two African American men, it is only right we get the views from a white man which we are in the works of doing. As far as how I got to where I am professionally it was always a thought of mine to get involved in the media. With the help of a project I had to do in school, it helped me focus in on the bigger task which was building the brand and building the podcast. I have learned how to manage and trust in my team more than anything. I realized that I cannot do it all by myself. I need to rely on my team and trust in them. As far as what I want the world to know about me and my brand. We are looking to bring laughter, joy and real conversation to the world.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Well seeing that I am from the city of Buffalo I would take them to the famous Niagara Falls and have them see the Falls and go on the Maid of the Midst. Then we will go get some of Buffalo’s famous Buffalo Wings from different locations from Duff’s (which I believe is the best) to the Buffalo’s Anchor Bar. We will go to our downtown scene and enjoy some clubs and see if there is an weekend event going on such as the Taste of Buffalo, Italian Festival or if there is a concert that is taking place at our Marina base (Canalside).

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
First and foremost my Lord and savior because without him none of this would be possible. He deserves the praise and the glory for all my success. My mentors – from SUNY Erie Community College my professors in the Communication Arts department from Gina Stevens (The mother of the department), John Harrigan (The father of the department – the legend is what I call him. His advice and time he gave me to help me with my next steps following graduating from there) and Amber Rinehart (The cool auntie) the first one I felt completely comfortable with and who I could go talk to at anytime and will always listen and give me advise when it came to post production. I do not know where I would of been without their guidance throughout my first 2 years. To my other professor probably on a personal level my go to professor, Carl Stokes. I only had one class of his but it left the most impact in my college career so far. Being on a campus that is predominantly white and the professors are predominantly white as well. It was a sense of comfort to have a black professor on campus who I can go to and vent and have someone that can relate to some of my struggles I faced. My mentor Jamil Crews you gave a man a chance to be on your team (Crews Control Media) and you never looked back or thought twice of having me on. I hope I have made you proud, thank you for your knowledge and wisdom you pass onto me. Even when you don’t think I am paying attention to your moves I am and I will not fail you. To my Podcast family – Shawn, Russ and Assad thank you for being there especially Shawn and Assad you two have been there since day one. It was the three of us thank you for believing in my crazy idea of starting a podcast and building from that. The addition of my cousin Russ just improved it even more. As I always tell you guys we are just getting started and we have so much more to show the world. Our voices will be heard. To my For Tha Love of team Tamara (The LibHERated Project chick) thank you for your passion, knowledge and believing in me to help produce you and my brother’s podcast. To my brother Fred, thank you for being the best big brother a brother can ask for, am I my brother’s keeper? Yes I am and I got your back forever. My mom, my anchor the foundation without her there is no me, the root in my tree of life. Thank you for believing me and not giving up on me since the day I was born (LITERALLY). I made you a promise that I will go to college (Like Kanye told his mom) and I did just that. I hope that you I have made you proud. I’ll love you forever, I’ll like you for always, as long as I’m living my mommy you’ll be. My spiritual father Bishop Roderick Hennings thank you for being there for me even when you may not realize the impact you have in my life, thank you. To my role model who is no longer here Kobe Bryant, your passion, your drive, and your determination the “Mamba Mentality” I live by that and will always have that work ethic in me that I learned from you from a far. Your legacy will live on through everyone who believed in you. Last but not least my daughter, everything I do I do for you. As your father I am here to protect you and guide you through this crazy thing called life. At times you have asked why I’m hard on you but it is all because I want the best for you. I want you to shatter every obstacle that people will put in front of you. You will change the world because you are my child. Never forget the lessons I have taught you and continue to teach you. Raising you has been the best gift God has given me. Thank you for allowing me to be your father I love you princess.

Website: https://gilberca026.wixsite.com/myportfolio
Instagram: vft2_podcast
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-gilbert-856032138/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NessaKing52
Other: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/everyday-brothers/id1378736258

Image Credits
Rashad Sessum