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

Hi Joshua, how do you think about risk?
I think risk-taking is very important while pursuing your life and career. Each day is not promised and it can feel like taking risks are a scary part of life, especially while pursuing a career in entrepreneurship, but you will never know how far you can go if you don’t. While pursuing a career in entertainment it is necessary for me to steps outside of my comfort zone to move forward. I do my very best to calculate my risk as much as possible but in the end, I have to trust my heart and learn to live with all of my decisions. Whether they end up being the best decision or not. Risk-taking has played a huge role in my entrepreneurial journey because without it, I have learned it is very easy to become stagnant. You feel like you are moving forward but in theory when you are shuffling from left to right. I believe everyone in life is a risk-taker. Regarding business, some of us take bigger risks than others but in the end, whether you took a risk to stay or to move forward we all have to live with the decisions we make.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I am an Actor, Author, and all-around Entrepreneur. Acting was not my first career choice. I initially wanted to be a model, as vain as that might sound, but it took a little while for me to understand I was capable of doing so much more and that acting has more longevity. I started acting in commercials in 2012 which lead me to get into film and television. It was not an easy road by any means. Constantly hearing no’s from casting directors, taking ongoing acting classes, and mainly getting paid 90 days between projects made me quickly understand that if I wanted acting to be my full-time career that I would have to find other ways to produce income until jobs became more consistent. I now know without a shadow of a doubt becoming an actor turned me into an Entrepreneur. I published my first book “Top 20 Vocabulary Words & Tips Every Actor Should Know” in the fall of 2018. I wrote this book with the intention to teach those interested in becoming an actor what basic vocabulary words they would need to know while navigating through the entertainment industry. I debated with myself about writing this book because so many questions arose internally such as, I am qualified to give this information? What will my peers think? What if someone doesn’t agree with some of my opinions? Then I realized, who is authorized to give any advice on any subject? The answer is someone who has experience in that field. So I wrote my book, and in turn, it helped many people pursue their interest in acting. I am most proud of always stepping out in faith and with confidence. This newfound confidence also lead me to begin hosting virtual screenwriting workshops in 2019. I have been screenwriting since 2016 and won my first Screenwriting Competition in 2018. It is not easy believing in yourself and putting your ideas into motion. I don’t feel that anything special sets me apart from others. I just know that I have learned if you stay focused, determined, and put your ideas into action you can achieve anything.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
It might sound a little cliché but I am a simple guy at heart, really. But I have become a lot more “active” recently. With that being said here is the itinerary for your week-long trip to ATL. Monday – It’s time to do some sightseeing. First, we would go to Martin Luther King Jr National Historical Park. Then head to Ponce City Market and go to Ton Ton Ramen & Yakitori restaurant for ramen noodles and wings. Tuesday_ We would go to the ATL Comedy Theatre. They have some of the best comics in America that come and perform. It’s always a great time when I go. Wednesday- It would be time to let off a little steam at Rage Room ATL. This is a place that allows you to break glass bottles. medium-sized items and large electric Items in a safe environment. It’s really a lot of fun! Thursday – We would head to St. James Live! Some of the best live music and jazz artist you have ever heard. Afterward, we would head to JJ’s Fish and Chicken. The best-fried chicken I have had in ATL thus far. Friday- We would cool down with a light workout session a Piedmont Park. It has a great open space for jogging and picnics. It is very relaxing.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are a few people I would like to Shoutout that have been very influential in my pursuit as an entrepreneur, an actor, and my personal growth. First I would like to shoutout my parents, Kandy Elder & Stanley Wade. They have instilled so much confidence and self-worth in me from a young age that I truly don’t know who I would have become without them. Recently I read a book titled “12 Months to 1 Million” written by Ryan Daniel Moran. Most books I have read pertaining to entrepreneurship in my experience try to encourage people through making business decisions as opposed to giving them answers that have been proven to succeed. This book has put so many of my questions to rest regarding creating a product, marketing, and selling it. I would strongly recommend this book to anyone that is interested in starting their own business. Lastly, I would like to shoutout to one of my mentors Kevin West. Although he is not an actor, he has assisted me in my acting career more than he would ever know. Some actors I know talk about how much passion they have for acting but at times, especially aspiring actors, they tend to forget the business aspect of entertainment. Kevin helped me understand the true definition of Business, Direction, and Focus. In my opinion, there are lots of incredible actors that are overlooked simply because they have trouble applying business, direction, and focus with their passion. When I applied those three principles with my passion for acting I continued to see progress every year.

Website: www.thejoshuawade.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejoshuawade/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHktKs4Jg5I0i9EeX1THHAw

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