We had the good fortune of connecting with Emmanuel Williams and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Emmanuel, is there something you believe many others might not?
One piece of conventional advice that I disagree with is being realistic. I feel that limits so many possibilities for growth and innovation. For example, back in the early days, the idea of a flying machine was considered absurd and not realistic until the Wright brothers proved the world wrong. Having artificial intelligence, digital currency, and a metaverse today would be viewed as ridiculous 20 years ago.
I believe there is nothing wrong with being realistic to an extent. It allows you to see what challenges lie ahead to progress forward. When I started making YouTube videos in 2012, family members expressed that my vision wasn’t financially realistic and didn’t believe in me; I kept pursuing my goals regardless of what others thought because I always bet on myself. I sought financial freedom pursuing the things I enjoyed and creating my schedule on my terms. After trial and error and a few leaps of faith over the years, I managed to achieve the “unrealistic” lifestyle and opportunities others couldn’t see for me. I became a full-time content creator, freelancer, and internet personality; I choose to believe in possibilities over being realistic any day.
Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My art and talent reside in storytelling; I love sharing entertaining and personal stories from my life because it showcases the depth, a lesson, and a different perspective of the world. As a child, I would always have the craziest imagination and stories in my head, yet I didn’t know how to paint the picture to share with people. It took some time to develop; I recently became confident with that idea as I shared a story about my 8th-grade crush on TikTok that went viral. After seeing the reaction and the demand from so many people, I knew I had to go all the way.
What makes me different from other people is that I’m always willing to try out something new and constantly step out of my comfort zone. I believe in my vision and will fail as many times as necessary to achieve it. I’m always looking for similarities between people, businesses, and culture and seeking ways to bring them all together. My goal is to find ways we all can relate to one another.
What I’m most proud of is how far I’ve come taking the leap and moving to California back in October 2019. I feel I have accelerated my personal and career goals by being immersed in the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles as opposed to still being back in Detroit. When I first arrived, it was a bit of a struggle. I was sharing a bed and closet, wasn’t familiar with the environment or people, and still finding ways to make ends meet financially every month.
By the time I started gaining some stability, that’s when the Pandemic came along and caused so much chaos. Between the global uncertainty, the protests, and my roommates moving back to be with their families during this time, it set me back financially, mentally, and emotionally. All my backup plans weren’t available. I couldn’t shoot videos for clients; I couldn’t bartend because bars were closed; I couldn’t Uber due to their regional policies and restrictions. I didn’t have anything consistent, used up my emergency funds, and had to find a way to move out of the apartment I was residing.
The job I worked for wasn’t fulfilling either. Management wouldn’t listen to any employee ideas that could expand their presence and only cared about the profits instead of their crew. Fed up, I used my social media plan intended for their business for me. I created consistent product review videos on social media. Doing that for 4-5 months allowed me to connect with brands, grow my presence in the industry, and even attend private events. Private events mean networking with a higher social circle.
Instacart became the main hustle, but I was still seeking a creative remote job doing things I liked; the Pandemic made that more possible. I reached out to a CEO seeking content creators and received what I asked. I showcased my personality and creativity by consistently creating videos for brands; and got paid to stay at home.
It’s been a few months since then; I have my hands in a bit of everything, like a Jack-of-all-Trades. I’m now creating videos for brands, acting in ads and commercials, attending events, becoming an influencer on social media, and enjoying my personal and professional journey. I created a vision board with all my goals last year; to my surprise and determination over the past two years, I finally accomplished a big dream of mine. I’m a contestant on Season 14 of American Ninja Warrior.
In my eyes, anything is possible. I believe you have to work hard but even smarter to achieve what you desire. Life always presents its challenges, but as my close friend always tells me: “Life always finds a way…but so I.”
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I had a couple of friends come and visit me from Michigan some months back. We didn’t know a lot early on. After a few “dummy” missions and crazy adventures, here’s the plan I would come up with for somebody who wanted to experience a little bit of the Los Angeles area.
I would take them to the beaches, especially Venice and Santa Monica; Venice has many international tourists, yet nearly every tourist was looking for dispensaries.
It has so much culture and history, and there is always an activity going on and lots of street art and shops. The sunsets just hit differently, especially when cruising down Pacific Highway with some retro 80’s-90’s music.
I would suggest taking people to Downtown Los Angeles since that part of town always has a lot going on down there. So many districts to explore and exciting activities to do. The subway is a game-changer for traveling and avoiding parking tickets. The Los Angeles Public Library and Grand Central Market are my favorite places downtown; I would recommend them to everyone visiting.
Little China, Little Toyko, and Koreatown are places I would explore with my friends. Being in love with Asian culture when I was a boy, I ended up eating good food, learning about cultures, and visiting some anime shops. The Hispanic community changes the game for me! Every taco truck or shop I have to try. The culture hit me so strongly; I’m studying Spanish and listening to more Bad Bunny and reggaeton tracks these days. I love being in the proximity of all this culture and showing it to the people who visit.
I love hiking! LA has some scenic hiking spots, especially in Malibu and West Hollywood. There are so many trails and parks to go to for any outdoor activity. Some of my favorite hiking spots I would recommend would be Runyon Canyon, Nike Hill, and Escondido Falls.
The nightlife here is bumping; clubs, bars, and restaurants. I haven’t experienced too much LA nightlife yet, as I have always been an early riser. But, these would be some of the places I would recommend to the people from my experience being here. There is so much I get to explore and so much to encounter!
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would love to shout out the wonderful and talented actress, Zari Alisha Rose. I met her at a mutual acquaintance’s wedding doing photography. She taught me so much about myself that I didn’t know and believed in and supported my goals. She gave me so much business structure and provided valuable ideas on how to reach out to brands and present myself.to jump
Zari would always advertise me at networking events, giving me more opportunities to grow and meet new people within the industries. Without her help and support, I wouldn’t have the clarity I have today nor the business sense. She always pushed me to do my best and was the first one jumping up and down with joy whenever I accomplished a goal or closed a deal. She is such a rarity, a beautiful soul, and someone I constantly aspire to be.