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

Hi Art, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
After working in the Journalism industry for 36 years I wanted to have more control over my scheduled. I traveled the world reporting on nearly every major news story, working an incredibly demanding schedule and I simply had a strong desire to bring my skills, talents and lifelong experience, to help others fulfill their inner desires of becoming more powerful communicators.

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.
It’s never easy and there are always failures. But success is not the absence of failure—not at all. Success is the ability to get back up and do it again after you fail—really going from failure to failure with the same enthusiasm. This was a necessity in my early years of reporting at small stations and eventually climbing to larger markets. Journalism is a 24-7 industry. It never stops! The monster of endless hours of news a day needs to be fed, regardless of whether what you are reporting is actually “newsworthy” or not. But over the years I have had the blessing of covering some of the world’s most incredible and heart-wrenching stories. I have interviewed thousands of people around the world and have learned of their powerful resilience, their faith, their incredible courage in the face of overwhelming afflictions, and their humility and God fearing characters. It’s not easy reporting on extreme hardships and witnessing so much death or destruction. I have cried with so many of these victims of tragedy and mourned their losses. But I have also shouted for joy in their successes. It was a most extraordinary journey that taught me so many lessons along the way.

Today, my business is helping others improve their communication. I do media and presentation training, talent coaching, image control, and I am a spokesperson for several companies doing commercial work for them. All of this was such a natural fit for me in my new company, Rascon Media Group, because it’s exactly what I had been doing for 36 years in my journalism career.

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.
Wow….what a question. My best friend is my wife, so this is easy. I think we would take friends to NASA and Mission Control, that’s always a good start. We would learn about the mind blowing exploration of the Universe. Afterward, we would head north to The Woodlands and Churrascos for lunch on The Woodlands Canal, take a brisk walk along the canal, catch an afternoon concert at the Cynthia Woods Pavilion and then head downtown Houston for an evening at one of the fine restaurants on the Westside and then to the Theater District to watch a Broadway Show. Houston is known for its food, Great restaurants, great entertainment, and always great hospitality!

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?
No one gets to where they want to be without the help of others. First, a big Shoutout to my wife, Patti. Her incredible support, love, devotion to family and desires to help and serve others, are all reasons for a beautiful relationship and an amazing bond with children and the community at large. Secondly, our 7 children. They are a blessing and a remarkable balance in life, helping all of us stay grounded in what is most important in life—Love of God, Love of Family, and Love and Service to others. And, my parents. Wow…their constant support, grace and countless prayers on my behalf have lifted me. Also, I am grateful for the amazing charitable organizations I have had the privilege of serving with over many, many, years: Interfaith of The Woodlands, YMCA International, Amigos De Las Americas, Interfaith of Houston, RTNDA, The National Association of Hispanic Journalists and the Houston Association of Hispanic Journalists. They all deserve recognition in this story.

Website: RasconMediaGroup.com

Instagram: Artrasconabc

Linkedin: Art Rascon

Twitter: @ArtRascon

Facebook: Art Rascon

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutHTX is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.