We had the good fortune of connecting with Dr. Brandon Sylvester Psy.d. and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dr. Brandon, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
“Making change, making change.” It was, and is, very important to me to not die in the same tax bracket I was born in. Having been born and raised by a single mother, I was privy to a first-person perspective of the amount of sacrifice inherent to raising a child with the funds from a traditional 9 to 5. In short, I didn’t/don’t want that life. So much effort for so little freedom. I have tremendous respect and appreciation for the sacrifices my mother made. That said, I didn’t leave the state for the first time until I left for college. Fast forward a decades and my kids have as many passport stamps as I do. The decision to leave the 9 to 5 world was rooted in seeking financial freedom as well as freedom-freedom. That is to say, I’ve seen management and leadership done a number of different ways. I think it time to try it my way.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
As a Christian, black, male, Psychologist (in that order) I can truly say that I am Blessed. One of my greates blessings is awareness of my calling and my talent. I feel for (and help) those who have not yet found or defined for themselves their purpose on this planet. I am grateful to know mine. We are all given a superpower; some ability we have that others may also have but that comes so naturally to us that we may miss the fact that it is in fact a superpower. I’m grateful to be Blessed with the gift of empathy and perspective-taking. These gifts made me, I think, a good friend to have on hand for times when life is hard. But, I’m so grateful it does not stop there. The ability to walk a mile in a (willing) person’s shoes, feel what they feel, and understand the far-reaching implications of their experiences on their life as a whole serves me daily.

A male in a female-dominated field. A black man in a white dominated field. A Christian charged with bringing others closer to God in a field expressly designed to NOT taint the therapy relationship/journey with my own biases. There are challenges inherent to each of these. Be it the challenge of fitting in, trying to standout enough to be noticed but not so much that I upset peers or inspire jealousy, or simply the challenge of not knowing what I didn’t know until it costs me. To that end, the most impactful lesson I’ve learned (in truth, still accepting) is that I can’t have the impact I think I’m supposed to have on this world unless I collaborate with others. This is a sobering truth for an only child who has made it a point to “outwork” everyone around him. But a truth all the same.

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.
Now that Houston houses several Michelin star resturants, we would visit each one of them. Life is about experiences so we would also go to Pearland to skydive, catch an Astros game, a Texans game, a Rockets game and make the trip to Kalahari to ride the Sidewinder (the water slide where the ground is actually a trap door and you free fall down the slide). We would visit the Star of Hope to volunteer for a few hours and leave there to enjoy a male spa day complete with mani-pedis, massages, saunas, and drinks just to enjoy the financial juxtaposition. We would spend some time at Top Golf, Meow Wolf, and a poker room.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
JaQuoia Sylvester, the love of my life; who met me as a heartbroken and cold college graduate and saw enough in me to not let my introverted nature and social awkwardness deter her from showing me how amazing she is and was. Long nights of writing my dissertation, long days of working while going to school, longer days of raising these amazing kids with me…I take none of it for granted. Everything I do is to make you proud.

Charlie & Brandon Sylvester II, I do it all for you. The look, hugs, and kisses I get from you both after each day makes the whole day worth whatever was required of me that day. Always know you are daddy’s entire world; I will always love you both above all but GOD.

Susan Trotter, momma, my first and longest-lasting best friend. My teacher, my example, my momma. I love you. Thank you. I know you’re proud of me…keep watching:)

Website: https://dot.cards/bsylvester?e=ZGV2aWNlLWlpdWhpa25ncnN5ZWpuaWhlbGk2N2RrNDYtYy1ibA

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