Meet Jarvis Owens | Podcaster

Hi Jarvis, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?

I believe it’s my passion and fearlessness.  My passion is the fuel I use to have these conversations, to tell these stories and be resilient. My fearlessness is me taking steps towards my passion.

Social impact: how does your business help the community or world?

It starts conversations to help understand people and the world around us. It helps educate others on things we may not know. It tells people stories so we are able to connect and be more empathetic of others. It also entertains people with sports talk, trendy events and music.

Why did you pursue an artistic or creative career? 

I pursued it because I felt like podcasting was the foundation of my life. The essential parts of podcasting. 
The conversations, debates and telling of stories. And I’m such a big fan of podcasting itself. I absorb it and I love it. 
It helps me get through my days. So I decided to create a podcast because my mindset was, “This is already my life. I should make it a business.”

How do you define success?

I define success by living within your passion. It’s something you take very seriously. You’re great at it because you put a lot of time and effort into it. It’s like a relationship, you’re invested and committed. Your approach is at a high level, so your process is everything. 
It’s a high level of passion

What makes you happy? Why?

I would say the thing that makes me the most happy when it comes to my podcast is the opportunity to record an episode. 
It’s exciting when things come together. It may seem pretty simple, and it probably is simpler than how I do it, but there’s a lot that goes into a podcast. It could be the timing with everyone’s schedule, technical issues, people are too nervous to record or me not having the money to record in a studio. A lot of things have to go right.

Work life balance: how has your balance changed overtime? How do you think about the balance?

I’ve had to sacrifice time with my hobbies in exchange for time with my passion and dreams. It wasn’t an automatic change, there were a lot of adjustments. I think balance is the key ingredient of being successful. Rest is just as important as work. It’s what we need in order to have longevity of consistency.

How do you know whether to keep going or to give up? 

I don’t know.. I can’t answer that question. 
I’ve never given up on my podcast. If I ever make that decision to give up, then I can tell you what the reason is.

What was your thought process behind starting your own business?

Being inspired by Oprah and wanting a similar career path. I felt that Oprah’s impact has helped so many and I wanted to be impactful as well. With the resources we have available to us to start our own business, what better time than now to start.

Risk taking: how do you think about risk, what role has taking risks played in your life/career?

I think about risk taking as being fearless. It’s not letting your fears or doubts stop you from pursuing your aspirations. Risk has been a big part of my entrepreneurial journey. There’s a risk of embarrassing myself. A lot of people are worried about what others think of them or afraid they may be laughed at so they never start. Also, expressing my views on certain topics could be misinterpreted, which would damage my reputation.

What is the most important factor behind your success/ the success of your brand?

The most important factor behind my brand and success is my honesty and integrity. I believe speaking truth sells. Oprah is an example of this. Millions of people tune in every weekday to listen to authentic stories and conversations.

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?
What sets me apart from others is the willingness to create content and share. What I’m most proud of is sharing with the world the greatness of my friends and others on my podcast. Since college, I have always been intrigued in business and I was eager to start my own business with something I love to do. It wasn’t easy. I had to stay persistent and adaptable in order to overcome obstacles. I’ve learned to always be curious. You never know what things you may learn. I’ve also learned that doubt and fear is temporary if you choose to commit. I want the world to know that I come from a place of honesty and integrity. As I grow in my podcast journery, so will you.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Thank you to my parents for raising me and encouraging me to be myself. To my sisters and family, thank you for the love and support. Thank you to Jasmine Harris for recommending me for this article. Thank you to Glass Eye Vision (Jay Jackson) for capturing a great photo of me. Lastly, thank you to all my friends, guests and studios for helping me build my podcast.