We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Open Relationship Podcast a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Open Relationship, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

Open Relationship Podcast started from wanting to give a voice to differences within a community; the differences being age, presentation, perspectives, and passions.

We are four individuals who identify as Black Gay Men who have our own opinions and created a space for open and honest conversations amongst ourselves; with opportunities to hear from other people who may or may not look, sound, identify and think like we do. The world is a very big place and we want to build meaningful relationships through these important conversations.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Rodney – is the spontaneous one. He has been in and has had a passion for the entertainment industry for a while. He is the one who brought us together with the idea of forming a podcast. His background is in Biology/ Sales

Solomon – is often referenced as “the voice of reason.” He is new to the entertainment industry, but has a passion for getting to know people. His background is in Education/ Mental Health/ Addictions

Marco – be “in the streets” and keeps us updated on pop culture, he has also been in the podcasting arena. His background is in Banking/ Finance.

Shazam – is often the analytical and curious one; he is known for getting in our business. His background in Public Health and Fitness.

Topics: We have discussed everything from politics to pornography. There is nothing off limits as we aim to talk about topics that are relevant, worldly, and often taboo.

Most Proud of: The community that is building. We’ve created our “Openers”/ “Fifth Seat” community with the idea that “it can’t just be us.” As we’ve grown, we’ve gotten an increase in participation from live viewership, weekly “Da Letter” submissions from individuals who want to share their life experiences and request feedback, our monthly Membership Group – “GO GREEN!!!”, and other submissions via email and Direct Messaging (DM).

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Issa Rae, one of our favorite creatives, spoke in an interview about “networking across, as opposed to networking up” and that resonates with our cohosts. We didn’t have a ton of experience between us and we did a lot of shooting from the hip as we’ve grown in our platforms and grown the community.

It would have been nice to be more prepared for the initial financial obligations because, let’s face it, being a creative is EXPENSIVE! Finding or learning about funding opportunities, writing proposals, networking, collaborating, etc.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect has been the overall growth. Having the privilege of watching the cohosts grow in their respective lives and during recordings. Additionally, having people in the community reach out to us and express their appreciation for discussing topics that they were curious about, never had with other people, held shame around, and persevered through.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Www.openrelationshippodcast.com
• Instagram: @openrelationshippodcast
• Twitter: @ORelationPod
• Youtube: @OpenRelationshipPodcast