We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Bruce Smith a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Bruce, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you recount a story of an unexpected problem you’ve faced along the way?
I would say one of the most unexpected problems I’ve faced, is getting support from the people I desperately wanted to support me. When I started Essential Discourse Podcast, I expected my loved ones, friends, and other people close to me to be the ones who would not only support my efforts and work, but also provide me with encourage me along this journey. Unfortunately, that has not happened at the level I expected. As a result, I’ve had to get over that disappointment and frustration to keep my vision and the purpose that was birthed at the forefront of my mind.
Many harsh and painful truths about people, their value for me, and my over estimated view of that value have been revealed. These were essential lessons I had to learn in order to grow and mature.
Bruce, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I am a 70’s baby. I am a native of the great state of Louisiana. I am a graduate of Northwestern State University located in Natchitoches Louisiana. While attending college, I obtain membership in the great fraternal brotherhood in the world, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.
I have been married to my wife for nearly 23 years. We have been blessed to be assigned stewardship of 5 wonderful and unique individuals along this journey. I am a U.S. Military Veteran and former police officer. I am currently a substitute instructor at a local middle school.
Of all the things I have been blessed to accomplish and be, I am most proud of the fact that I am a child, servant, and disciple of Christ.
I ventured into podcasting out of my passion for connecting with people and serving those same people. While exploring the means I could engage this audience, I quickly realized that there was no shortage of foolishness within our culture and society, particularly on social media. In fact, I could not locate a platform that spoke with people on the foundation of TRUTH that also offered Adomishment, Caution, and Encouragement without first condemning. So, I created my own platform through a podcast named, Essential Discourse With Bruce Smith.
As I stated earlier, everything I say on the podcast stands on the foundation of The Truth. Not my truth, but The Truth. The principles that guild my interviews with guests and my solo sessions are that the content be Relevant, Restorative, Reasonable, and Reliable.
The overall goal is to equip, enlighten, and encourage listeners with both fact and faith-based information so they can become better people holistically. By questioning tradition, speaking on taboo subjects, and asking confrontational questions, this podcast eliminates the excuse of being ignorant.
I am most proud of the co-laboring relationships with therapists, insurance agents, disk jockeys, journalists, and others I have had the pleasure of not only interviewing, working with, and or consulting along the way. I am proud of the reciprocal seeds that have been either planted, watered, or harvested as a result of the sharing of TRUTH.
It is my desire that every would-be listener hears at least one thing that resonates within and inspires them, rekindles their hope, and invigorates their faith in God, in themselves, and in all people, they come in contact with. I also desire the same for myself through the fruitful engagement of this community that is been built.
What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?
Most independent creators do not have the huge production, marketing, and advertising dollars that corporately sponsored shows/hosts have. Most independent creators can not obtain access to celebrity guests out of the starting gate. Most independent creators do not have a team of social media experts posting content for them or responding to the engagements they receive. The audiences that the independent creators serve must first understand that we are completing in a game that is designed to choke us out. Exposure of our content is oftentimes limited on social media to would-be customers through tactics like shadow banning, bias algorithms, and etc.
Organic growth, while still possible, is closer to being a thing of the past than it is to the way forward to creating, maintaining, and growing communities centered around independent content from independent creators. Honestly, every person who comes across independent creators and cor content has the ability to reverse this trend by simply doing 4 simple things.
1. Like the content if you in fact…like the content.
2. Comment on the comment you just liked_be honest. (In fact, if you didn’t like the content provide the creator with that feedback so that he/she can at least have some idea as to why this content isn’t doing well).
3. Follow the creator of the content.
4. Share the content on your social page, within your social media groups, and “Word of Mouth Advertising”.
If the consumers of independent content would be intentional about these four aforementioned things, every time, this would be a huge assist in leveling the odds for our content gaining new exposure to new people as a result of our product being introduced into your networks.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
Making a positive impact on a person’s life. Helping someone to gain confidence, helping empower someone, helping someone decide to partake in sincere self-assessment/reflection, and helping someone see the beauty within the process of becoming something/someone greater is the most rewarding aspect of being a servant creator.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.edpshow.com
- Instagram: @BruceDaTruth2
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BruceDaTruth2
- Twitter: @BruceDaTruth
- Youtube: @EDPMEDIA
- Other: email: [email protected] TikTok: @BruceDaTruth2 Twitter: @BruceDaTruth2