Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Brittnai Person Walton. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Brittnai Person, thanks for joining us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.
2022 was the year of transition for me. I entered the year as an engaged, single mother, who was thriving as the Director of Commerical and Lifestyle print of a prominent Atlanta talent agency. I also started the year with a nagging feeling that I was about to experience a huge shift in life. I was no longer happy at my job and I was starting to experience extreme frustration and burnout. I leaned heavily into my faith, my bi-weekly therapy sessions, and a book … really more of a spiritual guide called The Artist’s way. These 3 things got me through some of the toughest decisions I have ever made. I was also dealing with a pending wedding and a potential move to a new state where my fiance accepted an incredible opportunity in his career.
The risk… giving it all up, everything I created for myself and my daughter. Security… stability. . By early spring of 2022, I was pretty sure I was going to resign from my job and move me and my daughter out of state and start all over. And I did, I took the leap, I let it all go. I grieved, I mourned my old life. I wondered did I make a mistake but by the fall, I was married and settled into the idea of really taking the time to let God move and place the next opportunity in front of me.
Right around New Year, I felt the call to fast from social media for 3 months (and alcohol too). Another HUGE risk, I was just beginning to see some movement in my social media influencing career with over 25k followers across all major platforms, and after receiving my first check, too fast from social media was… stupid to say the least.
Well, I did it. I walked about, I put my phone down and I am (still) in the middle of the fast… and guess what? In January I started a new Youtube channel @BrittReacts. It’s a music reaction channel and in 5 weeks, I have a fully monetized channel, with over 40,ooo subscribers. I have a channel valuation of over $250,000 and my first Youtube check was more than what I made monthly as a Director at an agency and my second is set to be almost triple that salary.
One small risk turned into more risks, which turned into the largest opportunity I have had thus far. Discipline brings freedom and on the other side of that fear… is where you are most free!
Brittnai Person, 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’ve been a creative my entire life. I come from a creative. My mother was a professional dancer and model, and you guessed it… so was I! I grew up dancing and have been on stage with some of music’s most-known names, in music videos, and on reality tv all because of dance. I transition into teaching dance after moving to NYC in my early 20s. I taught in studios from Time Square to Long Island. I moved back to Atlanta after having my daughter in 2014 and taught dance at a Buckhead studio. This is where I met my talent agent. I was her daughter’s “favorite” dance teacher and she felt my daughter and I had a great commercial look. The rest is history. I signed with the agency and has some small successes, I booked my first national commercial and my daughter even began to appear in campaigns. By 2019, I was a single mom making less than 20k a year as a dance teacher and living off every type of government assistance, and working 3 jobs. In the spring of 2019, at the studio’s dance recital, I asked my agent if she needed any help at the agency. The rest is history AGAIN. I became a talent agent at my agency and within a year in a half, was promoted to the Director of commercials and lifestyle print. I was in charge of talent booking, relations, client communications, on-set talent management, and more. I was climbing the ladder and becoming pretty well-known in the industry as a force to be reckoned with. I was also teaching workshops for parents and talent of all ages on how to succeed in the industry and offering my vast knowledge was my passion.
I left that job in the spring of 2022 to pursue full-time content creation and influence after experiencing extreme burnout and overall unhappiness in my job. I was beginning to see success with brand partnerships in the summer on TikTok and Instagram after a few months of dedication. I was sharing lifestyle content in an authentic, truthful, and humorous way and really enjoying it. But my break came just this year in January. I decided to start a new YouTube channel, not geared towards lifestyle content or agent advice like my previous channel but instead, I created a music reaction channel. I organically react to music I have never seen or heard before for my over 40,000 (and rapidly growing) subscribers. I have built an incredible community of people who love music the way I do and my channel is on track to bring in 6 figures but the end of the year. I add value to artists’ work with my commentary and I love it! I am most proud on the days when I wake up to comments telling me how I have made people’s day, or how much I inspire them. I get to be myself and share music’s positive impact on me, with others. It’s my dream job!
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
THE ARTIST’S WAY!!! This book is a spiritual guide to reigniting your creative self. It is a 12-week course. You have weekly readings and tasks that help you tap into your inner child, your inner artist. The assignments guide you through censors (the things in your head stopping you) and it is single handily the ONE THING I credit to reigniting my courage. The courage to leave what looked like the perfect life behind and start all over again, and be a full-time creative and not a slave to my 50-80 hour a week job. I scream about this book from the mountaintops. I’m actually going through the 12-week process again right now! It’s such a good way to start your year and in 3 months, if you have done the journey step by step, it will be impossible not to see and feel a change!
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
Financial freedom and generational wealth for my child and her children’s children. Actually, freedom financially and emotionally, with my health, and my time. These 4 points of freedom fuel me every single day to film and edit 20-30 videos for my youtube channel.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @BrittReactsChannel
- Facebook: @BrittReacts
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@brittreacts/featured
- Other: TikTok @BrittReactsChannel
Image Credits
Rasaan Wyzard Rebekah Crowley Brandon Bell