Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Carlos Garcia. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Carlos , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

I used to think that I needed to play it safe in life. That the only way to thrive in this world was to get a college degree, find an entry level job and then creating a stable life, for my family and I. I believed so much that playing it safe led to stability, that I took out thousands in student loans to get there.

That chase for stability brought me from Baltimore, MD to New York City. Where I found a paid internship in the Public Relations field, that later led to a full time position. I remember feeling so excited that I was on my way to succeed, in a safe job that could provide for my family.

While I found that I was good at that job, I often found myself wondering if that was all what my life was supposed to be. I wondered if it was normal to work long hours in a cubicle and having a feeling inside that I could be doing more. I felt so unfulfilled with my life that I really wanted to find more. It was then that I stumbled upon a speech that changed my life.

The year was 2014 and I found a speech on YouTube made by my comedy hero, Jim Carrey, as he spoke to the graduating class at the MIU 2014 commencement ceremony.

Since I was a child, Jim Carrey had always been an inspiration to me. I remember laughing hysterically at films like The Mask, Dumb and Dumber and Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and trying to emulate everything about his characters. I remember wishing I could pursue his path to entertain. But always coming back to feeling like it was unattainable to me. I should just play it safe because I could never be like Jim Carrey… Could I?

It was in this speech that Jim Carrey shared the story of his father. A man that could have also been a famous comedian but chose to play it safe for his family, and became an accountant. However, after many years at his job, his father was laid off and his family had to struggle for years to get by. He told the students that playing it safe was not always going to lead to stability. And that he was a living example of someone who asked the universe for more and got it. He also told the graduates not to be afraid to do the same.

Immediately after hearing that speech, I decided to ask the universe for more. And I began on working on finding a way to pursue and achieve my dreams. I was going to become an actor and stand up comedian.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I started in the entertainment industry after feeling let down by my “safe” job in Public Relations. PR is a great industry but I honestly felt like I wanted more. I wanted to be the best entertainer I could and I told myself that nothing would stop me from pursuing my dreams.

Ironically, it was my boss, at the time, at my PR firm that put me in touch with a friend of his. It was this friend who would introduce me to my acting coach. I then began taking acting classes in 2015, at The Studio with Brad Calcaterra, as well as writing material for my first open mic. From then on there was no turning back.

To think that this was 8 years ago seems crazy to me. Today I have been featured on MTV, the E! Network, HuffPost, The Beavis and Butthead Show, Amazon Prime and the Discovery Channel. I have also gotten to perform in many different cities around the country and was part of the Baltimore Comedy Festival and the Vermont Comedy Festival. I also have produced a fantastic comedy show in New York City, since 2016, called THE Greatest Comedy Show of ALL Time. And my podcast, the FratChat Podcast, is part of the Bleav Network/Cumulus Media and has been featured on Amazon Music Canada’s Hidden Gems List. While I am still ways away from achieving everything I want in this business. If you told me that I would do all of these things, back in 2015, I might have laughed. But here we are.

I think the quality that I possess, that makes me most proud of, is that I never give up on my dreams. I am also a very positive person. Often trying to find the light in a situation during dark times. I’ve found that these qualities are very useful in an industry often filled with rejection and uncertainty. Because it’s not all glamour in entertainment. It takes long hours, consistency, determination, a lot of trial and error and a TON of rejection to find your way.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I think some of the hardest times in my entertainment journey came about 2 years after I decided to start focusing on acting and stand up full time.

My savings had dried up, after the first 6 months, and I quickly realized that this dream would be WAY more difficult than I anticipated. Fast forward to the holidays and there were times when I had to choose whether to pay a bill or eat. And forget presents. I was struggling just to afford a bus ticket to visit my family. That is the closest I have ever come to quitting on my dreams.

I was broke, sad and feeling like the biggest failure in the world. How could I possibly have left a secure career to chase my silly dreams? Had I thrown away a perfectly safe job for a hopeless plan? Normally, I would have agreed with my negative thoughts and tried to find a way to get back to my old career. But then I checked my mailbox.

Inside was a check for an old acting job I had done. The check was just enough to cover my bus ticket home, the electric bill and some presents for my family. I knew right then and there that it was a sign from the universe to keep going.

Fast forward to today and I have built a pretty impressive resume for myself. While I am still nowhere near where I want to be, this journey has brought so many positives to my life that I could never imagine quitting. I also can’t wait to see where it takes me in the future.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I would like to be able to reach a level of fame and fortune where I could 1) help ensure that my family never needs anything again. And 2) work with some of the charities I love, like St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, the Make-a-Wish Foundation, and Shriner’s Children’s. I would love to be able to help children and families in need, whether it be financially or by providing moral support with appearances, events, etc.

I would love to be the type of entertainer that uses their status for good. Like a Venezuelan version of John Cena… But shorter, not as muscular, way more body hair, etc.      

Contact Info:

• Instagram: http://instagram.com/carlosdoestheworld
• Facebook: http://facebook.com/carlosdoestheworld
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlos-guillermo-garcia-107126163/
• Twitter: http://twitter.com/carlosdoesworld
• Youtube: http://youtube.com/@carlosdoestheworld
• Other: Listen to my podcast, the FratChat Podcast, on your favorite podcast provider or the Bleav Network via https://bleav.com/shows/fratchat/
• TikTok: http://tiktok.com/@carlosdoestheworld