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

Alright, Charles thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

As cliche as it sounds I always knew I wanted to pursue being a content creator. As a young child growing up I always took my action figures and made movies with them, with a score (Music) to go with it. I did the same with my wrestling figures I would get in a creative space and make wrestling shows and create storylines so you can say I have always had a creative mind. However, as I got older I wasn’t in that creative space anymore it was not until I enrolled in college and switched my major from Computer and Electronics Technology to Communication & Media Arts. Once I got in that program I felt back at home, I remember me and my friends spoke about doing podcasting and with being in that program it gave me the push I needed to start up the various podcast I have created, produced and hosted. Now I am in the process of starting my own media company. I have been told by various people that I am a visionary when it comes to content creating.

Charles, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am from Buffalo, NY born and raised I recently graduated from The State University of New York College at Buffalo (Buffalo State) with my Bachelor’s degree in Media Production, proud member of Lambda Pi Eta (Rho Psi Chapter) of the National Communication Association Honor Society serviced as Vice President there was also apart of the BSC-TV which is the college television network through the campus I serviced there as the equipment manager. I have worked on the set of Broadcasting Buffalo a local television show that aired every Saturday evening. I am also the general manager for a local media company studio in Buffalo “Crews Control Media” which is owned by Jamil Crews. I am also in the working stages of starting up my own media company as I stated before I have hosted various podcast: “Everyday Brothers, Views From the 2, Royal Club Wrestling Podcast and So, In The Mean Time” two of those podcast are still currently going (Royal Club Wrestling and So, In The Mean Time). I am a producer, editor, sound engineer you can basically say I am a jack of all trades when it comes to the media world.

I have always wanted to be in the media world, when I was a teenager I wanted to start up my own record label. I wanted to be the new Roc-A-Fella Records but I realized that the music business was not what I truly wanted to do. I wanted to create content whether it was documentaries, television shows, movies, podcasting I wanted to create it. I got into school found my calling and I have not looked back ever since.

I also service as a podcast consultant I help people start up their podcast, with podcasting being so popular a lot of people do not know where to start. I sit down with people and hear them out and guide them through the process. If they ask for my assist in producing and editing their podcast I will do that.

I am most proud of fulfilling my promise I made not only to my mother, daughter and my brother but myself which was graduating from college and not only graduating from college but with honors as well. As a child growing up a teacher once told me that I would not amount to nothing which prevented me from ever wanting to achieve anything. Enrolling into school was very challenging but I overcame it.

It is hard to say what sets me apart from others, people say I am very humble (Some may say I am too humble) but everyone around me says I have a gift. I draw people in with my presence. My content, it is raw, funny at times but overall transparent. So if I had to say that is what sets me apart from others.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

My road to getting my degree was an interesting journey. I entered into college as a nontraditional student I am 36 years old now I enrolled when I was 31. My reason for enrolling into school was because I was tired of working the typical 9-5 job. I remember being at my job at the time and just having a breakdown, I went in my car just broke down. I spoke with my mother and my brother and my mother told me “It was time” I needed to take on this challenge and get my degree. That weekend I sat with my brother and he helped me with my application and I enrolled for the 2017-2018 semester at SUNY Erie (Erie Community College). As I started that fall semester under the Computer and Electronics Technology I slowly started to question if college was it for me. I was struggling with the classes and being a single father and the stress that comes with that alongside my own personal life and work on top of that it was taking a toll on me. I remember it was Thanksgiving week right before our break and one of the professor (David Bradshaw) sat with me in a lab after class to help me with something I was struggling with and he told me flat out if I did not get this I would fail and he asked me is this something I wanted to do? He told me to go home and practice on what we was doing. I remember sitting in my room on the floor practicing and getting more and more frustrated, I found a career service paper with a link to the website to take their survey to see what career is best suited for me. Once I completed it everything was pointing in the direction of media so I spoke with my advisor and switched majors to communication and media arts. Once I got in that program (I know I have said this numerous time in this interview) but it felt like home. I began to see myself excel and soon after that I was making the Dean’s List was apart of the Honor Society there and then after graduating I transfer to Buffalo State.

The first year at Buffalo State was very tiring due to the pandemic, I am a learner that needs to be around like minded people. Doing virtual learning was very stressful for me because I need to be in the environment I need to be in a classroom because I can focus more and I am not easily distracted by outside things. It sucked that I only had one year on campus which was my senior year but I made the best out of it, but I would say that battling the stress of life, parenthood, adulthood and school all while maintaining a high GPA average definitely goes a long way.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I want to make a media company that is family based, we have all heard the line that you should not do business with family. As a black man I want to prove to the world that you can have a successful business and have family involved. My family is very talented and gifted and I want to be able to showcase them in a positive light. I want to pass this legacy onto to my daughter and continue to the traditional. I want to build generational wealth for my family.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sointhemeantime_pod/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InnerChi824
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-gilbert-856032138/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/InnerChi_52
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbOikfspNOFLjtV9pv8PaOg

Image Credits
Charles Nagel Jr.