Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Courtney Roberson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Courtney, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear the story of how you went from this being just an idea to making it into something real.
In 2020 I went to Texas Southern University for Marketing- hated it. I was like I could have Googled this. Granted, I lived off campus so that’s probably a big reason why. I told my dad, and he was like ‘Well if you don’t want to be here then just take some time off and go work- no use of wasting more money.”
So I did.
Through a year and some change I worked at so many places y’all. I eventually landed at Hooters as a Hooters Girls in August of 2021 after splurging on my birthday and needing a job to pay off DEBT (don’t be like me, but I don’t regret it). After about 6 months, I started looking around at my surroundings. Then I started looking at my friends and other people on social media, Literally night and day. The people on social media were on their shit. Getting dope gigs with household name brands, graduating college early, going on international vacations, networking with celebrities and industry movers, doing dope photoshoots, having fun with people who share their interests, and creating art while I’m dropping off fried pickles in my little orange shorts.
I noticed the people around me weren’t doing much. Nobody except a few girls were working towards their exit plan. No shade, but I literally got scared at one point because I saw a glimpse of my future if I didn’t get a move on with some type of direction outside of waitressing. During the pandemic, I dabbled in social media management for a few small businesses but it flopped because I was new to the job and literally 19. I still knew I could do it, so I started searching for internships despite not being in school at the time. PRO TIP: Embellish!
Now we’re in the end of October. I got rejected time after time, and the final nail in the coffin for my feelings was getting rejected from an internship with a popular hospitality group in Houston. I wanted it sooo bad because they’re so connected to the entertainment industry and I knew I could learn so much from them. I wasn’t surprised because tbh I worked for one of their restaurants and got fired for being a terrible waitress 😭 So it’s fine, but I was still super triggered.
All of these thoughts start swirling through my head for about a week. What am I going to do? Why would I stop going to school? Why don’t I have my shit together? My ducks are NOT in a row.. in fact they’re behaving quite unpredictably! How are all of these other girls my age and younger getting to it, and I can’t even land a funky ass internship??
This is how the concept for first episode of The Blo Up Podcast was born. #LifeIsHard. I’d been watching Pour Minds that whole summer and was semi-interested in starting my own podcast. I just didn’t know what I would talk about until this moment. I googled how to start a podcast, and I realized that some service I used for a marketing class project at TXSU called Spotify for Podcasters (at the time was called Anchor), could also be used to host and distribute my pod. I ordered a pink $3 tiny mic from Amazon and got to it the next day. I wrote out an outline in my journal, and attempted to record this episode 5 times. Mind you, I don’t have a studio chile. I’m rotating around my car, my bed, my closet, and my backyard trying to find the right vibe. I was stuttering, nervous that I wasn’t making sense, and everything else.
Eventually I settled on driving out to the beach and recording in my car the next day after a Hooters shift. I recorded an hour long episode straight through with no cuts, Just going in about how behind I felt, and how much pressure I felt from what I saw on the Internet + my parents. It literally became my audio diary. It wasn’t perfect at all, but it was DONE and I knew it was powerful.
Nobody knew I was doing this, it was literally an idea I had that just came to my mind one day, and I acted on it within a 3 day time span. November 1st I made an Instagram page (@theblo.up) for The Blo Up Podcast the day I decided I was going to start it before I even made the episode. The next day I made a post announcing that I was starting this project on a nostalgic reel, and it didn’t get new much traction. I don’t think people thought I was fr. I dropped the promo post the day before, and the girls started getting excited! I promoted some more I my story. The day the episode drops on November 7th, I watched it upload and went about my business on my Hooters shift. By the time I got on my phone again, my notifications were drencheddd.
The girls were showing me so much love! I had already gotten 60 listens in 3 hours, like zont play with me! I got messages from old friends, ex-friends, people I only know from social media, and close friends about how much they loved the podcast. How much they could relate! I got this minute long voice message from my friend who designs @themiragelabel about how much she loved the message I was giving. Imagine me sitting in the freezer of Hooters crying, That’s when I knew I had something.
My setup wasn’t ideal. It was $3. But I was still able to produce the content. I shocked myself. I’m such a critic of myself, and I want everything to be perfect so I really struggled putting that episode out knowing it wasn’t top notch quality. BUT, I felt this calling that was like, just keep going this is what you’re supposed to be doing. The rest will come, So I did. I released episodes every Sunday. They were late sometimes but I got them mfs up! The listens slowed a bit as time went on, but I didn’t car because I knew I was building my catalogue and ultimately honing my craft. It could be 2 people listening and I’m still going to keep talking like it’s 200.
Now in 2023, The Blo Up Podcast is 3 seasons, 4 microphone upgrades, 1 IRL event, and 3.7k listens deep. I let the course of my interest, passion, and seriousness determine when it was time to upgrade from my $3 mic to my $20 mic, to my $60 mics to my $100 mics. All Glory to God, I’ll be filming and recording the rest of season 3 in WTFMedia Studios! We came live from the gutter with it fasho!
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?
I didn’t know how I wanted to be famous, rich, and international but I just knew that by 30 that’s how I want to describe myself. I’ve always been into entertainment, so it’s not a surprise to me that I’m entering the media world now. My entire wheelhouse of skills include being a media personality, social media director, creative marketing producer for the fashion, entertainment, and cannabis industries. I produce and host my podcast The Blo Up Podcast, the show by a creator for creators transparency documenting the real, raw truths that come with the journey to “blowing up” and growing up at the same time. I also produce and manage social media content for businesses who need help establishing themselves online or thinking of creative ways to identify their brand/products amongst all the noise. That intertwines with my role as a producer of creative marketing strategies for experiential brand activations, strategic partnerships, content, and events!
Ever since I was young I was watching movies, going to concerts, and watching TV with my mom. I watched Wendy Williams during the summer, listened to The Breakfast Club and Tom Joyner on the way to school when I missed the bus, and watching Keeping Up With The Kardashians while my mom was at work. I had no idea what I wanted to be as a teenager though, it was still cringy/unrealistic to say you wanted to be famous. I was super savvy with social media, so I knew I could dabble in that direction while I figured it out. I actually took a social media class in high school! Shoutout to Pasadena Memorial High School for providing options like that.
Eventually, after working there for a hot minute and launching the podcast I get fired from Hooters (chillle), and I honestly didn’t care because I was ready to jump into my actual career and feel like that was a distraction. I took this as an opportunity to build a portfolio of work, In December, I was 12 episodes deep. Mind you, I’m researching topics, writing the outlines, producing the episode, picking out the interludes, editing the episodes, recording the episodes, brainstorming social media content, creating the social media content, and writing the copy all by myself. I’ve struggled with identifying myself with a certain title literally up until last week so at this point I was like..sounds like a creative producer to me! So I got back on my internship hunt with this in mind.
200+ applications later. When I tell you nothing was sticking I mean it was DRY. In January by the grace of GOD my mentor Hannah Griffin, now Creative Director Extraordinare of Spanx and Stylist, contacted me about a social media internship for this e-commerce boutique. We spoke, and I truly felt like this was the moment for me to break that barrier from “trying” to be a professional” to BEING a professional. During this internship I learned SO much from Hannah’s and she pumped my confidence to the max. I got to produce social campaigns, events, rollouts, and cute little events! I finally started to acquire more that would establish my portfolio. It was all about getting people to take me serious, so that I could start pitching myself to people as someone who can take their idea from seed to sow.
I’ve been able to make other businesses thousands off of creative solutions, and it’s inspired me to treat my podcast like a business. I’m so excited to really put my foot and all of my investing power into making this show into the first of it’s kind platform for up and coming creatives to see themselves in the true stories told. I want to give everyone who’s serious and guiding and opportunity to show themselves, and build a community of us in real life. The only way to make anybody go, especially coming from Houston’s to rally around each other. I was really hesitant to collar with creators at on home on the podcast because I didn’t have my set up super professional like how it’s going to be in these next episodes, but I feel like now that I know what I’m doing this for it’ll be easier no matter where we’re at.
Some things I’m super proud of:
1.) Interviewing OG Ron C of The Chopstars
2.) Producing my first IRL collective event for The Blo Up Podcast, Fans to Friends: The Official Clear 2 Listening Party for Summer Walker’s latest release.
3.) My portfolio of work brought me to New York! Bloomberg News saw what I was doing, and brought me on to intern with them.
The purpose of my work no matter the medium, but particularly The Blo Up Podcast is to comfort the next generation of creators. Things do not happen overnight. You can be yourself and still make it. Nurture your talents and interests. You will fail, and that’s okay. Do not compare yourself, be authentic to you. This moment is not forever. Before you are a creator, you are a human. I don’t have it all together. I’ve been negative in my bank account many times. I’ve been inconsistent before. I’ve been insecure before. But I still get up and do what needs to be done, because I know every single person I look up to in this industry has been through the same- they just kept going, That experience is what I want to show to my community. Especially young black girls. I want my sisters to see that it’ so possible for us to make our own lane. I’m not rich, my parents don’t know anyone in this industry, this ain’t no nepotism shit- in fact they actually discouraged me from this route. I’m building this all brick by brick, step by step. Hopefully I won’t have to do it all alone for too long, I actually want a strong tight knit team of creators to really kick it off with. I actually produced Fans to Friends with the help of Erika Natalie of Las Amigas Latinas, a PR/Marketing duo from Houston. I 100% believe and see in other successful people that they have solid teams, so be on the lookout NY/HTX for when I make that announcement!
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
My parents did not support this. Whatsoever. They still don’t understand, but now that it’s reaping some results they’re off my back more. They just think it’s all insanity. How crazy could you be to leave school (fully paid for in cash) to waitress and talk on a mic? My mom and dad came from humble, traditional backgrounds in the country of Louisiana and Houston’s 5th Ward, respectively. So all this talk of aspiring to do social media management and podcasts, they’re like chile idk what that is but what I do know is you need to “aspire faster” and get some stability. Ultimately they didn’t believe in this, and I had to fight through that doubt.
When I decided to leave school and join this path of self-discovery , which I felt and know was anointed from God himself, it absolutely caused lots of friction between me and my parents, To them, it looks like I’m just dilly dallying and smoking weed all day, but for me I’m building and creating. I lost a lot of financial support of my parents because of my choice, and I ended up moving out earlier than I honestly intended.
I remember when I was fresh off of deciding to take a break from school, I decided I was going to consider transferring to Clark Atlanta University for Fashion Merchandising and Design. I got accepted, and the only thing to figure out was how I was going to pay for it. I told my dad, and he was like “Well if you go for a year and prove you’re serious I’ll help you. But you need to make that investment first.” So I started thinking about how I could make this move from Houston to Atlanta. I figured I would just take out some loans, and call it a day. I was 19- I didn’t even have credit! So that was out. I brainstorm some more. All I was seeing on my timeline at the point was bottle girls. All of my TXSU classmates were bottle girls. So what did I do? I started DM’ng the hottest lounges and clubs in the city trying to get myself in there to make some money!
Nobody was messing with the vision. First of all, I was literally not the prototype of the girls they want. I’m 138 pounds soaking wet, and just started getting hips at 19. Second off, I had just started venturing into the loop of Houston. But finally, I made my way to the most popular promo group in the city’s casting call. To my surprise, the casting call turned into a night at the club. One thing led to another and I had 3 shots of 1942, idk idk idk. I end up getting back home at 2am. My dad is PISSED. I just want to note that this was before my frontal lobe was more developed.
He was just so confused about why I’m choosing this life to make this fast money, when I could just work at the clinic as a receptionist or be a flight attendant. I didn’t want to be no damn flight attendant! I wanted to be star, but I just didn’t know that quite yet. This snowballed into some time of built up animosity over the fact that I was not choosing a direction that would provide me with normalcy, safety, and stability. While I understand now that my parents wanted me to be able to set myself up for success, all I knew was I wanted to jump into my field of interest. Would it have been easier for me to get here and further if my parents understood? Probably, But it taught me that no matter who doesn’t believe in the vision, you absolutely have to be 10 toes down for it and go anyway. It’s not your job to make people see what God put in you. I still have such a long way to go, but experiencing the journey like this has prepared me for what it might be like 5 years down the line where I might have to ride on an idea on my own because only I have the vision to execute it.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
I definitely had to learn that people don’t owe you anything. Not a thing. I’ve reached out to some people to offer my services or be on the podcast, and I was brushed off, fronted on, and ignored. To this day! I felt (and still do in some ways) feel like if you see someone grinding and reaching out to work, it should be nothing to extend a hand and embrace them. Especially if we’re from the same city! I do think there’s a lot of social politics surrounding creatives supporting each other in Houston, but that’s for another time.
I was definitely in my feelings about it before, but I heard something on another podcast Don’t Call Me White Girl that changed my perspective. Why would Tyler Perry be obligated to come on my podcast? He’s fkn Tyler Perry. He’s done all of this work, and build his platform to this magnitude off the sweat of his back, so why is he obligated to come on my platform that’s like a drop in the pond of his own? Sometimes it doesn’t make logistical sense in the moment, and that’s absolutely okay. It’s nothing personal. Everything will circle back in it’s due time!
Be patient, work with people who want to work with you, and be true.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://open.spotify.com/show/2IBYZ77FmuQmUOvoCxTox3?si=7b941fc3c0974a77
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imcourttoo/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.instagram.com/theblo.up/?hl=en
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtney-roberson-4a27051b4/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/_imcourt
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8zExE0UXZYAVugXAZs4J5w
- Other: watch and listen The Blo Up Podcast every Sunday at 12pm on Youtube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all the other streaming platforms in the world!
Image Credits
Julisa Gilmore