We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Fabian Mandujano a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Fabian, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

I would say that I haven’t had the best relationship with my father. Like most people my parents have been dealing with their own struggles and insecurities trying to survive in a country that wasn’t theirs. The time I remember spending with my father was when he would take me to work installing carpet at a young age. My father would tell me stories about his childhood growing up in Mexico. He would tell me how his father would take him to work the corn fields. Those stories gave me a glimpse into my fathers life. I filled in the gaps with my imagination and no matter where our relationship went those stories taught me to relate. I’ve never been the tallest, fastest, smartest or most connected person. I tell stories and listen to them to break barriers. I developed a love of stories and persuading people to drop their guard for a second and see how the world has more. Nothing is black and white. I began to develop my way of viewing the world and no matter how different we are, we can always connect over a good story.

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?

Just a heads up this might go dark pretty fast but just hang in there. I can’t tell you that I got into the film industry through film school or a film festival but through church. I became the go to guy about all things creative. I made graphics, websites, videos and took photos. You name it I did it. I just enjoyed making things. However I didn’t always go to church. I grew up in spring branch in the 90s, which was known for gang violence. In middle school we moved to the Northwest side of Houston. I got involved with selling drugs like a lot of my friends. I sold drugs to try and get out of poverty. At age 13 I was selling cocaine to a kid in my neighborhood when he invited me and my crew to play basketball. My friends and I pull up and next thing you know right at 7pm they shut the doors and turn off the lights. They start hearding us to a room upstairs. It was the weirdest thing I ever experienced. I’m this Mexican kid from the hood with my hoodlum friends at a church. My life took a different direction that night and I began unintentionally losing all my old friends. Years later my friend were going to prison while I was getting hired at church to tell stories. I fell in love with telling stories about people that are out of place or abandoned. Longer story short that’s how I got into the film industry. My company does a few things for a few people. We help caused based brands & business tell their story in a way that helps them be seen, felt & found. We help make an emotional connection that coincidentally makes an impact & a profit.

What I really enjoy doing more than implantation is doing strategy. Often business spend a lot of money and time trying different things but strategy is a way of realizing where you need to go and what you need to do before you get there. Strategy helps you nail down your why. On the other side we also provide implementation with a focus on video products. We do commercials, social ads, documentaries and more.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

When I was thirteen we use to live in on the last street of a neighborhood that had a Stop n Go corner store. It was at least an hour walk if you wanted to get anything. My mother went to this store religiously. One night we were on the way back from the Stop N Go when we got into a huge argument. She told me that one day I would end up like my brother, a nobody and like my sister, a druggie. I looked at her and I smiled and told her that one day I would prove her wrong. The biggest lie I’ve believed in business and in my personal life has been that I am not enough and I won’t ever be able to make it. I struggled for the longest in believing in my self. After a lot of therapy and my amazing friends and family I now believe that I am enough. We are not what they say we are. Our words have power and we need to excursive that power.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

Resources that I have found very helpful have been anything the Futur produces is worth millions. Books that have impacted me on a personal level is The Body Keeps the Score, Atomic Habits and anything Dr. Henry Cloud writes and Principles by Ray Dalio. On the business side I’ve recently been challenge by Win without Pitching Manifesto, The Dip by Seth Godin.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.storygroup.me
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/storygroup.me?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVRKHoxWy9G40XKk7VA0WSQ/featured

Image Credits
Gus Ruiz Daniel Arizpe