We were lucky to catch up with Lonnie Stark recently and have shared our conversation below.

Lonnie, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. 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.

Well, I just got back from Dreamcon, an anime and gaming convention hosted by one of the most popular internet groups, RDCWorld. Almost every creator goes every year and there’s an infinite amount of activities to partake in. With that comes lots of opportunity to get in the door if you aren’t well connected. A lot of times that involves taking some type of risk or doing something risky that can put you in the position you need to gain footing in the game. Me personally, I like doing things that no one else thinks of and doing things that everyone else is doing but 10x better. I put all the skills I’ve garnered over the years creating content and building things, as well as entertaining, to use in creative ways. This year, I decided to build an Iron Man suit to support my namesake and get some eyes on me and the group. We went equipped with an IRL stream backpack and some hope and ended up getting some great footage as well as making some great connections for the future. Long story short, we’re in the door.

Lonnie, 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 am an all around creator, a jack of all trades. I’m this universe’s Mr Stark. I have a lot of confidence in myself and my group, DMG, because we bring far more to the table than the average creators. Speaking for myself, I can do anything from music to PC building to dance and on. Everything in between. If I don’t know how to do it, I will figure out how to do it in record time. My most recent example being the Iron Man suit I mentioned. I had never done any major 3d printing or painting before this. I managed to complete half of the suit for a partial look in 2 weeks before the convention somehow. I didn’t know if I was going to make it but I wanted to perservere because I knew it would pay off in the long run. That’s what I’m all about and that’s what DMG is all about. Never giving up and inspiring passion. We aim to bring out the full potential of any creator we work with so we provide services where upgrades can be made and efficiency can be increased.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding part for me is seeing the smiles we bring to people’s faces. It’s honestly one of the best feelings I’ve ever felt. Making someone’s day, week, month, or even changing their lives is what true joy and happiness feel like.

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

My current situation is probably best to portray the answer to this question properly. Currently, I am unemployed due to layoff. Despite my accolades, experience, and drive I have been unable to secure a new position. This directly affects my access to my epilepsy medication. Without my medication suppressing my seizures, I run the risk of having one at any point during the day or night with varying levels of intensity. I have at least 2-3 seizures a day so I cannot drive myself anywhere due to my medical restriction. I cannot see my doctor without insurance because I cannot afford to pay out of pocket. I have 3 children and they need me so despite everything I mentioned before, I continue to push every day regardless of how I am feeling because no one will fight for them when I am gone. I will never give up as long as it takes. I will make sure my family before and after me are taken care of in the event I end up leaving this earth before them. I know it’s morbid to say, but it’s a real possibility that could happen and frankly does happen more often than not with this type of disability. That specifically is part of why I do what I do and why I take it so seriously.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrstarkitsperfect/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ogcartigang
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lonnie-st-junior-ii-b0642b254/
• Twitter: https://x.com/LonnieStarkInd
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@lonniestark
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/lonnie-stark-774041058
• Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lonniestarktwitch