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

Matthew , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

I am a digital ninja. I live my life with technology at my side, and crave the constant influx of future technology and it’s potential impact. Having this desire at my side, I knew my creative vision and eye for small form content creation would be unmatched, I am a unicorn in the world of photography and videography, living an active life with a disability known as Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. Having a disability is my super power. It has allowed me the time desperately needed to learn and play. As an adult, I have realized time and energy towards a hobby act as a anesthetic towards life, and I could create at my own pace. This change in mental energy and strength towards my passions allowed me to make the leap and transition into a full time content creator. This path in life came with risk, but over time, the technology became my destiny, and allowed my strength to shine through and adapt and create a full production studio. This space has allowed me the time to take online courses, delve deep into research and implement new things on each of the projects that I have been part of both past and present. Learning the craft of being a content creator has allowed me to learn the repurpose of content in the right light, and make impact on the message of hope, energy, and happiness that I express in each of the projects I create in my craft.

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 always begin with the thought of what a digital ninja and entrepreneur truly means. How do these 2 things define me, and what is needed to press and push through barriers of content creation and staying relevant and on brand and message to my social media channels and life story. Switching to third person provides a better bio on myself, and explains who “Matt” truly is.

Matt is a resilient Complex Regional Pain Syndrome warrior and testicular cancer survivor who has turned his passions around content creation and videography into a career as an entrepreneur. Originally, Matt broke his fifth metatarsal in a hockey game, and over the progression of 15 months, suffered ongoing deterioration due to the lack of diagnosis and challenges in access of certain treatments. With focus, determination, and a personal story that includes both chronic pain and cancer, Matt has become a mental health, chronic pain, and cannabis advocate who also helps educate on life as an ambulatory wheelchair user. He is passionate about changing the conversation around CRPS and life with chronic pain, and improving the research required to improve the scientific understanding of this neurological central nervous system syndrome.

Have you ever had to pivot?

My life was drastically changed at the age of 33 with a life altering disability diagnosis of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. Breaking my foot changed my life. I was young, at the top of my game, and on a path of executive leadership. I had everything, but I took advantage of the fact that I was “untouchable”. I lived life hard and fast, and worked 80+ hours a week, wrapped deeply and passionately towards my career. I never expected to wake up one day sick and never get better again. It change everything about you, your character and what defines and pushes you towards your destiny. It alters and causes so much deep chaos, without answers. Receiving this diagnosis was a moment where life could lead towards a bedridden diagnosis, or I could begin to live my life as an advocate for my rare diagnosis. I energetically began to find community, contacts, and conversation related to the positivity that a devasting diagnosis can cause. CRPS had me slowly adopt the persona of “aguywithcrps” on social media channels, and this was at a a point where my disability controller everything about my life. As I grew, adopted, and changed my path to lead a life with CRPS at my side, “throughthelensofawarrior” rose from the ashes. My content creation changed. I became a person of strength, information and intellect towards this often misunderstood diagnosis. This change in path to live my life with CRPS at my side was an instrumental moment, and to this day acts still as a catalyst and conversation to drive others forward past their diagnosis.

How did you build your audience on social media?

My story of social media, and my audience is driven based on three principles. 1) create informative content 2) create fun content 3) create and show life behind the lens (show off every aspect of my life, good or bad). These 3 principles are part of a larger umbrella of social media planning and presence. A lot of time spent consuming social media is actually to find trends, differentiation, and my social voice. Each post is planned creatively, and I always ensure to add some form of content that puts my creative stamp on each content piece created either short or long form. Part of this process was learning how technology integrates into my vision, and if there is 1 learning moment, let it be this. It is ok to film the same piece 42 times, until you have it correct. It can’t be a point that holds you back. Finding your voice and community comes directly from the content you share, and what pieces you advocate for. Learning the use of effective hashtags in your content is also key, and allows a key to light the fire needed on content. It is ok to plateau, and you will. The algorithms built into social media are a thing of chance, but with consistency, a clear path develops and reviewing analytics is key. It is ok to try and play with ideas. You can’t be afraid to show your real self.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.throughthelensofawarrior.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stories/throughthelensofawarrior/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100065315753436
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wseglcanada/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/WseglC
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS7HAAievdDbNssM5gqhqww
• Other: https://www.linktr.ee/wseglcanada

Image Credits
@throughthelensofawarrior Matthew Brown – Through The Lens of a Warrior