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

Oscar, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

The idea came to me when I decided to repair one of my broken typewriters. I brushed it, cleaned and tested the new ink ribbon, and then I wrote myself a poem just to see how the machine was now working. I realized I had written myself a love note. Something that spoke to me about the things I was feeling at the moment. The typewritten note reassured me I was going to be all right. I read it, smiled, and thought to myself, “Wouldn’t it be nice to write these kindness poems to random strangers?” The rest is history.

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 background and context?

My name is Oscar Fuentes, and I am also known as The Biscayne Poet. My artist name comes from Biscayne Bay, an area in Miami where I have lived and developed my artistic career since the mid-90s. I’ve fallen in and out of love with Miami through the years, and today, the city, the Boulevard, and the Bay are the reoccurring locations for my stories and poems. I drive around in a ‘74 Dodge Dart and I keep the trunk full of typewriters. I provide custom-made typewritten poetry. If you give me your name, plus three words that describe how you feel or how you want to feel, I will type you a poem on the spot.

What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?

After I typed myself that kindness poem many years ago, I set out to try out my idea of writing improvisational poems to random strangers in my community. At first, the side hustle started covering costs for parking, gas, and the inspirational beer, all in the spirit of Buskering for mass crowds for the sake of kindness and poetry. Surely, someone is in dire need of some kind words typewritten just for them. After a couple of years Buskering, the poetry, gathering good data, and practice on how to minimize irreparable typos, I realized I had entered a new performance art experience. I realized I was right from day one, everyone loves a kindness poem, a note to remind them how beautiful they are, a note that reassures them, that forgives them, that says I love you that way you are. Today, The Biscayne Poet is all about experiential marketing and allowing all my clients to experience my brand. By including their name and considering their three personal words, my clients get to take home a typewritten bespoke poem, resonating true, and driving The Biscayne Poet’s brand to the heart of the matter.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Someone once said that when you have a good reputation you do not need to spend a fortune on marketing. I know that no matter the event I am working in, or the crowd (big or small) I am writing for, I know that I need to be accountable for the words I write and for the way I present myself as a professional artist. There is only one Biscayne Poet, and Miami can also be a small town where everyone knows who is who. For this reason, I do my best to write the most honest custom poems for my clients because I know there is a chance, they will get posted on social media for the world to see. Reputation is not ephemeral; it is more than just a paper trail letting people know you were there. For me it is to hold myself accountable for the way I represent my brand, which is my name, which is my legacy.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.thebiscaynepoet.com
• Instagram: @thebiscaynepoet
• Linkedin: Oscar Fuentes
• Twitter: @thebiscaynepoet
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChfI7bvldcwY_4c43dBhpSA

Image Credits
MORGAN SOPHIA PHOTOGRAPHY