We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Rudy Valentine a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Rudy thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?
My parents instilled Christian values in me and always supported the gifts and talents I displayed as a child, even though sometimes those talents ran contrary to what they may have wanted or hoped for my future.
According to my mother, since I was a toddler, she knew that I was an intellectually bright child. I began recognizing letters and sounds early on, which eventually led to me reading fluently by the time I was three years old. Throughout both my primary and secondary schooling, I continued to excel academically, musically, creatively, and athletically. Upon graduating from high school, I received both a full academic scholarship[, as well as an athletic scholarship in track & field, to attend Grambling State University in Louisiana.
As a freshman, I declared a major in Mass Communication. Broadcasting and Visual Arts had been a field I had been exposed to since the 4th Grade. In my senior year of high school, I interned with one of the local news stations, as well as served as one of the anchors for my high school’s broadcasting department. However, I had also taken all AP core classes throughout high school. In addition, I had taken a few science courses and participated in a medical mentorship program at two of the local colleges. With that said, my parents (and most of the people who knew me growing up) had hopes that I would choose a STEM field in college. When I told my mother my choice, we discussed my reasoning for a few days, but eventually, she supported my decision.
My mother later shared with me that she realized I was choosing a path she had walked away from. She had initially gone to college to major in English and Broadcasting but chose not to pursue the latter. She applauded me for standing firm on what I desired for myself versus conforming strictly to what others expected of me.
Regardless of whether they’ve understood my journey (especially my entrepreneurial pursuits in the field as opposed to a traditional 9-5), my parents have continued to support and believe in my dreams.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
My name is Rudolph Alfonso Valentine, III. I prefer just to be called Rudy. I am the Founder and CEO of GOATGANG Entertainment, LLC. which specializes in providing individualized services such as Content Creation, Emcee Services, Videography and Editing, and Production for the events of individuals, organizations, and entrepreneurs. My aim is to produce captivating experiences that leave a lasting impact on attendees. As RudyDaGOAT, my stage name, my goal is to provide bring an energy and style that resonates with audiences and helps boost either engagement or brand recognition for the clients.
In addition to my business, I am also an author. Recently, my mother and I co-authored the new children’s book endearingly entitled Rudy the Smart Kid – The Gifted Boy Who Believes He Can Do Anything.
As the title suggests, Rudy the Smart Kid is based on the adventures of my life as a young, adventurous, and inquisitive child. Our goal in sharing these stories is to provide representation for young black and brown boys in literature and to encourage them to embrace their unique talents, particularly their intellect, which is often undervalued and overlooked. By prioritizing positive imagery and highlighting the value of intelligence, we hope to inspire young readers to recognize and appreciate their own gifts.
How did you build your audience on social media?
If you’re looking to grow your social media platform and want to understand the value of social media and how to utilize it at its greatest capacity, my advice would be to focus on becoming more “SOCIAL.” The key to increasing engagement on your individual page is to be more interactive by connecting with those who engage with your content, celebrating victories, or acknowledging the experiences of others’ pages. Joining in on trending conversations is another great way to build your following. Being intentional about joining the conversations of exclusive content creators and celebrities can help drive interest and followership back to your own space.
It’s important to like more pictures, comment, and share more people’s stories too. Committing to these practices will encourage more people to return these same actions on your page, as you have become “friends” who consistently support each other. This can lead to meaningful collaborations, as I have developed some genuine relationships and connections with other content creators and entrepreneurs.
Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?
Well, as a creative, I’ve always believed that we are different beings. We never stop thinking and dreaming. There’s this part of us that just can’t settle for the ordinary or status quo. We don’t have a desire to do what others are doing because we are always striving to “create” in our own way – over the top, more impactful, more memorable. Honestly, I don’t think there’s a 9-5 for a creative. It’s hard for us to cut off our brains and focus on one simple thing. Sometimes I’m all over the place in my thoughts, even if I seem as though I’m in one place.
But what drives us creatives is passion. If I were to speak for myself and other creatives I know, I would say, the success we want comes after a great time of working while receiving minimal results. Some might call it grit. . .others might call it grind. As a creative, you must have both a strong mind and resilience despite the odds, the doubter, or the naysayers. I mean, there will be times when you want to give up, and some will. But the creatives who have the greatest amounts of success are those who persevere through adversity. So, to those who may read this, if you’re a creative, don’t give up on your passion, keep pushing, and who knows? You might just end up changing the world with your ideas and giftedness. That’s my hope..
Contact Info:
- Website: www.rudythesmartkid.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rudydagoat_/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rudy.valentineiii
- Email: [email protected]
Image Credits
Jeloni Moore for book signings photos and graduation photos