Christian Ray Flores here, reflecting on the art of the start, and why most people never take it.
I remember hearing my song on the radio and seeing my music video on MTV for the first time. It’s impossible to describe how surreal that is. That moment would not have happened without the first song scribbled in a notebook as I was riding the subway. I still have that notebook - it contains tons of ideas that never became anything. It also contains the first drafts of songs that sold millions of albums.
I remember booking my first video production client in LA. I had started over from zero in the US with no brand or name recognition, and they gave me a massive (for me at the time) $150k budget. I now have a bookshelf full of awards from the many clients we created premium media for. That moment would not have happened had I not acted on a hunch for a new company and created a rudimentary website that looked like I knew what I was doing.
I remember traveling with Deb to Ukraine a year into the war to visit the work we had started there after raising $250k in just a few months. We cried every day talking to dozens of refugees and hearing their stories. Our tears were also of gratitude for having the ability to help so many people. Those moments would not have happened had I not decided to drop everything I was doing at the time to fundraise for Ukraine - hoping to raise a few thousand at most. I used my personal brand to campaign on social media, launched a new website on day 6 of the war, offered to speak at events, even emceed a Ukrainian band’s show at SXSW in Austin.
When you start - it looks rough, unpolished, not promising anything of substance.
Then you take the next step, and then the next. Then you want to give up, and if you don’t there’s a breakthrough and an MTV moment, a Hollywood set with 50 people moment, a hugging refugees in Ukraine moment.
But most never start.
I’m hosting a Personal Brand Accelerator starting tomorrow. An hour a day - 4 days - Monday to Thursday.
A small group of people ready to start.
We’ll help you find your distinct edge and positioning, a business model that fits your goals and a brand strategy that will help you become known and trusted in your field.
Here’s the link to claim a spot.
If you’re ready to start - I’ll see you on the other side.