Rodney Jones shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Rodney, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: Are you walking a path—or wandering?
How about a wandering path? Success is rarely or if ever a straught line it seems, so I belive that many turns happen on the path being walked to success. The key is always is always to remain focused and to keep your eye on your end goal.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Well as it relates to the story here, I share details about beer in various ways through social media, in essence, being a storyteller in sharing my journey and experiences for the benefit of helping to hopefully educate folks about beer but in a way to try to make it fun and entertaining. I do this through various social media, mainly YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and now also TikTok. As well as, share much on my website/blog rodjbeerventures.com and also my podcast for those that prefer that media. By having various options, it allows me to meet people where they are as not all are going to consume the same media, so being varied allows for a more broadened reach.
But it is not all about me as there are a great amount of folks in the beer community, so often it is also about sharing their stories which I often do by having them on my live streams as guests, to which I am always honored when they agree and want to come on. I have been able to have some great and interesteing chats from varying areas around beer that has really made it worthwhile and has also allowed me to tap back in into my Journalism background.
It’s truly been a fun hobby that has morphed into a little more at times and I do welcome the challenge. I started this journey back in March 2015 and feel lucky and fortunate to still be having fun with this and each year to just keep growing a little more than the year before. And I do mention it is as a hobby because away from it, I do have a full time job but I always squeeze in the time for the beer when I can. I just keep building forward, which now has me on the doorstep of releasing my first book in the next few months and even becoming more involved in the beer world.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who taught you the most about work?
My mother and the importance of all she could do with what she had to put time in work so as child, we didn’t really go without for the most part. We always had at least the neccessities and some extra but it was through her working and her determination that resonated for me. She knew the importance of having that stability and thaty has been something that has always stuck.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Sure, in relating to the beer media, I like many have had bouts of what we call imposter syndrome. This is when as a social media influencer or creator (I do hate the influencer word but there it is), when you question yourself and if you are even the right person to be doing thsi. And it’s a long road when you consider how many people don’t even get what would be considered a level of succes.
But when doing the youTube channel early on I was coming across one of these moments and I was reached out to be one of my subscribers and followers who thanked me for what I do, because he gave him the energy and strength to start his own channel and follow and share his passion, which al;so just happened to also be about beer. But he had been nervous to do so. It wa sthat moment that gave me the push amd confidence to keep going. I’ve had others that have provided similar feedback and having that is worth more than any tip or donation that someone can provide, what price can you put on helping others to find their own voice?
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Is the public version of you the real you?
I am what you see for sure, life is too short in my opinion to try to create some facade. I have bee forunate to meet some of my subscribers and followers as well as other social media influencers, and I don’t think any of them would tell you that I am any different in person than when the see me on social media. Being authentically you is one of the best and most important aspects of social media, and I think that is wjat viewers enjoy.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
Wow, that’s a funny question to me in that I have told people before that they will probably never know what lives they may have touched, or all the people thay may have affected because often when this happens when you are dead. But I guess it is that I was always fair, down to earth, not fake and an all-around good guy that knew beer.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.rodjbeerventures.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rodjbeerventures/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rod-j-beerventures
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RodJBeerVentures/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RodJBeerVentures
- Other: email – rodj@rodjbeerventures.com
