Hidden Gems: Meet Rodney Gilbert, Jr. of Relentless Party Bus

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rodney Gilbert, Jr.

Hi Rodney, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am originally born and raised in Detroit, MI. I attended Detroit School of Arts, I was involved in Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit. For College, I attended Kentucky State University where I earned my degree in Criminal Justice. I moved to Atlanta back in May 2014, literally days after I graduated with no real plan. I just knew that I didn’t want to move back home. Throughout my life, I’ve always had a go-getter attitude and also respected my own independence. I was always taught to “Figure it out” and that is just what I do. My journey has not always been easy and still isn’t, however; being taught to be book smart and street smart has played a lot into who I am today. When I was younger, I was very much to myself and I didn’t really speak my mind on things that I liked, what I didn’t like and so on. I would say that college really pushed me outside of my comfort zone to where I started opening up more and really speaking my mind on both the good and the bad. I was involved in so much in undergrad to Band, Choir, SGA, Royal Court, and Dance. The list goes on, ha!

Thankfully, it prepared me with life skills after I graduated. Many don’t know this but when I moved to Atlanta back in 2014, I stayed with 4 different people before getting my own place. I was interviewing for jobs in my field but things just were not moving fast enough. I also never talked about this but I had moved to ATL with $150 to my name. At the time, reality had really set in and it was one of the most humbling and life-changing experiences ever. You know back then they said after you graduated from college, you would land your dream job because you earned your bachelor’s degree and blah, blah, blah. Although that was the case for some, my journey was written differently. The struggle was real but so rewarding after. In all, I started having this mindset that if it was meant to be for me to have it, then I will.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely has not been a smooth road however, I am grateful that I have not given up and I am keeping my eye on the prize. Some days are better than others, more good days but I am happy with where I am today and the strides I’ve made. I am just scratching the surface right now.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Relentless Party Bus was established back in 2021 during the pandemic. For a long time, I’ve also had ideas of having a business but I just didn’t know what exactly I wanted to do. Being a creative person, sometimes your mind is racing and you’re trying to focus on some many other things. Me, I’ve always wanted to stay busy but I also wanted something that I could call my own.

The Relentless Party Bus idea came from the few times that I’ve experienced being on a party bus and how fun it was. Like, how dope is it to ride around being transported while you are having a good time celebrating a special occasion. I loved the fact that my experiences were different to just how the inside was framed, the amenities, the nights you can’t remember lol, and so on. During the pandemic, I had this idea of wanting something that was more intimate. I could have purchased a big bus but during the time, family and friends wanted to still celebrate but wanted to do so in a smaller setting. I wanted something midsize, something that I needed to put work in so others would know my work ethic. I even envisioned going bigger to where I removed everything and converted into a party bus when it was originally a shuttle bus. I wanted not only others to know I could do it, but I wanted to prove it to myself.

My party bus transports passengers to and from their destination of choice inside the Atlanta metropolitan area. What sets me apart from my competitors is that I offer an unforgettable experience for an affordable price. I also offer 1-2 top-shelf bottles of alcohol for adults 21+. My bus is equipped with a tv, two mini refrigerators, and Wi-Fi.

I am most proud of myself because when I initially launched this idea, things started to fall apart. It got to a point where I was spending way more money on maintenance than getting things up and running. I had trusted certain people to complete work for me just to turn around and take from me. In the end, I eventually lost everything. When that happened, I was embarrassed, I felt lost, incomplete. I had lost myself just being honest. January 2022 came around and I prayed to God that if it was meant to be for me to try this again, it will be in your will. I stepped out on faith and I tried again. I spent my last and made a lot of sacrifices just to make this dream I had dreamed so much about to find its way back.

Who else deserves credit in your story?
I definitely would not be where I am today if I did not have motivators and supporters in my corner for every step of the way. First, I just would like to thank God for keeping me protected and lifted through all of this. For all different and specific reasons, I would have to thank my parents, my grandmother, my sister, and my family. Special thanks to my friends who have also supported me whether it be a financial blessing or just words of encouragement. They’ve always been in my corner and always supporting and uplifting me.

Pricing:

• Geneva- $375.00 3 hour round-trip transportation experience to your destination(s) of choice in the Atlanta Metropolitan area
• Thorobred- $440 3 hour round-trip transportation experience to your destination(s) of choice in the Atlanta Metropolitan area One bottle of top shelf alcohol and one chaser selected by customer Ice and Cups provided BYOB Alcohol
• Relentless- 3 hour round-trip transportation experience to your destination(s) of choice in the Atlanta Metropolitan area Two bottles of top shelf alcohol and two chasers selected by customer Ice and Cups provided BYOB Alcohol

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.relentlesspartybus.net
• Instagram: Business: @relentlesspartyrentals Personal: @2relentless

Image Credits
Headshot- Keilan Scott IG: keilanscottphotos