Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrew Snorton.
Hi Andrew, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My start really came in the mid-2010 time period. I had transitioned from teaching and was doing grant-writing (mainly for the LEAD Foundation). To stay engaged with education, I focused on tutoring and eventually added my life coaching certification.
Likewise, I was a writer for the online magazine Examiner.com (from March 2010 until July 2016, when it closed down). I had done some press-related writing previously, so I figured I’d give it a try to see what I could do. From there, my writing evolved and leads to what I’m doing via Creative Community Solutions: education-based services, press/media services (including hosting The Conversation Corner on the Status Network/LyveTV channel), and writing/editing services (including publishing three books since 2017 and recording four audiobooks since 2019).
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?
The road is not always smooth; if so, it’s as smooth as sandpaper. Even with planning, there are some stretches that can be lean. If anything, you have your plans but understand you have to be open to making adjustments, and not just for the moment. You are almost always thinking short, intermediate, and long-term with each decision you make, so you understand the process, but at times, it can be challenging.
You have to maintain your dedication to your craft, your work ethic, and work product. There may be a few people here and there who want to speak ill of what you do, and this can include people who are “close” to you or have known you for a while. You have to maintain your faith and focus (as well as take moments to pause, decompress, pray, plan, and proceed). As you get closer to different professional and personal accomplishments, at times, the attacks come harder and stronger; again, stay focused and align yourself with colleagues and clients who see the greatness in what you do.
Related to this is you have to take time for you to stay as physically, mentally, and spiritually refreshed. At times it can be a challenge because you think you always have to “be on the clock,” and while you are on it longer than a number of people, you still have to take time for yourself; you have to provide yourself moments to breathe, decompress, and still enjoy the things you like doing. While you may not be able to do them all the time, you have to do so or you’ll put yourself in a dire situation physically, mentally, and other aspects of your professional and personal life.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
On the education end, the main work provided includes in-person (limited) and virtual tutoring and coaching for students (mainly high school, but some middle and elementary school students), including core subjects to ACT/SAT test prep. An extension of this work is teaching ACT/SAT prep for a few of the area high schools (i.e. sports teams and honors programs, among others), along with working with nonprofits (including Upward Bound at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga).
For press/media services, the main work provided includes creation and implementation of press/media kits, interfacing with media outlets (including this outstanding one) to help garner coverage and positive amplifying of different events and businesses. A few of the entities I’ve worked with include (but not limited to) 1820hats (custom fedoras for men and women), the Georgia Spartans (semi-pro basketball team), the Alphas of Atlanta for their #AlphaDerbyWeekend (Kentucky Derby themed event), as well as arts and entertainment presences Tyressa Ty (the brand/road manager of hip-hop icon Doug E Fresh) and Tangy Spicey (red carpet host and personality).
The same can be said for my show The Conversation Corner; under the theme of “entertainment, business, community, and more,” I’m fortunate to have guests from multiple walks of life. To have people in arts and entertainment (including but not limited to Tyressa Ty, the brand/road manager for Doug E Fresh, to Reigndrop Lopes (the sister of Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes), along with a number of businesses, creatives, and more, it’s truly amazing.
Writing-wise, the books I’ve written include Deeper than your deepest sleep: thoughts on love with Joseph Snorton (2017 release which is a poetic take on the action of love via the lenses of family, community, people past and present, and other avenues), “9 stories of faith: volume 1” (2018 release which is interview-based, as people provide motivation, inspiration, and encouragement on how they live through life’s biggest daily challenges by way of their faith, best practices in health and wellness, their support network, and change in their way of thinking), and “nothing Minor” (an intimate and reader-friendly look at minor league baseball through player interviews, game coverage, and more; there’s an insert on the Negro Southern Leagues Museum and other features applicable to the game and beyond it). The audiobook series The Author’s Mixtape (4 volumes with the 5th one scheduled for an August 28th release) is a blend of the freestyle experience of hip hop and the improvisational style of jazz rolled into one (via spoken word, music, and poetry) providing stimulating sounds to your ear (especially Volume 4: The Collab featuring Kris 10). Likewise, Volume 5 (forward moving thinking and being featured Kris10) is scheduled for an August 28th release on all major streaming platforms.
My first two books are rated as Top-1000 picks by the Author Academy Awards. I’m fortunate to be a participating author and speaker for the Mississippi Book Festival (2017-19, 21), East of the River Book Festival l (Washington DC in 2018), the Bluffton Book Festival (Bluffton, SC in 2018), and the Detroit Book City series (February 2019, November 2020, and Spring 2021). In addition, I am a 2021 nominee for Author of the Year by the Atlanta-based Black Only Awards (November 27, 2021).
What are you known for?
It’s probably the writing, but the other two areas are coming close.
What are you most proud of?
Simply getting started! I could have done this sooner, but I’m glad I’m doing what I’m doing now. I just feel as if I’m in my “lane” and continuing to evolve professional and otherwise. It’s a good space to be in despite being on the “rough side of the mountain” at times.
What sets you apart from others?
I just continue to keep things simple: stay grounded, stay humble, and stay hungry. It simply means remain spiritually grounded and knowing where your blessings come from, don’t let success get to your head, and don’t stay still or satisfied as there are more growth opportunities out there which can help you be a better resource and presence professionally and otherwise.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
There’s a number of people I can thank for where I am. Here’s a few (so charge it to my head and not my heart): 1. My parents. They provide the foundation for me to do what I’m doing; their insight is so valuable and to have them as a sounding board is a blessing. 2. Kristen Kinder (owner of 1820hats and Kris10 Media). Her confidence in me (working with her brands) really is giving me the creative “push” needed to focus on continued growth and being a better presence and resource.
3. Diane Larche (Larche Communications). She sees something in me to get me engaged on the press/media side of things. Her willingness to give me a chance helps me tremendously. 4. Terrance Banks. His efforts as an educator and coach of student-athletes is a “bridge” for me to do more work with them (and other schools). 5. Shehawnee Prescod (EarthAngel PR). As a writer for Examiner, she saw something in me to have me cover a number of key presences in business, arts and entertainment, and other fields. 6. Tyressa Ty. All I can say is the power of a phone call and ready to have a conversation really helps me on the press/media end.
7. Say-Tell-Us and the entire Status Network team. They gave me a chance, and three years later, my broadcast (The Conversation Corner) has not only allowed me to bring some great guests across entertainment, business, community, and more, but another level of media access beyond my wildest dreams. 8. Sandra Braxton. She and her husband are people who think enough of me to even give me this opportunity. 9. Everyone else. I know this is broad, but everyone who has supported me as an author (online and in-person, bookstores, festivals, etc.), coach (referring me to work with their colleagues to work with their students), and press/media (helping brand build and more), known and unknown, I am sincerely grateful.
Contact Info:
- Email: asnortonccs@gmail.com
- Website: asnortonccs.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/asnortonccs
- Facebook: facebook.com/authorasnorton
- Twitter: twitter.com/asnortonccs
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmirissSEw4FBWGt-FiFjUg
- SoundCloud: soundcloud.app.goo.gl/F9CeHiyA9wPpC9Mx9
- Other: https://www.statusnetwork.net/Shows/conversation-corner/
Image Credits:
Kris10 Media (last photo with me and Kris10 at the Status Network).
