Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Eb – “The Hope Dealer”.
Dr. Eb, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Ok, I think it’s best that I start at the very beginning: I was born and raised in Huntsville, AL with my younger brother, Jason. Upon graduating high school, I attended Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, AL. From there I entered the Doctor of Pharmacy program at Mercer University’s College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences in Atlanta. (This was my introduction to the city.)
When I finished pharmacy school, I ended up moving back to Huntsville for a couple of years before deciding to move back to Atlanta for good in 2012. Since Jason was already living here at the time, I crashed with him until I closed on my home. A few months later, he moved in with me – and our lives were good! I was climbing the pharmacy ranks as a retail pharmacist, while he was climbing the culinary ranks as a chef. Then, out of nowhere, on April 29, 2017, Jason passed away. At the tender age of 30. And my entire life changed – instantly. Never to be the same again.
But…
Losing Jason taught me that I could go through something like that… in other words, that I could experience the biggest tragedy of my life… and SURVIVE. And having survived that – the loss of my baby brother; my one and only sibling; my best friend; my confidant; my “ride-or-die;” since I don’t have any children yet, pretty much, my EVERYTHING – having survived THAT, I feel like there’s not a single disappointment, heartache, tragedy, failure, rejection, nothing in this world that I can’t survive or overcome. And because of that, I’m unstoppable!
Outside of the underlying grief surrounding the loss of my brother. I am literally living my best life. In addition to practicing pharmacy, over the course of the last two and a half years, I’ve been able to do and accomplish things I never would’ve dreamed of: I’ve written and published a book (“My Brother’s Keeper: A Personal Narrative about Coping with the Loss of a Sibling”). I’ve launched a personal blog site (DR. EB SAYS™). I’ve become an entrepreneur by opening an online t-shirt boutique (DR. EB’S TEE SHOP™). And more recently, an online bookstore (DR. EB’S BOOKSHELF™) to house and sell all of my creative content.
Therefore…
If I had to describe my story in a nutshell, I am the epitome of turning pain into power and purpose. And I use my power, or influence, to help others. So, although I may wear many hats – pharmacist, author, blogger, and entrepreneur – essentially, I consider myself a “Hope Dealer.” Because in everything I do, both personally and professionally, my goal is to empower, encourage, motivate, and/or inspire others. Simply put, my goal (or purpose) is to give others hope.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
No. Nothing I’ve set out do upon losing Jason has been smooth or easy. Primarily because I’ve had to do all these things while trying to heal a (seemingly unrepairable) broken heart…
Although writing and sharing my story have been somewhat therapeutic, at times, even that has been challenging. As one would expect, I wrote quite a bit of “My Brother’s Keeper” with a heavy heart and in between tears – especially when I had to relive the events surrounding Jason’s passing. Since I wanted the reader to feel as though he or she were on the journey with me, I had to paint a very vivid picture. And that vivid picture came with a very expensive emotional price tag. But… of all my accomplishments, my book is what I’m most proud of. So, it was worth the extra tears.
The biggest challenge with my blog and online stores was creating their respective websites. I didn’t hire anyone to help build or design my sites. I did it myself. And I am NOT tech-savvy – at all. (I’m a pharmacist, remember?) So, those were some of the most frustrating hours of my life! But glory be to God and Google because I got the job done.
Yet and still, the biggest challenge I’ve had with everything – the book, the blog, and the business ventures – is getting the exposure necessary to reach the level of success I’ve envisioned for myself and my brand. But with prayer, patience, and diligence, I’m confident I will get there.
DR. EB’S BOOKSHELF & DR. EB’S TEE SHOP – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
DR. EB’S BOOKSHELF™ is my online bookstore. Here you will have access to all of my creative content – my blog posts, my e-booklets, and my book, “My Brother’s Keeper” (MBK). What sets my creative content, or writing, apart is my candid transparency. I’m not afraid to be vulnerable or lay myself bare. I’m not afraid to share my struggles, shortcomings, and failures. I’m not afraid to explicitly state my position, my thoughts, or my feelings. Simply put, I’m not afraid to just be me…
Being transparent makes my writing authentic. But more importantly, it makes it relatable. It makes you feel like you’re not alone with whatever you may be going through or battling with. So, when you’re done reading a particular blog post, an e-booklet, or MBK, you have hope – which is all you ultimately need to keep persevering.
DR. EB’S TEE SHOP™ is my online t-shirt boutique. All tees are printed, packaged, and shipped from our base in Stone Mountain. What sets our tees apart are their quality, their simplicity, and their inclusivity:
Our premium tees are made of durable, lightweight, 100% airlume combed and ring-spun cotton. What that translates to is a shirt that not only fits perfectly but feels great! All tees (unisex) are black with bold white lettering across the chest. This gives them a classic look that can easily be dressed up or worn casually. And with over 300 designs to choose from, we have a shirt for any- and everybody! Additionally, both long and short sleeve tees are available across all collections, so we’ve got you covered no matter the season.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
My success is tied to my ability to motivate, encourage, empower, and/or inspire others. Thus, the support and feedback I’ve received on my written works; the personal stories customers have tied to their tees; and the responses I’ve gotten when speaking to people – professionally, publicly, and privately – are all indicative of the impact I’ve been able to make and, more importantly, the hope I’ve been able to give.
So, although I have yet to attain the level of success I ultimately desire (because I aspire to help people on a much larger scale), by my personal definition, I am already a success. In just a short period of time, I’ve been able to live up to my “Hope Dealer” title. And for that, I am grateful.
I give all glory to God and to my angel, Jason Tremaine Ervin (Erv). Erv, continue to rest easy…until we meet again. #LongLiveKingErv #DrEbSays
Pricing:
- “My Brother’s Keeper” – $12.99-$15.99
- DR. EB SAYS™ | The Blog – **FREE**
- DR. EB SAYS™ | The e-Booklet Series – $3.99 each
- Short Sleeve Tees – $19.99-$22.99
- Long Sleeve Tees – $24.99-$27.99
- “Hope Dealer” Elastic Wristbands – $3 each or 2 for $5
Contact Info:
- Website: DrEbSays.com | DrEbBooks.com | DrEbTees.com
- Email: DrEb@DrEbSays.com | info@DrEbBooks.com | info@DrEbTees.com
Suggest a story: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
