Life & Work with Dexter Flowers of Detroit

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dexter Flowers.

Hi Dexter, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I’ve always been a creator—just in different forms depending on when you met me.

Some people know me from hosting college events, others from content creation, fitness, clothing, or my community engagement work. But when you step back and look at it, it’s all been connected.

At the core, my work has always been about creating spaces, experiences, and products where people feel seen and heard.

That mindset is rooted in intention.

I care about what something feels like, how it lands, and whether it actually stays with people. I’m drawn to things that last: brands, energy, and experiences that people carry with them long after it’s over. That’s the idea behind “intentional by design.”

Even my stage name, Uncle Spooty, came from that mindset. I chose something that would stand out and make people pause. At the time, I was in my mid-20s and already an uncle, but “uncle” felt timeless… and “Spooty” made people ask questions. That balance of familiarity and curiosity is how I approach everything I create.

Wayne State University is where I began building energy in rooms, coordinating and hosting events. My fraternity, Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc., gave me my first platform to create on a bigger scale, and my first real introduction to organizational leadership, serving as chapter president. Through programming, stepping, and strolling, I learned how to lead, organize, and create experiences that people actually felt.

From there, I expanded into experiences like NPHC weekends, college events, and even a battle rap event. I’ve always drawn to spaces where culture and community meet.

That same approach carried into my content, which opened doors like interviewing Kash Doll, OWN’s Love and Marriage Detroit cast, and numerous notable entertainers in Detroit. Professionally, I built on that through community engagement work, creating experiences that helped people connect and made a company of 14K+ employees feel smaller.

The U Know What’s Up Hustle is the newest expression of all of that.

It started at home with my wife and son, music playing, us moving, building something without overthinking it. What began as a moment turned into a routine we shared with others.

The turning point came when we brought it to the Cleveland Cavaliers staff. It didn’t feel like a class, it felt like a house party. People laughing, connecting, and letting their guard down like family.

That’s when it clicked.

Now we’re building the U Know What’s Up Hustle House Party, an experience rooted in movement, connection, and real energy for teams, communities, and organizations.

Along the way, I realized I wanted to build something that didn’t put me in a box, something that allows me to create freely, stay present, and collaborate with people I believe in.

That’s where By Uncle Spooty, LLC comes in.

It’s a platform built on connection, collaboration, and experiences that leave a lasting impact.

And we’re just getting started.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road, but I think that’s what’s shaped me the most.

One of the biggest challenges is simply being a small business. When you’re building something from the ground up, you are the team. That means you’re the creator, the marketer, the facilitator, the strategist, and the operations lead, all at once. There’s no big budget, no large staff, and resources can be limited, so everything takes intention, time, and sacrifice.

At the same time, I’ve been balancing a corporate career while building my own ideas. That’s been both a blessing and a challenge. My corporate experience has given me structure, exposure, and opportunities to design experiences at a high level, but it’s also required discipline to pour into my own vision after hours. A lot of the things I’ve created have been funded by me, which means being patient, strategic, and willing to reinvest in myself over and over again.

Another real challenge has been growth, personally.

I’ve had to come to terms with the fact that the version of me that got me started, isn’t always the version of me that will take me to the next level. As you grow, your mindset has to evolve. Your habits have to evolve. Even how you see yourself has to evolve.

There have been moments of doubt. Moments where things didn’t hit the way I expected. Moments where I had to keep going without immediate validation.

But every experience, good or bad, has helped me refine what I’m building and why I’m building it.

If anything, the journey has taught me how to be resourceful, how to stay consistent, and how to keep creating even when things aren’t perfect.

Because at the end of the day, I believe in what I’m building, and I’m committed to growing into the person who can carry it forward.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
A lot of people know me for different things depending on when they’ve encountered me. Some know me from hosting events and building energy in rooms. Others know me as a content creator, a fitness coach, or from my clothing brand and podcast. More recently, people are getting introduced to my work through the U Know What’s Up Hustle and the Hustle House Party experience.

But when you zoom out, it’s all the same work.

I’m known for creating environments where people feel comfortable enough to show up as themselves. Where the energy feels natural, not forced. Where people leave feeling like they were part of something, not just attendees, but participants in a moment.

What I’m most proud of is the ability to take something simple, like a dance, a gathering, or an idea, and turn it into a shared experience that people genuinely enjoy and remember. Seeing people walk in unsure and leave more confident, more connected, and more open, never gets old to me.

I’m also proud of the journey. Building across different spaces, wearing multiple hats, and continuing to evolve while staying true to what I love, that’s something I don’t take lightly.

What sets me apart is my ability to blend all of my experiences into one.

I come from hosting, from community engagement strategy, from fraternity culture, from fitness, from content creation, all of those worlds have shaped how I show up. So when I design an experience, it’s not one-dimensional. It’s intentional, it’s engaging, and it’s rooted in real understanding of how people connect.

And that’s what I’ll continue to build on.

So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
What matters most to me is creating meaningful connection.

In a world where everything moves fast and a lot of our interactions are surface-level or digital, I value the moments where people can slow down, be present, and genuinely connect, with themselves and with others.

One of the biggest gifts we have is the ability to actually be in the present and that’s something I want people to experience more. When you’re fully in the moment, not thinking about what’s next or what just happened, that’s where real connection lives.

That’s the “why” behind everything I do.

Whether I’m hosting, facilitating, or teaching movement, it’s never just about the activity itself, it’s about what that moment creates. When people feel comfortable, when they let their guard down, when they laugh, move, and engage with each other in a real way, that’s what sticks.

It’s also personal for me.

I’ve always been in spaces where energy, culture, and community mattered, whether that was through my fraternity, my work, or my family. Over time, I’ve seen how powerful it is when people feel like they belong somewhere, even if it’s just for a moment.

I also care deeply about growth, helping people tap into a version of themselves they may not always express. Something as simple as learning how to move your body to music can unlock confidence, presence, and joy in a way people don’t always expect.

At the end of the day, I want to create experiences that people carry with them.

Not just something they attended, but something they felt, something they remember, and something that, even in a small way, shifts how they show up moving forward.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unclespooty/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrdflowers
• Other: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/by-uncle-spooty-llc-121021101901

Image Credits
Rocket Jahmyr Gibbs Meet & Greet @ The Madison (Event Curator/Operations)

Kash Doll Interview (Host)

U Know What’s Up Hustle House Party Detroit Day Edition @ BYOC Fitness Gym (Facilitator)

Good Vibes Only Step Aerobics Class @ TRV FIT Farmington (Fitness Facilitator)

Cleveland Cavaliers U Know What’s Up Hustle House Party @ Rocket Arena (Facilitator)

Michigan Made Weekend Black Panther Movie Premiere @ Royal Oak Emagine Theatre (Event Producer/Curator/Operations)

Workout Wednesday Fitness Party Step Aerobics Class @ Cadillac Square Park (Fitness Class Facilitator)

GVSU TRIO Upward Bound Grand Rapids Program Good Vibes Only Step Aerobics Class @ GVSU Detroit Center (Fitness Class Facilitator)