Today we’d like to introduce you to Bensky Belizaire.
Hi Bensky, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
The story behind the Everybody Eats Show started when I was a sophomore at Queens College in Flushing, NY. I joined the school’s NABA chapter (National Association of Black Accountants) and during my time in the organization, I learned almost everything I know about the finance industry including financial literacy, resume writing, interview skills, etc. As a chapter, we would attend networking and business workshops in Manhattan, invite business professionals to our campus and attend regional conferences throughout the east coast. By my senior year, our chapter was hosting workshops of our own, doing mock interviews and editing resumes for students. After I graduated, I wanted to continue with the mission of NABA but add my own spin to it.
At the time, I was vaguely familiar with podcasts. I never listened to one, but I knew I wanted to be as “direct to consumer” as possible so the idea of a podcast sounded great. I reached out to some of my friends who were also in NABA to see if they would be interested, and we played with a couple of names of what we would call the show. I knew I wanted the theme to be financial literacy so people from all backgrounds, not just business, can learn and relate to the content. With that in mind, we chose the name Everybody Eats and in September 2019, my co-host Edem and I dropped our first episode of the Everybody Eats Show and we have been running ever since.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has not been a smooth journey, but what’s the fun in having it easy? I did not start listening to podcasts until after we dropped our first episode so there were a lot of things we had to figure out as we went along. We did and still do get a lot of help from our supporters, guests, and friends when it comes to marketing, finding events and introducing us to potential guests. From the inception of the podcast, the biggest struggle we faced has been building the brand. There are a lot of moving pieces involved in running a show that most people don’t see or are aware of. Social media marketing, in-person events and finding guests take up the most time when we are not filming or editing content. We had to wear multiple hats and gained skills that I did not plan on such as videography, photography, content creation and editing. Thankfully through the people we have interviewed, we have received a lot of support, encouragement and advice which has made the journey worthwhile.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Outside of podcasting, I work full-time in the investment operations department of one of the world’s largest wealth asset managers. I was able to land this position through NABA, which is another reason why the organization holds a special place in my heart. Recently, I’ve been able to recruit other minorities from business organizations such as NABA and ALPFA to my company which has been a blessing considering that I was once a student in the same position. Through my job, I’ve learned so much about the corporate world and how large corporations and businesses operate. This has translated into managing the podcast and has given me more insight into the finance industry, the US economy, and the world in general.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
God waking me up every morning and giving me the life and energy to do what I love makes me happy. I have been extremely blessed with a support system that encourages me to continue pursuing my goals through the best and worst of times. Also, knowing that I have an impact on people locally and around the country is an amazing feeling. We receive messages all the time from people who listen the show saying that they never knew about a particular industry or that they really resonated with a specific guest’s story. One of the most surreal moments was when we recorded an episode with a youth basketball coach. He shared how we left his dream corporate job to coach youth basketball, and throughout his career, many of his players went to play D1 and even to the NBA. Sadly, a few months after recording the episode, he passed away and some of his friends still reach out to us to say that they listen to his interview on our show to hear his voice again and to keep him in remembrance. That was when I knew that we had a serious impact in our community and that’s what truly makes me happy.
Contact Info:
- Website: anchor.fm/everybodyeats
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everybodyeatsshow/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EverybodyEatsShow
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOd-el0UYxyftuuNrFVzgWQ
Image Credits
AJFotography
