Story & Lesson Highlights with Sharif King of Eastside

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Sharif King. Check out our conversation below.

Sharif, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: Have you ever been glad you didn’t act fast?
Yes, I’e learned over the years that no matter what is presented before requires me to take it to God. I always pause and pray before acting on any scenario. Having discernment and taking time to understand what is being asked of you can always help you to avoid making careless mistakes. Anytime question is asked or a task is pending, I like to think abiut the question and the task at hand to assist me in my decision making and action step process.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Yes, My name is Sharif D. King better known as King Sharif. i am a Multimedia Host/Personality, Journalist, Public Speaker, Author, and owner of Sharif D. King Media. I am currently working on the launch of my live show event, Sharif D. King Live which willl premiere in 2026. I have recently created my “Carve Your Path Book Series” which is currently on Amazon. In addition
to the book series, i am preparing to open my multimedia studio and production company which will serve as the headquarters to various podcast and multimedia projects.

Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
I use to believe that my friend group would stay the same. I use to think that everyone from my childhood would be around forever. Until i woke up and realized that everyone’s path is designed differently. Family and friends alike may be around for a certain season but the journey at times may call for you to embark on a certain part of life on your own. I’ve learned that as you continue to walk your path, relationships may change based on your assignment of life and not everyone will understand your vision and mission. i’ve learned to release the “no new friends” mantra and be open to the tribe that God has for me as i continue take steps in the direction that i am being lead in order to navigate the journey ahead. I use to believe that i could do everything as a one man band. As i’ve gotten closer to complete my goals i’ve realized the important of having a team, revamping my team, expanding my team, and lastly making sure i’m surrounded by a team of individuals that would make me, and my team better.

What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering mold me. It was in my suffering that i developed the most character and was able to recognize the areas that i was weak in that made me a stronger person in various areas. Suffering taught me how to rebuild, recreate, restructure and recommit to the goal which made me more polished. Suffering also helped me to recognize success and wins in areas that i would never acknowledged or celebrated. In my suffering i became more elite and helped me to better develop my niche, hone in on my craft, and build the stencil and blueprint that would put in front of rooms before executives that i couldnt phathom before my suffering. Success made me feel like i needed to continue doing the things i was doing because i saw success in the ares. When i failed it made me analyze and revamp in a way that even the areas where i did well was now in development and being refined and ultimately pushed me to bigger goals and aspirations. showing me that i needed to go harder, think bigger, and do better. lastly it taught me that i needed to reevaluate what success looked like for me and seek to always be better every project no matter how successful my results were.

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
I think my industry measures a persons success based on their social media following and online reach. Your follow count, likes, comments doesn’t define your character or success. I also don’t believe your that a certain title, status, accolades, or materialistic ownership doesn’t accurately depict who you truly are or where you will be in the next 10 years. My industry can be a difficult one to navigate because it can smoking mirrors at times. What you look like online may not truly describe your current scenario or lifestyle. It’s important to be realistic with yourself, keep integrity nearby and don’t lose sight of who you are and where you’re going. What you may be feeling doesn’t define who you are and who. you have the potential to be and do. Lastly, dont compare yourself or your journey based off what you see. You never know who’s watching and how close you truly may be to that goal that your industry peers made you feel is unreachable or unattainable.

Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What do you think people will most misunderstand about your legacy?
I think people may miss how much i had to sacrifice. This journey has been very costly. I always share with people that your decisions are vital because it determines a lot. Your decisions are truly a domino effect. Everything i had to do, every move i had to make, every thing i believed in required a sacrifice that i didn’t realize i would have to sacrifice until the time came. There are a lot of things i had to do for my bloodline that a prerequisite to building legacy and changing the trajectory of how my family lineage and legacy was designed for years to come. While sacrificing several things was a challenge i knew it was necessary for my legacy and family dynamic. Time spent was a huge sacrifice for me that i know you can’t get back which taught me to cherish and how to become a better steward over people places and things in my life.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sharifdking.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamsharifdking
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharifdking
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iamsharifdking
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@IAmSharifDKing