speaker-0: Mm-hmm.
speaker-1: Welcome back to Beyond the White Coat. Again, I'm Dr. Zwade Marshall, CEO of Dr. Doc Lending, Anesthesiologist, Interventional Pain Specialists. I'm here today ⁓ for a very interesting episode with one of my favorite interview guests. Oftentimes, society reduces us in healthcare to exactly what we do. So they see us as doctors, as nurses, as dentists, ⁓ for instance, but they don't often get to see the creators that we are, the entrepreneurs that we are, the folks that are making music alongside having a primary career in healthcare. Today's guest is an incredible content creator, influencer who happens to also be an award winning nurse here in Atlanta, Georgia. Welcome in Travis. So as we get going, tell me if someone didn't know Who Travis Kendrick Keantric is ⁓ as a nurse? Do you think people should know about the man that you are?
speaker-0: I think they should know that I hate to brag on myself. Feel like I'm bragging on myself, but I feel like I'm a revolutionary, like in the medical space, specifically the a nursing space. ⁓ I'm just somebody who encourages people to be themselves ⁓ you know, outside of the scrub. We have a life outside of ⁓ the hospital. I think you should embrace that 'cause like who are you before you got into school, who are you during school before you got your credentials. Yeah. So I'm just somebody who just man I coach up to believe in themselves and and and know that it's okay to be multifest in the medical field.
speaker-1: Absolutely. So oftentimes we're all grounded in where we're from and ⁓ our we can't escape our history. For sure. We are. So tell me a little bit about Marion, Alabama and what it was like from small town Alabama and being raised there and becoming the man you are today.
speaker-0: Man, well Mary, when I like to speak on Marion, I always like to say like when I'm speaking to someone, say you for instance, we wouldn't be able to be in the seats that we are now without Marion, 'cause of people like Corella Scott King who made sacrifices so we can have voting rights ⁓ nationwide. So
speaker-1: Be clear be clear about that. Uhhuh. What does Coretta Scott King have to do with Marion Alabama? Let's go. That's right.
speaker-0: She's from Marion. Now there you go. Harvey King and her were married. Yep. And that's where Jimmy Lee Jackson was shot and killed. ⁓ and that sparked the civil rights march from Sylvan and Montgomery. But it started in Marion. That ⁓ for some reason nationwide media often overlooks it. But Marion, man, it was once a thriving place. And after our history occurred, it just started going downhill, downhill, downhill. And now it's been like the number one Horror city in Alabama, ⁓ like twenty plus years. Yeah. So ⁓ Marion, it it grounded me, it rooted me to understand true morals, principles, and the importance of a village. 'Cause without a village, you can't make it in Marion. So when I come to big cities like Atlanta, you know, I see how it's
speaker-1: Yeah.
speaker-0: distance everybody is, man, and how everybody got their own thing going on. What I do is what I do. You stay over there, this is what I do. Mhm. I wasn't accustomed to that. So ⁓ yeah, Marion definitely showed the importance of having a village. ⁓ having other people look out for you, man. My neighbors could whoop me and my mom be okay. Like, time them up. Right. Because she can't watch me all the time. Sure. Yeah, she can't watch me all the time. And I never ⁓ Man, I never met my real father, so my mom played a crucial role in my life. But she can only do so much. So the village was important. ⁓ and Marion just taught me well, I think like how the structure of a family is supposed to be. You saw a lot of people married, trying to make it work, to win all of this what we have today. The fast life, very slow. People had households. Kids, family, new family. We do a lot of family unions. Make sure you know your people. It was very, very cultured. And small city, three thousand citizens. ⁓ had white people, but I never saw ⁓ So it was a very segregated city too. Mm. Yeah. So the white kids went to one school and the black kids went to another school. Mm-hmm. But yeah, it's about it's marrying for you, man. The entire community raised you.
speaker-1: So oftentimes the adversity and the challenges of how we were raised and where we're from gives us an advantage later in life as we aspire and sit in these seats. ⁓ talk a little bit more about how you came to become the nurse that you are, the leader that you are in the healthcare systems here coming out of my what was your journey like?
speaker-0: Man, so my journey, ⁓ I was a curious kid, man. I always been a curious little kid. But honestly when I found out that I had potential is when I won the spelling bee. I was in fourth grade. I won the whole thing.
speaker-1: Right. And you won the whole thing. So I'm a third place spelling B winner. Yeah. Third place in my spelling B. Yeah. And I was I I I'm I still know the word. Mm-hmm. I lost a So my word was nice. It's a rock. And the spelling was G N E I S. And I and I didn't get it. And then the next word was
speaker-0: Well that I I know the word I won though. Wow. Yeah, I probably locked up.
speaker-1: Something that was completely phonetic, like automatope or something. We could just like sound it out. Yeah. And like and I got nice. Yeah.
speaker-0: But what was yours? They got it was guitar. Guitar? Was my winning word. ⁓
speaker-1: Like G-E-Y-T-A R? Mm-hmm.
speaker-0: But ⁓ bro, believe it or not, as a kid in fourth grade, most kids would like G O O D, like good guitar. And and my grand my grandfather who just passed, he taught me how to spell that word the night before. I swear 'cause he had it he had his own band. Listen.
speaker-1: It came up. all throughout college, med school, residency for me, mm, I call it a test orgasm. Mm. When the thing you study the night before showed up on the exam it's like God's smile done from heaven.
speaker-0: Yeah, and I had this whole book they try to get me to read these words. It's the words that he taught me. Sure. Night before, I swear. But that's when I found I had potential. I first I I challenged fourth through sixth graders, beat them. Then I had to go against fourth through I mean, seventh through twelfth graders. I beat them. I made it to state and I lost in second place.
speaker-1: But that's when you got that five I could be somebody.
speaker-0: That's when I was like, Yep. After that they put me in this program called ⁓ I forgot the name of this program. Gifted class, the gifted program. And in the gifted program, they would sit us in this classroom with four or five of us and these four or five people came out to be the top four or five people ranked in our class all the way throughout high school. Sure. Right. They put us in there and we would pretend like we're going somewhere across the nation. ⁓ weekly. So in my mind I'm like, man, 'cause we didn't have internet access down there. We didn't have I didn't know what internet was 'til I was in like but I didn't have I knew what it was, but I didn't have access to it 'til I was like, what, seventh, eighth grade? And it was slow, man. Like the dialogue. Yeah.
speaker-1: So well I was I'm from Guyana, so definitely know what it's like to wake to that AOL ring.
speaker-0: Yeah. And if somebody called, God You off. You off. But yeah, they would take us around these places, man, weekly in my mind I'm like, I can really see the world. Like the world is mine. It's up to me if I wanna s if I wanna do it or not. Sure. And
speaker-1: And was there a nurse or a doctor or someone in healthcare that you saw that inspired you to enter medicine? Like what was do you remember catalyst for that?
speaker-0: My mom, my mom became a nurse when I was in like seventh, eighth grade. But after that, so my great-grandmother had 19 kids, right? Crazy. And two or three of them, two or three of them had cancer, man, from like ninth to twelfth grade. So I was seeing the different stages of cancer going to their houses and they don't help take care of them. So was a nurse before I was a nurse. Sure. Right. And even with all of that, I was still like, man.
speaker-1: Yeah.
speaker-0: I'm going to school with athletic training. I'm not getting in that side of the medical field. I went to school for ⁓ athletic training, man. My first semester. The most horrible semester ever. Cause I was accustomed to just breezing by my coursework. I never studied. I was a I never made a B. I made all A's out of the valedictorian in my high school class. I'm like, man, can't tell me nothing. I got to college boy, I got my first F. I say yeah. Yeah. It's time to change several pie. Yeah, home pie. So next semester I change ⁓ let me get a duo. And from that that point on I was like, man, I'm gonna take this serious and study. And here I am. Absolutely.
speaker-1: Now, tell us about who you are within nursing today. What is your exact goal? What do you do?
speaker-0: So I'm a supervisor now. Professionally. Mhm. I'm also a nurse content creator at the year. ⁓
speaker-1: We're gonna get to the content stuff, but tell us more about clinical stuff. Okay. So supervisor in which department? Med surge. Med surgery, okay. And how did you get the supervisory rule? Like like what is it like for I think about young Travius, in Alabama, looking at future Travis, right? Like what was it you think that led you to become not just a nurse
speaker-0: Inmit so
speaker-1: that's degreed in nursing, but to be chosen to be a supervisor and a leader within your clinical organization.
speaker-0: And first I just wanna say God, his grace, but man, overall I just I've always displayed like leadership skills my entire life. I captain of the basketball team, ⁓ president of my class, Vladedictorian. I I was just homecoming homecoming king. I was just always leadership, leadership. I didn't ask for it. I just displayed my skills.
speaker-1: Leadership came naturally too.
speaker-0: Manager see your hard work, say, Hey, I think he'll be a better fit here versus there. It's time for him to
speaker-1: was sent yeah and you're beginning to mention that you were nurse content creator of the year. Kudos to you. Yeah. Thank you. and I think oftentimes in healthcare we reward humility and in content creation it requires visibility. How do you balance the tension of being a healthcare professional where the expectation of your peers
speaker-0: It's perceived professional
speaker-1: professional, humble servant. Mm-hmm. But in the content influencing space, it does require some amount of performative ragadosha, so to speak. And what is that like
speaker-0: In the famous words of Tupac Shakur, only God can judge me. And that's how I feel. Like you can see how you wanna feel. You think it's supposed to go this way. That's cool. Line me up with your most humble, your most humble coworker who you think deserved this position. Let's see who outperformed one of those. I guarantee my I guarantee my content creation skills doesn't outweigh my performance skills when it's time to really apply pressure. on it like you know, in in a hospital said. It don't take away from my knowledge, my my clinical knowledge. ⁓ I'm always mainly the first person to respond to a code, facilitate the code, sure. Save plenty of lives. But you wanna worry about a content video. Sure. So yeah man, I just tell ⁓ you know, don't follow me, block me. The block button still works.
speaker-1: Is that something that you're seeing at work though where I don't know it's it's become ⁓ somewhat of a challenge where you're in a fight against folks that wanna discredit yeah clinical acumen because of
speaker-0: I've been fired from a job before for but it didn't stop me.
speaker-1: ⁓ what'd they tell you when they fired you for it?
speaker-0: Nah, it wasn't. They didn't tell you, they they won't tell you outright that it's for the content, but they'll look for any little reason to try to get you out of there. Sure. It was for a 68, 67 blood sugar, one of them, ⁓ that the tech forgot to report to me. I ain't blaming the tech. I should've still as a nurse, I still should have checked. Checked. Yeah. But the patient was. Asymptomatic man and I don't know, I just missed it. I was having a long night with another patient who was having chest pain. The doctor was just throwing in orders after orders after orders. So I was stuck in this room, bro, for like honestly four or five hours straight. And I ain't gonna say I forgot about my other patients, but I tried to just go out the acuity. Or to delegate and yeah, man. End up coming as a good nurse, man, acting so nice and sweet, giving me reports.
speaker-1: Yeah, you prioritize.
speaker-0: Acting like she loved my videos and all that stuff. When a ratted me out, man. Ratting me out. That's not even no trut off. But outside of that situation, you know, people just say little slick stuff here and there. I see your little content videos or ⁓ Yeah, ⁓ I be peeping. Yeah. I had somebody say that to me two days ago. I say, Yeah, they big now.
speaker-1: ⁓ yeah. There is five.
speaker-0: Yeah, they're pretty big now. Yeah. But man, I don't know. I just think people need to just loosen up as long as it's not being filmed at work, you know, in the middle of something important going on. Really I just try to s shy away from filming at work at all. Like certainly. Yeah. They believe it. Now I ain't gonna lie, when I first started, I was getting it in, whatever, man. was like, man, supply room, any of the time I had my lunch break. I'm going to I'm going to do my content. I'm skipping lunch. I'm doing content. Yeah. Just because I was seeing like how I was growing. And I I saw how like nurses just love like relatability and seeing environments that they're familiar with. Sure. Yeah.
speaker-1: ⁓ are most of your audience members also nurses, adult professionals?
speaker-0: Nurses, doctors, ⁓
speaker-1: And at what point did you realize that you had a voice that was resonating within the community online? Like what was there a specific topic or thing that you discussed and boom, you went viral?
speaker-0: I would say I really realize I had a voice when we did this million nurse march in Washington D C in two thousand twenty two, twenty three. But we had this it was during COVID, right? ⁓
speaker-1: Just the E and E or
speaker-0: No, no, no. No organization like that. It was just nurses online. We had Yes, we had this group. We had this group called ⁓ five thousand dollars travel nurses and up. So every nurse in the world was like, let me get in this group. This is where the jobs at it was COVID. Sure. Everybody was looking for d jobs that were paying five thousand dollars or more a week. But it ended up turning it ended up turning from and this group exploded. It got like five hundred thousand members though, quick.
speaker-1: Truth.
speaker-0: So I was just one of the nurses in the talkin' trash. I was just talking trash. I was li I was loosening up the mood. Everybody was so serious and
speaker-1: This is COVID, everyone's kinda nervous, anxious, sad.
speaker-0: So I'm breaking the ice, I'm throwing jokes in there, I'm telling people they ain't worth it down. Everybody like, man, yo, who is that? Yeah. But I was doing it strategically though. Yeah. I knew it was garner I knew it would garner his attention. And I knew if they get to sit beside me and know the real me, they would know. 'Cause I read I read a lot of books when they come to marketing. Sometimes you just gotta be a little problematic. Sure.
speaker-1: Is you are a technical.
speaker-0: But if to get to know the real me, you'd be like, he got me. And that's what happened. So a lot of them, you know, I forgot the name of the lady who actually set up the march, but I started promoting it in the group. Like, yeah, we're going to D C go D C so showing them leadership skills again. Sure. Man, it was like I think a hundred, two hundred thousand of us showed up in D C. Yeah. And I was in the front, like holding signs as I'm speaker, getting interviewed by the news people, and that's when
speaker-1: What was the what was the March four? What was it about?
speaker-0: Just laws and nursing that we feel could be changed. Staff in all ways. Okay. Staffing, ⁓ better pay, ⁓ racial equality. It's the essentials. Sure. Yeah, but really trying to voice ourselves. And in DC, man, out of o with all them people being there, with all the streets being filled up, no news coverage. Nobody covered it. Nobody covered it. So after that,
speaker-1: What? What was the biggest one that you guys?
speaker-0: That's when I started getting a little recognition. And actually ⁓ one of the nurses I met that man, I'm going to celebrate her 40th next month in Chicago. The connection's still there. Sure. Yep. So after that, I was like, hmm, let me get into posting like nursing content. First I was just talking trades. I wasn't really posting content enough. But then like two, three years ago, I just started making a little content.
speaker-1: Yeah, bit hurt in that mind.
speaker-0: I made my first one I'll never forget in my apartment. And it just went crazy. It went it went to like crazy to me, it was like thirty, forty thousand views. But I never had that. Short like, yo, what the hell? That is Did these people really think I'm that funny?
speaker-1: And it was a funny it was a funny video. It was ⁓
speaker-0: Compare it was comparing a new grand nurse versus an experienced nurse. Yeah. So they love comparison videos. Both? I played both. So you were I had to play both. Because I said, you know what? At first I was always looking for excuses to not do it, to be honest. Yeah. I'm like, man, I need more cats. I need people. It's hard to get these people on schedule. I can't do this, man. It's too much. Then I said, I wanna watch Tyler Perry videos. I said, I'd be done. If he can play three characters. Who am I not to play to?
speaker-1: And then now you fast forward from that first video and you filmed the movie ⁓ and aired it a few months ago. Mm-hmm. ⁓ you're also a musician. Yeah. ⁓ and you're also an entrepreneur. We're discussing before we started the film that you want a hundred and eighty acres ⁓ of real estate with some business partners. Yeah. Say more about what it means to have
speaker-0: yeah.
speaker-1: all the outlets that you do because a large part of our listening audience are doctors that are entrepreneurs as well that are oftentimes leveraging our capital ⁓ to pursue and accomplish their vision ⁓ and dreams. So what what is it like to have as many irons in the fire as you do?
speaker-0: Man, I think it's like I think it's like making history in real time and understanding who you are and where you're going before you even get to it. Like I already visualize what I'm gonna be at, bro, five, ten years and time manifest. I see it. You know, even if I have zero dollars in my bank account, I still stay focused, I still believe, I still see it.
speaker-1: No. You manifest. Will you share where do you where are you where are you gonna be five or ten years from about or five years from now?
speaker-0: Five years from now, I will be probably making my way back to Alabama. Yeah. On that land. Yeah, home is calling me.
speaker-1: Home is calling you. I know that you ⁓ just experienced a loss. You lost your granddad recently and funerals tomorrow. Mm-hmm. Is that part of what's bringing this feeling of home and homecoming? Yeah.
speaker-0: I've been going home a lot, ⁓ lately, visiting my granddad, and then man, when I went the last time he passed away ten, fifteen minutes after I made it to visit him. Yeah. But and and then with my producer coming back, 'cause he's the owner of our company called TSA Network. Right. So he moved back home. And I just think it's time. Like, we always spoke about this five, ten years ago. Visualize it. This ain't the winner, David coming. Now it's starting to heat up. But the you need us down there. ⁓ the politicians not doing their jobs. They it's it's a lot of corruption going on down there. Mm-hmm. ⁓ the people need somebody, man. They need hope. They need hope. And I feel like we the hope that they desire. I feel like we can create change. I feel like Marion should be one of the most iconic cities, not in Alabama but in the nation, that's based off the history of of it alone, especially for black people. And and that's why I speak on it everywhere I go, 'cause I'm like, bro, how can y'all forget about this city? How can we forget about this city? Or do y'all even know about this city? A lot of people may not even know about it. Yeah. But I do feel like it can be Black Wall Street. For real, for real. With a hundred and eighty acres. Yeah. I do feel like it can be Black Wall Street. It can be a central hub and there's a lot of assets down there that we're not utilizing. I do wanna get our kids back involved with agriculture. for sure. Yeah. But I do want to get into real estate. I do want nice buildings down there. I want the people to see something they never experienced. Most people don't travel outside a 30 mile radius. So I'm starting this youth program where I'm taking this sprinter van, I'm start a sprinter van. I want to start small and get six to eight students. Bring them up here to Atlanta, get them to meet people. People like you preferably. If you're open to it. Yeah. People like you. Yeah, man. And and just and not just the regular old field trip. Hey, let's go to a museum. These kids don't want to see that crap. Not to speak down a museum, but you gotta get kids who you gotta know what they're interested in. Sure. Put them around that. Sure.
speaker-1: Sign me
speaker-0: I'm interested in music and film and content creation. I know huge production studios here in Atlanta. I'm gonna ask specifically for those students. Hey, I want s students who are interested in being creative. Sure. Let me get them up here. That's fair. Yeah, so I just feel like I just got I wanna do a lot of servitude. I wanna be a server, ⁓ back home, man. And I know that's gon that's gonna get me where I need to go. ⁓ with God overlooking it. But we also have a ⁓ kind of like a entertainment center where we wanna do like backyard shows and stuff too. And get huge artists to come down. Like get the entertainment road. Yeah. And we have a huge field with a stage. We actually about to tear down the old stage and build a new one. And every and everybody involved who helped build the stage, we're gonna call it the people stage or the community stage. We don't know which one yet. And when we build it, ⁓ it's gonna be concrete this time versus wood. And everybody involved gonna get their hand.
speaker-1: Imprinted on the cement.
speaker-0: Yeah. It's gonna be the community state. It's a lot of land, man. A lot of land, a lot of opportunity. That's what I'm focused on. That's what I think ⁓ God wants us to be doing. And
speaker-1: Yeah. Man, this has been a pleasure, Travis. ⁓ you're multifaceted. And I was gonna ask about the obligation of being from Marion and accomplishing all that you have, but you've said it beautifully already. Yeah. And it's clear that you feel it a soul tie
speaker-0: Brad. Mm. It's not it's not easy though, dog. It's it's not easy. ⁓ I'm sure you know. But when you make it out, come with a lot of love, also come with a lot of hate. So I had to be careful when I moved down there too, at the same time. You know what I'm saying? Just based off of people like he made it here. Why am I still here? Like how who who do he think he is?
speaker-1: So going back home is not always not
speaker-0: ⁓ but where my land is it's perfect good. But going to the city sometimes or events, public events, yeah. Can't go solo dolo, like yeah. Not now. And it's not to brag on myself, but with the notoriety I gained over the years, yeah. It's not it's not the same, though. It's trying
speaker-1: Sure. Yeah. All right, Travis, we've got the rapid fire section right now. I wanna keep these answers as short as possible. First thing that comes to your head. First question is best lesson that nursing has taught you?
speaker-0: Be humble. It can be you tomorrow.
speaker-1: Be humble. Yeah right? Mm-hmm. ⁓ best lesson that music has taught you.
speaker-0: ⁓ stay hungry, don't come easy.
speaker-1: Do you do coffee or energy drinks when you're involved? Coffee over no Red Bull, but Black, cream sugar.
speaker-0: No. Cream sugar but my granddad said real men drink black. I'm trying to get there.
speaker-1: One book that everyone should read. What's that about?
speaker-0: The four agreements. ⁓ man, it just ⁓ teaches you how to navigate through life. ⁓ I would say it is ⁓ it's like a self-help book.
speaker-1: Got it. Yeah. What is ⁓ who is one person you'd love to collaborate with?
speaker-0: We are
speaker-1: To leave. Why him?
speaker-0: He just a fun artist. He expresses himself he be himself truly through thick and thin. And I'm already I already made an album with his artist young days, so I'm like, Okay, I got the savers now, let me get to the captain.
speaker-1: Yeah. What is the most underrated trait for success?
speaker-0: The most underrated trait for success. I don't know how I can sum this up in one word, but not putting too much thought into what others think of you. Trusting and believing in in your vision, no matter what outside outside noise ⁓ comes your way.
speaker-1: Hmm. Well, Travis, this has been a pleasure. Thank you for the time. Thank you. Thank you for sharing your message. Thank you for ⁓ doing what you do to inspire many that that that look like us that are aspiring to become health professionals as well, nurses and doctors. And ⁓ you're clearly an example that that many will admire. Thanks. Thanks.
speaker-0: Yeah, so Thank you for the invite man. Keep doing what you're doing, man. Thank you. Keep doing what you're doing.
speaker-1: Welcome back to Beyond the White Coat. Again, I'm Dr. Zwade Marshall, CEO of Dr. Doc Lending, Anesthesiologist, Interventional Pain Specialists. I'm here today ⁓ for a very interesting episode with one of my favorite interview guests. Oftentimes, society reduces us in healthcare to exactly what we do. So they see us as doctors, as nurses, as dentists, ⁓ for instance, but they don't often get to see the creators that we are, the entrepreneurs that we are, the folks that are making music alongside having a primary career in healthcare. Today's guest is an incredible content creator, influencer who happens to also be an award winning nurse here in Atlanta, Georgia. Welcome in Travis. So as we get going, tell me if someone didn't know Who Travis Kendrick Keantric is ⁓ as a nurse? Do you think people should know about the man that you are?
speaker-0: I think they should know that I hate to brag on myself. Feel like I'm bragging on myself, but I feel like I'm a revolutionary, like in the medical space, specifically the a nursing space. ⁓ I'm just somebody who encourages people to be themselves ⁓ you know, outside of the scrub. We have a life outside of ⁓ the hospital. I think you should embrace that 'cause like who are you before you got into school, who are you during school before you got your credentials. Yeah. So I'm just somebody who just man I coach up to believe in themselves and and and know that it's okay to be multifest in the medical field.
speaker-1: Absolutely. So oftentimes we're all grounded in where we're from and ⁓ our we can't escape our history. For sure. We are. So tell me a little bit about Marion, Alabama and what it was like from small town Alabama and being raised there and becoming the man you are today.
speaker-0: Man, well Mary, when I like to speak on Marion, I always like to say like when I'm speaking to someone, say you for instance, we wouldn't be able to be in the seats that we are now without Marion, 'cause of people like Corella Scott King who made sacrifices so we can have voting rights ⁓ nationwide. So
speaker-1: Be clear be clear about that. Uhhuh. What does Coretta Scott King have to do with Marion Alabama? Let's go. That's right.
speaker-0: She's from Marion. Now there you go. Harvey King and her were married. Yep. And that's where Jimmy Lee Jackson was shot and killed. ⁓ and that sparked the civil rights march from Sylvan and Montgomery. But it started in Marion. That ⁓ for some reason nationwide media often overlooks it. But Marion, man, it was once a thriving place. And after our history occurred, it just started going downhill, downhill, downhill. And now it's been like the number one Horror city in Alabama, ⁓ like twenty plus years. Yeah. So ⁓ Marion, it it grounded me, it rooted me to understand true morals, principles, and the importance of a village. 'Cause without a village, you can't make it in Marion. So when I come to big cities like Atlanta, you know, I see how it's
speaker-1: Yeah.
speaker-0: distance everybody is, man, and how everybody got their own thing going on. What I do is what I do. You stay over there, this is what I do. Mhm. I wasn't accustomed to that. So ⁓ yeah, Marion definitely showed the importance of having a village. ⁓ having other people look out for you, man. My neighbors could whoop me and my mom be okay. Like, time them up. Right. Because she can't watch me all the time. Sure. Yeah, she can't watch me all the time. And I never ⁓ Man, I never met my real father, so my mom played a crucial role in my life. But she can only do so much. So the village was important. ⁓ and Marion just taught me well, I think like how the structure of a family is supposed to be. You saw a lot of people married, trying to make it work, to win all of this what we have today. The fast life, very slow. People had households. Kids, family, new family. We do a lot of family unions. Make sure you know your people. It was very, very cultured. And small city, three thousand citizens. ⁓ had white people, but I never saw ⁓ So it was a very segregated city too. Mm. Yeah. So the white kids went to one school and the black kids went to another school. Mm-hmm. But yeah, it's about it's marrying for you, man. The entire community raised you.
speaker-1: So oftentimes the adversity and the challenges of how we were raised and where we're from gives us an advantage later in life as we aspire and sit in these seats. ⁓ talk a little bit more about how you came to become the nurse that you are, the leader that you are in the healthcare systems here coming out of my what was your journey like?
speaker-0: Man, so my journey, ⁓ I was a curious kid, man. I always been a curious little kid. But honestly when I found out that I had potential is when I won the spelling bee. I was in fourth grade. I won the whole thing.
speaker-1: Right. And you won the whole thing. So I'm a third place spelling B winner. Yeah. Third place in my spelling B. Yeah. And I was I I I'm I still know the word. Mm-hmm. I lost a So my word was nice. It's a rock. And the spelling was G N E I S. And I and I didn't get it. And then the next word was
speaker-0: Well that I I know the word I won though. Wow. Yeah, I probably locked up.
speaker-1: Something that was completely phonetic, like automatope or something. We could just like sound it out. Yeah. And like and I got nice. Yeah.
speaker-0: But what was yours? They got it was guitar. Guitar? Was my winning word. ⁓
speaker-1: Like G-E-Y-T-A R? Mm-hmm.
speaker-0: But ⁓ bro, believe it or not, as a kid in fourth grade, most kids would like G O O D, like good guitar. And and my grand my grandfather who just passed, he taught me how to spell that word the night before. I swear 'cause he had it he had his own band. Listen.
speaker-1: It came up. all throughout college, med school, residency for me, mm, I call it a test orgasm. Mm. When the thing you study the night before showed up on the exam it's like God's smile done from heaven.
speaker-0: Yeah, and I had this whole book they try to get me to read these words. It's the words that he taught me. Sure. Night before, I swear. But that's when I found I had potential. I first I I challenged fourth through sixth graders, beat them. Then I had to go against fourth through I mean, seventh through twelfth graders. I beat them. I made it to state and I lost in second place.
speaker-1: But that's when you got that five I could be somebody.
speaker-0: That's when I was like, Yep. After that they put me in this program called ⁓ I forgot the name of this program. Gifted class, the gifted program. And in the gifted program, they would sit us in this classroom with four or five of us and these four or five people came out to be the top four or five people ranked in our class all the way throughout high school. Sure. Right. They put us in there and we would pretend like we're going somewhere across the nation. ⁓ weekly. So in my mind I'm like, man, 'cause we didn't have internet access down there. We didn't have I didn't know what internet was 'til I was in like but I didn't have I knew what it was, but I didn't have access to it 'til I was like, what, seventh, eighth grade? And it was slow, man. Like the dialogue. Yeah.
speaker-1: So well I was I'm from Guyana, so definitely know what it's like to wake to that AOL ring.
speaker-0: Yeah. And if somebody called, God You off. You off. But yeah, they would take us around these places, man, weekly in my mind I'm like, I can really see the world. Like the world is mine. It's up to me if I wanna s if I wanna do it or not. Sure. And
speaker-1: And was there a nurse or a doctor or someone in healthcare that you saw that inspired you to enter medicine? Like what was do you remember catalyst for that?
speaker-0: My mom, my mom became a nurse when I was in like seventh, eighth grade. But after that, so my great-grandmother had 19 kids, right? Crazy. And two or three of them, two or three of them had cancer, man, from like ninth to twelfth grade. So I was seeing the different stages of cancer going to their houses and they don't help take care of them. So was a nurse before I was a nurse. Sure. Right. And even with all of that, I was still like, man.
speaker-1: Yeah.
speaker-0: I'm going to school with athletic training. I'm not getting in that side of the medical field. I went to school for ⁓ athletic training, man. My first semester. The most horrible semester ever. Cause I was accustomed to just breezing by my coursework. I never studied. I was a I never made a B. I made all A's out of the valedictorian in my high school class. I'm like, man, can't tell me nothing. I got to college boy, I got my first F. I say yeah. Yeah. It's time to change several pie. Yeah, home pie. So next semester I change ⁓ let me get a duo. And from that that point on I was like, man, I'm gonna take this serious and study. And here I am. Absolutely.
speaker-1: Now, tell us about who you are within nursing today. What is your exact goal? What do you do?
speaker-0: So I'm a supervisor now. Professionally. Mhm. I'm also a nurse content creator at the year. ⁓
speaker-1: We're gonna get to the content stuff, but tell us more about clinical stuff. Okay. So supervisor in which department? Med surge. Med surgery, okay. And how did you get the supervisory rule? Like like what is it like for I think about young Travius, in Alabama, looking at future Travis, right? Like what was it you think that led you to become not just a nurse
speaker-0: Inmit so
speaker-1: that's degreed in nursing, but to be chosen to be a supervisor and a leader within your clinical organization.
speaker-0: And first I just wanna say God, his grace, but man, overall I just I've always displayed like leadership skills my entire life. I captain of the basketball team, ⁓ president of my class, Vladedictorian. I I was just homecoming homecoming king. I was just always leadership, leadership. I didn't ask for it. I just displayed my skills.
speaker-1: Leadership came naturally too.
speaker-0: Manager see your hard work, say, Hey, I think he'll be a better fit here versus there. It's time for him to
speaker-1: was sent yeah and you're beginning to mention that you were nurse content creator of the year. Kudos to you. Yeah. Thank you. and I think oftentimes in healthcare we reward humility and in content creation it requires visibility. How do you balance the tension of being a healthcare professional where the expectation of your peers
speaker-0: It's perceived professional
speaker-1: professional, humble servant. Mm-hmm. But in the content influencing space, it does require some amount of performative ragadosha, so to speak. And what is that like
speaker-0: In the famous words of Tupac Shakur, only God can judge me. And that's how I feel. Like you can see how you wanna feel. You think it's supposed to go this way. That's cool. Line me up with your most humble, your most humble coworker who you think deserved this position. Let's see who outperformed one of those. I guarantee my I guarantee my content creation skills doesn't outweigh my performance skills when it's time to really apply pressure. on it like you know, in in a hospital said. It don't take away from my knowledge, my my clinical knowledge. ⁓ I'm always mainly the first person to respond to a code, facilitate the code, sure. Save plenty of lives. But you wanna worry about a content video. Sure. So yeah man, I just tell ⁓ you know, don't follow me, block me. The block button still works.
speaker-1: Is that something that you're seeing at work though where I don't know it's it's become ⁓ somewhat of a challenge where you're in a fight against folks that wanna discredit yeah clinical acumen because of
speaker-0: I've been fired from a job before for but it didn't stop me.
speaker-1: ⁓ what'd they tell you when they fired you for it?
speaker-0: Nah, it wasn't. They didn't tell you, they they won't tell you outright that it's for the content, but they'll look for any little reason to try to get you out of there. Sure. It was for a 68, 67 blood sugar, one of them, ⁓ that the tech forgot to report to me. I ain't blaming the tech. I should've still as a nurse, I still should have checked. Checked. Yeah. But the patient was. Asymptomatic man and I don't know, I just missed it. I was having a long night with another patient who was having chest pain. The doctor was just throwing in orders after orders after orders. So I was stuck in this room, bro, for like honestly four or five hours straight. And I ain't gonna say I forgot about my other patients, but I tried to just go out the acuity. Or to delegate and yeah, man. End up coming as a good nurse, man, acting so nice and sweet, giving me reports.
speaker-1: Yeah, you prioritize.
speaker-0: Acting like she loved my videos and all that stuff. When a ratted me out, man. Ratting me out. That's not even no trut off. But outside of that situation, you know, people just say little slick stuff here and there. I see your little content videos or ⁓ Yeah, ⁓ I be peeping. Yeah. I had somebody say that to me two days ago. I say, Yeah, they big now.
speaker-1: ⁓ yeah. There is five.
speaker-0: Yeah, they're pretty big now. Yeah. But man, I don't know. I just think people need to just loosen up as long as it's not being filmed at work, you know, in the middle of something important going on. Really I just try to s shy away from filming at work at all. Like certainly. Yeah. They believe it. Now I ain't gonna lie, when I first started, I was getting it in, whatever, man. was like, man, supply room, any of the time I had my lunch break. I'm going to I'm going to do my content. I'm skipping lunch. I'm doing content. Yeah. Just because I was seeing like how I was growing. And I I saw how like nurses just love like relatability and seeing environments that they're familiar with. Sure. Yeah.
speaker-1: ⁓ are most of your audience members also nurses, adult professionals?
speaker-0: Nurses, doctors, ⁓
speaker-1: And at what point did you realize that you had a voice that was resonating within the community online? Like what was there a specific topic or thing that you discussed and boom, you went viral?
speaker-0: I would say I really realize I had a voice when we did this million nurse march in Washington D C in two thousand twenty two, twenty three. But we had this it was during COVID, right? ⁓
speaker-1: Just the E and E or
speaker-0: No, no, no. No organization like that. It was just nurses online. We had Yes, we had this group. We had this group called ⁓ five thousand dollars travel nurses and up. So every nurse in the world was like, let me get in this group. This is where the jobs at it was COVID. Sure. Everybody was looking for d jobs that were paying five thousand dollars or more a week. But it ended up turning it ended up turning from and this group exploded. It got like five hundred thousand members though, quick.
speaker-1: Truth.
speaker-0: So I was just one of the nurses in the talkin' trash. I was just talking trash. I was li I was loosening up the mood. Everybody was so serious and
speaker-1: This is COVID, everyone's kinda nervous, anxious, sad.
speaker-0: So I'm breaking the ice, I'm throwing jokes in there, I'm telling people they ain't worth it down. Everybody like, man, yo, who is that? Yeah. But I was doing it strategically though. Yeah. I knew it was garner I knew it would garner his attention. And I knew if they get to sit beside me and know the real me, they would know. 'Cause I read I read a lot of books when they come to marketing. Sometimes you just gotta be a little problematic. Sure.
speaker-1: Is you are a technical.
speaker-0: But if to get to know the real me, you'd be like, he got me. And that's what happened. So a lot of them, you know, I forgot the name of the lady who actually set up the march, but I started promoting it in the group. Like, yeah, we're going to D C go D C so showing them leadership skills again. Sure. Man, it was like I think a hundred, two hundred thousand of us showed up in D C. Yeah. And I was in the front, like holding signs as I'm speaker, getting interviewed by the news people, and that's when
speaker-1: What was the what was the March four? What was it about?
speaker-0: Just laws and nursing that we feel could be changed. Staff in all ways. Okay. Staffing, ⁓ better pay, ⁓ racial equality. It's the essentials. Sure. Yeah, but really trying to voice ourselves. And in DC, man, out of o with all them people being there, with all the streets being filled up, no news coverage. Nobody covered it. Nobody covered it. So after that,
speaker-1: What? What was the biggest one that you guys?
speaker-0: That's when I started getting a little recognition. And actually ⁓ one of the nurses I met that man, I'm going to celebrate her 40th next month in Chicago. The connection's still there. Sure. Yep. So after that, I was like, hmm, let me get into posting like nursing content. First I was just talking trades. I wasn't really posting content enough. But then like two, three years ago, I just started making a little content.
speaker-1: Yeah, bit hurt in that mind.
speaker-0: I made my first one I'll never forget in my apartment. And it just went crazy. It went it went to like crazy to me, it was like thirty, forty thousand views. But I never had that. Short like, yo, what the hell? That is Did these people really think I'm that funny?
speaker-1: And it was a funny it was a funny video. It was ⁓
speaker-0: Compare it was comparing a new grand nurse versus an experienced nurse. Yeah. So they love comparison videos. Both? I played both. So you were I had to play both. Because I said, you know what? At first I was always looking for excuses to not do it, to be honest. Yeah. I'm like, man, I need more cats. I need people. It's hard to get these people on schedule. I can't do this, man. It's too much. Then I said, I wanna watch Tyler Perry videos. I said, I'd be done. If he can play three characters. Who am I not to play to?
speaker-1: And then now you fast forward from that first video and you filmed the movie ⁓ and aired it a few months ago. Mm-hmm. ⁓ you're also a musician. Yeah. ⁓ and you're also an entrepreneur. We're discussing before we started the film that you want a hundred and eighty acres ⁓ of real estate with some business partners. Yeah. Say more about what it means to have
speaker-0: yeah.
speaker-1: all the outlets that you do because a large part of our listening audience are doctors that are entrepreneurs as well that are oftentimes leveraging our capital ⁓ to pursue and accomplish their vision ⁓ and dreams. So what what is it like to have as many irons in the fire as you do?
speaker-0: Man, I think it's like I think it's like making history in real time and understanding who you are and where you're going before you even get to it. Like I already visualize what I'm gonna be at, bro, five, ten years and time manifest. I see it. You know, even if I have zero dollars in my bank account, I still stay focused, I still believe, I still see it.
speaker-1: No. You manifest. Will you share where do you where are you where are you gonna be five or ten years from about or five years from now?
speaker-0: Five years from now, I will be probably making my way back to Alabama. Yeah. On that land. Yeah, home is calling me.
speaker-1: Home is calling you. I know that you ⁓ just experienced a loss. You lost your granddad recently and funerals tomorrow. Mm-hmm. Is that part of what's bringing this feeling of home and homecoming? Yeah.
speaker-0: I've been going home a lot, ⁓ lately, visiting my granddad, and then man, when I went the last time he passed away ten, fifteen minutes after I made it to visit him. Yeah. But and and then with my producer coming back, 'cause he's the owner of our company called TSA Network. Right. So he moved back home. And I just think it's time. Like, we always spoke about this five, ten years ago. Visualize it. This ain't the winner, David coming. Now it's starting to heat up. But the you need us down there. ⁓ the politicians not doing their jobs. They it's it's a lot of corruption going on down there. Mm-hmm. ⁓ the people need somebody, man. They need hope. They need hope. And I feel like we the hope that they desire. I feel like we can create change. I feel like Marion should be one of the most iconic cities, not in Alabama but in the nation, that's based off the history of of it alone, especially for black people. And and that's why I speak on it everywhere I go, 'cause I'm like, bro, how can y'all forget about this city? How can we forget about this city? Or do y'all even know about this city? A lot of people may not even know about it. Yeah. But I do feel like it can be Black Wall Street. For real, for real. With a hundred and eighty acres. Yeah. I do feel like it can be Black Wall Street. It can be a central hub and there's a lot of assets down there that we're not utilizing. I do wanna get our kids back involved with agriculture. for sure. Yeah. But I do want to get into real estate. I do want nice buildings down there. I want the people to see something they never experienced. Most people don't travel outside a 30 mile radius. So I'm starting this youth program where I'm taking this sprinter van, I'm start a sprinter van. I want to start small and get six to eight students. Bring them up here to Atlanta, get them to meet people. People like you preferably. If you're open to it. Yeah. People like you. Yeah, man. And and just and not just the regular old field trip. Hey, let's go to a museum. These kids don't want to see that crap. Not to speak down a museum, but you gotta get kids who you gotta know what they're interested in. Sure. Put them around that. Sure.
speaker-1: Sign me
speaker-0: I'm interested in music and film and content creation. I know huge production studios here in Atlanta. I'm gonna ask specifically for those students. Hey, I want s students who are interested in being creative. Sure. Let me get them up here. That's fair. Yeah, so I just feel like I just got I wanna do a lot of servitude. I wanna be a server, ⁓ back home, man. And I know that's gon that's gonna get me where I need to go. ⁓ with God overlooking it. But we also have a ⁓ kind of like a entertainment center where we wanna do like backyard shows and stuff too. And get huge artists to come down. Like get the entertainment road. Yeah. And we have a huge field with a stage. We actually about to tear down the old stage and build a new one. And every and everybody involved who helped build the stage, we're gonna call it the people stage or the community stage. We don't know which one yet. And when we build it, ⁓ it's gonna be concrete this time versus wood. And everybody involved gonna get their hand.
speaker-1: Imprinted on the cement.
speaker-0: Yeah. It's gonna be the community state. It's a lot of land, man. A lot of land, a lot of opportunity. That's what I'm focused on. That's what I think ⁓ God wants us to be doing. And
speaker-1: Yeah. Man, this has been a pleasure, Travis. ⁓ you're multifaceted. And I was gonna ask about the obligation of being from Marion and accomplishing all that you have, but you've said it beautifully already. Yeah. And it's clear that you feel it a soul tie
speaker-0: Brad. Mm. It's not it's not easy though, dog. It's it's not easy. ⁓ I'm sure you know. But when you make it out, come with a lot of love, also come with a lot of hate. So I had to be careful when I moved down there too, at the same time. You know what I'm saying? Just based off of people like he made it here. Why am I still here? Like how who who do he think he is?
speaker-1: So going back home is not always not
speaker-0: ⁓ but where my land is it's perfect good. But going to the city sometimes or events, public events, yeah. Can't go solo dolo, like yeah. Not now. And it's not to brag on myself, but with the notoriety I gained over the years, yeah. It's not it's not the same, though. It's trying
speaker-1: Sure. Yeah. All right, Travis, we've got the rapid fire section right now. I wanna keep these answers as short as possible. First thing that comes to your head. First question is best lesson that nursing has taught you?
speaker-0: Be humble. It can be you tomorrow.
speaker-1: Be humble. Yeah right? Mm-hmm. ⁓ best lesson that music has taught you.
speaker-0: ⁓ stay hungry, don't come easy.
speaker-1: Do you do coffee or energy drinks when you're involved? Coffee over no Red Bull, but Black, cream sugar.
speaker-0: No. Cream sugar but my granddad said real men drink black. I'm trying to get there.
speaker-1: One book that everyone should read. What's that about?
speaker-0: The four agreements. ⁓ man, it just ⁓ teaches you how to navigate through life. ⁓ I would say it is ⁓ it's like a self-help book.
speaker-1: Got it. Yeah. What is ⁓ who is one person you'd love to collaborate with?
speaker-0: We are
speaker-1: To leave. Why him?
speaker-0: He just a fun artist. He expresses himself he be himself truly through thick and thin. And I'm already I already made an album with his artist young days, so I'm like, Okay, I got the savers now, let me get to the captain.
speaker-1: Yeah. What is the most underrated trait for success?
speaker-0: The most underrated trait for success. I don't know how I can sum this up in one word, but not putting too much thought into what others think of you. Trusting and believing in in your vision, no matter what outside outside noise ⁓ comes your way.
speaker-1: Hmm. Well, Travis, this has been a pleasure. Thank you for the time. Thank you. Thank you for sharing your message. Thank you for ⁓ doing what you do to inspire many that that that look like us that are aspiring to become health professionals as well, nurses and doctors. And ⁓ you're clearly an example that that many will admire. Thanks. Thanks.
speaker-0: Yeah, so Thank you for the invite man. Keep doing what you're doing, man. Thank you. Keep doing what you're doing.
