A Bad Idea

Episode 1: A Bad IdeaThis is a bad idea. And while that could arguably be true about a lot of what I'm doing right now... I'm specifically talking about this podcast. You see for the past 10 years I've ran what has been a fairly successful podcast company in the United States south east. I've built up a trusted reputation, extremely amazing clients, and that all important x factor: an audience. So I feel I need to start this thing off by pointing out that by launching this podcast, I am doing the exact opposite of what I've told all my client to do. This is a branded vanity project from the founder of the company, using a name that is so bland there are already 15 podcasts with the exact same name and to make matters worse, the album art is completely AI generated. So why am I doing this? Why create Risky Business with Beau York? I’ve always felt that openness and vulnerability is a powerful tool to help people connect with someone's story. And for much of my career it’s been my job to nudge people in that exact direction… However, ironically, I'm terrible at doing it myself. Like most self proclaimed entrepreneurs I’m driven by fear of public failure more so than a desire for personal success. And as someone who has convinced friends and colleagues to follow me into ventures before, I’ve felt the weight of their expectations in every step and misstep along the way. But that's literally true of everyone to some extent right? I mean you don’t have to start a business or make a thing in order to know that feeling of being under the microscope. Weather it’s your friends, your family, or just that little overly critical voice in the back of your head that you should probably see a therapist about. Anyway all that to say, as I reach the end of my 30s I feel that I finally have discovered what I truly want to be when I grow up: I want to be a storyteller. And not just the stories of others or even my own lived experience. I want to tell fantastic stories that create wonder and terror and build worlds in the imaginations of anyone willing to experience them. I have a few. 3 actually! We'll more like 2 and a half… I’ve worked on them for the past several years but they each require a unique path to being told. The first one… the only one that’s really fully written out. Is a play… but not just any play. An immersive play. That might not mean anything to many of you… but for context it’s a story that plays out like a living video game where you as the audience get to wander around the set and choose which characters to follow and how you want to experience the story. Intrigued? Confused? Need more information? Stick around… we’ll get there. But before diving into how we are working to bring this new story to life through sets and actors and tech, we’ll take the first few episodes of this series to talk with some artists and storytellers, who I’ve had the pleasure of working with over the years to discuss creative ways of expression that can connect and challenge an audience. For those of you familiar with my previous work, you're likely to hear a few familiar voices pop up here and there. But I’m also excited to introduce you to some new voices who I am working with that are pushing boundaries and helping to create something exciting and truly special. But all of this is a risk. A big risk. I’m literally putting everything I’ve ever done professionally on the line. My company, every penny of profit I’ve saved up from it… it’s all going into the new era of story telling. And it could fail. And I know that that. So all the more reason to shine a spotlight on the process right? So what’s is this podcast? What is Risky Business with Beau York. It’s an exploration of what takes to tell a good story. But it also very well may be A front row seat to watch the biggest trainwreck of my career… I guess we won’t know how it all ends until we start telling the story.Thank You for listening to this episode of Risky Business with Beau York. I’ve been your host Beau York and you can follow me at incognitbeau on instagram and learn more about this project at ENTERAYOR.com that EnterAYOR.com. And if the spelling for all of this is too crazy I’ve got them linked in the show notes. Be sure to check back in the next week or so for the latest episode of Risky Business with Beau York.