I Take You Seriously, And You Should Too
THIS JOURNAL BELONGS TO
Brandon Scott Roye
Where Netflix Inspires, Masterclass Empowers
Netflix can be the initial spark of inspiration but masterclass is the fuel for longevity.
9 MINS READ TIME
If you dug up my college transcript back home in Texas, you’ll see that I studied supply chain management. Each class encouraged me to reimagine global operations concepts like purchasing, warehousing, manufacturing, and alike. My studies led to opportunities on construction sites in a hard hat and manufacturing plants in steel toe boots. Two weeks on the day shift, two weeks on the night shift, and repeat. The only thing I loved was offroading on four wheelers during my lunch breaks which reminded me of exploring Texas ranches back in elementary school. My decision-making process valued “playing the part” over thinking for myself. Whatever I desired, I would do the exact opposite to conform. I wanted to date men — so I dated women. I wanted to explore my creativity — so I studied operations. You might even say I was studying to become an actor. I knew how to think for myself, but I didn’t yet know how to act for myself.
Grasping at straws, I filled every in-between moment with biographies, autobiographies, albums, and documentaries of my role models. Politicians in particular always stood out to me — not for their policies, but the way they carry themselves and their movement. I started off reading about the father and son duo, George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush. They were top of mind because my family of loyal Astros fans always sat right behind the dugout — and the Bush’s were lifelong season ticket holders in the diamond club nearby. Their family dynamics in particular were something special — they were taught to lead with humility, diffuse situations through humor, and never take life too seriously. The father celebrated his 90th birthday by skydiving and the son learned to paint portraits of American heroes. And if I could name just one more, it’s Winston Churchill who taught me the profound power of simplicity.
Mindlessly scrolling through my camera roll one day, I made it all the way back to my first shots as an iPhone owner. It was a collection of original sketches, Women’s Spring/Summer 2014 specifically. They were posing in vibrant mosaic-inspired evening gowns on gondolas in front of the Rialto Bridge and effortlessly scaling the Eiffel Tower, as one does. This discovery sparked a leap of faith within me, as small as it may seem. I typed in “fashion designer” on Netflix and discovered the documentary of Yves Saint Laurent. I’ve never been one to throw around the phrase “changed my life” too often, but I would be remiss if I hadn’t here. Minutes into the film, my mind was already racing with new possibilities, new emotions which I never gave myself the space to try on. It felt like clouds of vivid colors from Holi festivals bouncing around in my head. Mondrian patterns, Moroccan spices, intricate embroideries, deep despair, and the kind of love between two men I never believed that I could have. One of my favorite details — Yves and his partner, Pierre, always bought artwork together in identical pairs. And they never bought artwork apart
His faults and vices brought silver linings, the darkest moments yielded his highest brilliance. He ended his sentences with a period when he spoke and his actions were a direct reflection of his heart. Yves’ whimsy and grit stood in stark contrast to the more traditional role models I was taking notes from. When the credits started rolling, I got up and stopped in front of a mirror — because I truly saw myself. Simultaneously realizing that I am, in fact, gay and accepting the inevitable challenges ahead. I knew I had quite a bit of work ahead of me if I wanted to translate his life on screen into my everyday reality.
And that’s just it.
Photo: Arnaud Montagard
Photo: Arnaud Montagard
Netflix serves as that pivotal spark, but Masterclass is exploring what happens when you supply a spark with midnight oil. They’re partnering with me, Brandon, until I become the master in front of the lens. Masterclass goes far beyond teaching you how to. You’ll learn to dream again. Just like you did years ago when finishing your milk and counting to ten were the big action items of the day. Masterclass is a new learning platform taught by best-in-class leaders from around the world. Dr. Jane Goodall, Martin Scorsese, Hans Zimmer, Malcolm Gladwell, Simone Biles, RuPaul, Serena Williams — I’ve never seen anything like it. These are the some of the few who play a definitive hand in pushing our society forward when it comes to human understanding, expression, and achievement. They aren’t the early adopters — they’re the first adopters. New technologies are created just for them to level-up their craft. And their discoveries fill our screens and textbooks with the wonders of the world. And now, they’re sharing everything they have learned at the pinnacle of their career, lovingly daring you to one-up them. Because you can.
When the sleek, unwavering silhouette of Anna Wintour waltzed on screen, removing her sunnies and staring me straight in the eyes — my very first thought was, “Wow, this is much more intimate than I expected.” In spectacular British fashion, she got right to the curriculum without hesitation. She broke down her process and mindset — how she empowers others to shine, builds unstoppable teams, identifies up-and-coming designers, and gives back to the world. The structure of the class held the perfect tempo, a foxtrot of sorts. Fast enough to keep me energized without looking at the clock — and slow enough that I could comfortably translate her equally simple and complex advice to my everyday
Diving next into Kelly Wearstler’s course, I was admittedly infatuated by her elegant persona. Her vocabulary — and her frequent use of the word “vocabulary” — made me realize that executive presence is a growth area I want to focus on this year. After binge watching three courses in one week, I kept having the same thought over and over: The future of the sharing economy is equal parts horizontal and vertical. ”Horizontal” meaning peer-to-peer sharing services like Uber and Airbnb which lower the barrier of entry to enjoy homes, cars, and even monthly watch deliveries. The effect on our society, which I believe we could show more pride in, is a surge in trust among perfect strangers. “Vertical” refers to cross pollination and even reverse-mentorship among the young and old. This vertical piece, I believe, is what makes Masterclass so brilliant. True leaders want everyone to succeed in reaching their own fulfillment and making a positive impact. Each instructor is very clearly having the time of their lives sharing their brilliant secrets, fully unbothered by competitors listening in.
Sometimes I wonder how I would have responded if it was Yves, instead of Anna, who locked eyes with me at 20 years old and said, “I take you seriously, and you should too. Here’s what to do.” Pretty powerful, if you ask me. The energy and sincerity behind each production is palpable and honestly, the $180 per year membership is the deal of the decade for such timeless insights. I mean, we’re talking Shonda Rhymes, Bob Iger, Misty Copeland, and too many more to count — all for less than your favorite pair of denim. In terms of credibility, I wouldn’t be surprised if Masterclass, LinkedIn, and other course packages held the same weight as degrees in the future.
If I could leave you with one thought, it would be to completely toss out your traditional identity for at least 2-3 hours per month. In this time, hold yourself accountable for consuming equal parts Netflix and Masterclass-style content. I like to call this “inspo hunting” with the simple intention of taking in a deep breath of fresh ideas and crossing paths with intriguing new people.Oh, and the next time you see the delightedly fretful question, “Are you still watching?”, take a moment to consider if the word “vicariously” truly should have a place in your vocabulary.