Conversations with Brian Parsons

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brian Parsons

Hi Brian, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I was a career “yes” man. I let every toxic work culture trait I was ever around dictate how I functioned and who I was.
The moment I had finally had enough was when a traumatic event impacted my children in life changing ways and I needed my employer to support me while I was making myself present and available to them. I received the opposite of support from my job that I had devoted almost two decades to. Instead, I received scrutiny, judgment, and pressure. So I quit.

During the following months I felt anxiety attacks that were so intense I would get physically sick for days. As time went on, we all began to heal. I had time to sit with my past, my missing pieces, my broken pieces, and determine what I was going to do to move forward and rebuild. I had made a lot of mistakes, burned a lot of bridges, and danced with a lot of demons. I found peace, purpose, and power in creating in those following months.

During this time, I authored two books. We all dream about the things we’d say to our ex-employers given the chance after a turbulent exit. I’m grateful that during this period of my life I actually felt empowered to say them with a book title. Don’t Bee a Prick is still available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. I just did it.

But I also returned myself to writing and performing music. My purpose and my passion is communication, storytelling, and creativity. To me, music is the Great Healer. It’s what I need in order to feel whole. I allowed employers armed with paychecks to hold that part of me ransom for years. Friends, it’s not worth it. I just did it.

In my gratitude for the opportunities I have had to heal, create, and connect, I am also now the co-founder of a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization called Ink Intervention. We provide hope and opportunities to incarcerated and recently released Coloradans through mobile laser tattoo removal services, focused on highly-visible antisocial, racist, and gang-related tattoos that inhibit employment opportunities. We then provide resources in mental health, addiction recovery support, faith services, financial assistance, job placement, and workforce training. Many criticized the vision and expressed skepticism about its viability. I just did it.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I second guessed every choice I made during this time. Security was all I knew. Financial security, job security, and the security of having good benefits. My decision to quit was huge. I was giving all of that up. I felt like I was letting everyone down that depended on me. I went through months of unemployment, struggling to find a job although I was educated, experienced, credentialed, an honorable veteran, and highly-skilled. I felt like I was being selfish for pursuing ambitious creative projects while being unsure of where the next paycheck was going to come from and deciding which bill I could postpone that month. Creative pathways are never smooth roads. They are roads paved with doubt, uncertainty, rejection, and critics. It’s immensely challenging and not for the weak. I just did it.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a writer, a musician, a storyteller, a performer, and a philanthropist. Nothing sets me apart from others. I figured out what makes me happy and I just do it.

Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
The very first time I stepped onto a stage with a guitar and an audience when I was in 4th grade. Coming in close second was three minutes later when I heard their applause.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://InkIntervention.org
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/citizengamble
• Twitter: https://x.com/citizengamble
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/citizengamble
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6nuPoA0PJ1id64svoFMBDU?si=FOQnfEh9Q–U7LlmXpW5lw

Image Credits
Christina Starkey, Emmalee Parsons, Alexander Parsons, Fox 21