Lessons - Family, Success Cultures and Creating Your Own Luck | Carson Rowland, Actor

Welcome to the lessons episodes of Success Story. These lessons episodes will be shorter clips from past guests, accomplished value community members, and myself. In each short episode we'll feature concise and insightful actionable conversations and tactics, providing you with real-world strategies and tips to help you achieve your personal and professional goals. If you're seeking a no-nonsense approach to growth and progress, you've come to the right spot. Settle in, take notes, and enjoy. There's a lot of people that can figure out how to do one thing exceptionally well. But what I see with you is I see that in your career, in your education. I mean, you're probably enrolled in one of the most complex academic programs anybody could find themselves in while simultaneously succeeding as an actor in your career at a very young age. So obviously success is not accidental. You're replicating it across all the different parts of your life. So when you look at that and you unpack it, what do you think allows you to replicate success across so many different things that you take on? Yeah, well, I think, and I was thinking about this and how this podcast is called success story. And I'm honestly so honored to be on this podcast, just called this because I don't, I look at myself and I don't really consider myself a success story yet. But in the making and the making is also acceptable, I mean, it's just so humbling to be on this. And I was thinking about this and just the name of the podcast and I really think the success doesn't come from me. I really think it comes from my family and the culture my family has created. I mean, you look at both grandparents on my dad's side and my mom's side. My mom's side, my grandpa worked in construction. I mean, he worked a couple of jobs, just try to like put food on the table. My grandma worked as well. I mean, just trying to raise the three kids. And then my mom was the first one in their family to graduate college. And then look at my dad's side, my dad's dad. My grandpa worked three jobs as well. And while the mom was taking care of six children, I mean, the success doesn't start with me. I mean, it starts with my family and like how hard, I mean, I've worked hard to get where I am. Yes, but my grandparents have worked infinitely harder than I have. And because of that hard work and because of the hard work of both my parents, my dad, he was the first one to go to graduate school, he went to medical school, paid his, paid his undergrad, paid his medical school all himself. And because of his hard work and dedication, I was able to pursue things I love to do. And that's the success here. The success isn't me. The success is the successes of my family and how they groomed this culture in my personal family to let us accomplish amazing things. I mean, you look at my, I have a twin sister who at the age of 14 moved to New York City to train to be a professional ballet dancer. And then right when she turned 18, she moved to L.A. She moved to L.A. together to dance with, she danced with Los Angeles ballet while I was pursuing acting. And I have a little sister who's just the most incredible ballet dancer who is now in North Carolina training to be a ballet dancer. And she's just, she's one all sorts of competitions is getting global, is being recognized globally for her, for her talent in ballet. And I have my brother who is a collegiate baseball player and is now starting his own business. I mean, it's not just, it's not just me, it's it's my family who has really created this. And I honestly, like you said, the secret, the secret is my family. And we're in the, yeah, the culture they created and how they, they've really supported what I, what, what my interests are. And I know in the beginning, when I first started gaining success in, I'm acting when I booked the Nickelodeon show. I'm Frankie, my, my whole family, grandparents, aunts and uncles included. When I was out in L.A., they're like Carson, when you coming home, you need a study. Come on, get your degree, like what's going on. And my dad calls me and he goes, hey, look, I work 60 hours a week. And it's really tough on me, emotionally, stressful. You know, it's just, it's physically too. It's going to work you down. He's actually put himself in the hospital because he's been stressed sometimes. It's a hard job. And he's done that for his kids. And he said, man, look, if you can make a living, doing what you love to do, go for it. And so having that from, from saying from like he's, he's probably my favorite man in the world. I mean, just having him say that was just incredible. And having him fully engage in what I love to do. I mean, that's, that's the success. And he's been able to, um, groove me to like work my hardest. And I know it sounds cliche, but it's just, that's, that's what, that's the success here. Yeah. It's a good answer. And it's, and I appreciate the answer a lot. Um, I think it's, it's incredible that you're, you're, you're understanding, like, like all the contribution and just, I like the word, the culture, the culture, the family drives success, the drives performance. Now, when you start on a new path into a new, um, a new venture, like, say, venture, like acting, uh, singing, these are things that your family does not know. But you're still, you're still killing it in these, in these, these initiatives. So what, what steps do you take to understand? Like how do you align yourself with the right people who know? Because you're still young in your career, um, you want to be successful. But in particular, when you're going into acting, it's not like you, even if you're going to another industry outside of medicine, right? There's a lot of, uh, defined paths that you can take. And you see so many issues with people that could, that get successful at a young age, especially in the arts. So how do you make sure that that doesn't happen that you align with the right people, that the people that, you know, are managing your career and whatnot? Obviously you, your parents have an interest, but they don't know what they don't know. Yeah. So, so who do you find? Where do you go? How do you make sure that everything sort of lines up properly? Yeah. Of course. And, um, so like when I first moved to LA, um, I did have friends out there and that were quality friends from, um, the Nickelodeon show I did. And that's, that's the most important thing is finding people that, um, are doing what you love to do or doing what you're aspiring to do and kind of emulate them. Um, so I had some friends that are really successful. And I just asked questions and I was on, I was on the phone figuring out like, what to do before I even moved out to LA, I had, I had a list, um, of people that I wanted to connect with. I sent several emails just to make sure like I was doing the right thing because it, I mean, like some, it's, it is a shot in the dark essentially. I mean, you'd have to, um, really set a path and I hate my, the thing I hate most is just, is the future and how ambiguous it can be. I, I love, um, knowing what is happening. And so moving out to LA and having kind of this thing that's just up in the air, it was, it was a real, I mean, it was tough and, um, it was a real struggle. But, um, I was able to connect with really good people. And that's the thing is having this support system, um, in tact. So if things do go wrong and you have this kind of, um, emotional, um, it's a network. It's like a strong network. Yeah, exactly. Um, and there was a time in LA where I was, uh, I was sitting around for, I mean, I was auditioning, but things weren't going my way. I was enacting classes, you know, trying to make myself, um, just kind of grew myself and, um, learn my craft some more and things weren't going my way. I mean, it was tough. I was just, uh, every audition was not, I heard nothing back. And, um, for like four or five months and it was, it was tough. And I know you talked to any actor in Hollywood and they've, they've been through that. And it's, the rejection is really hard. And that's why a lot of people in Hollywood kind of go down the wrong path. And that's why it's so important, especially in Hollywood to find those good friends. And I was, I was fortunately able to do that. And I've made some of my best friends just, um, kind of growing, we're, we're, we're all going through similar stuff at the same time. And we can empathize with each other and just, uh, through that experience. Yeah, we made some of my best friends. And, and then when you, and that's a very good lesson for quite literally anybody in, in any industry or anything starting out, like the network, like just aligning with the right people, learning, emulating, and these are all very good things. Um, and it's, it's good that you've learned them. Um, that, I think that's very important. Yeah. Now, as you grow your career, is it, is it strategic in a sense where, you know, you've ventured into music now, uh, I, you know, sweet, sweet magnolia. I have no idea what that, that's really about. I'm gonna, I'm gonna probably now wash it because we spoke. But I mean, like, was that a purposeful, was that a purposeful move in a career for an actor to move into a type of show like that? Um, was it just the next opportunity that came? Was the music something that you've always wanted to do? Or was that a purposeful move because that's part of like, you know, your persona, your brand, how do you make those decisions in your career? When again, it's not defined. I'm curious, like, what, what you go through. Of course. So we'll, we'll have a music, I filmed a small lifetime movie, um, and the producers of that show also owned a, um, a record label. And so, uh, their daughter was starring in the movie as well. So, uh, I'd bring my guitar to set sometimes and we'd sing in this around. And then a couple of months later, they're like, Hey, we want you to do a duet with our daughter. And so we, we sang this song and after they're like, Hey, we love your voice. We love your sound. Do you want to sign the record label? And that was just, that was amazing because I was in, I was in school at the time in South Florida. And I had kind of nothing going on. The, uh, we just finished the season two of the Nickelodeon show. It was just really slow. And I was kind of gearing back towards, okay, medical school is, is the option. But I was able to find this, um, find this outlet to, um, do something that I've always loved. Like I've, I've been taking guitar lessons and piano lessons since I was seven years old. And, um, I always have this fascination with music and with writing. And so, um, I, I was huge into writing poetry and writing songs. And so finally I was giving this, I was giving this outlet to write something, meaning full and personal and kind of give it to the world, which is just an amazing opportunity. Um, and then so when it comes to the, the, the Netflix show, uh, I was in South Florida in school. I was taking organic chemistry to genetics. I mean, just like you name it, like all of these, these tough classes are drowning in school. Um, and I, I booked this movie, um, this, this other lifetime movie. Um, so I was filming that and in school at the same time. So I was driving to Miami, filming, driving back, taking a exam. It was, it was not so crazy. So it was super busy, but I love staying busy. So, um, while I was on set, there was this guy there who said, Hey, like, you need to tap into the Atlanta market. Cause I was in L.A. I was in South Florida, the Miami market, but I haven't explored the Atlanta market. And Atlanta, as you probably know, it's just, it's the hub of film right now. I mean, everything films there. Um, and I said, okay, like what, what do I do? And he's just like, just, just send emails. So I, I go home that day, I send emails to five different agents, three respond. Um, and then I get on a, I found a phone call three days later with one of the agents. I was like, okay, this agent seems, seems awesome. And that, and then literally a month later, I booked a Netflix series. So, um, I attribute that to just, you know, just getting out there. And like that, that can be, um, broadened into a, to another theme, which is just like, you have to just put yourself out there. I mean, it's a shot in the dark, essentially, but if you don't try and ever know, and if I wouldn't have sent those emails, like, I wouldn't be here right now, you know. Um, and yes, called a stroke of lack, call it whatever you want. But, um, it was, it was an incredible turn of events because I was, I was ready to just stay home, stay in Florida and just go to school. Um, but because of this, I mean, it was just, it was amazing. And when I booked this, uh, actually the audition process is really funny because I, uh, I also, I really like politics and I was working in DC at the time. I, I'm several interests. It's, it's, it's crazy. So I, I'm completely, uh, branched out, call me a renaissance man, if you will. Like, I mean, like I said, when I was, I was in LA for, for around a year and things were just, were just rough. I mean, it was so bad. And then I came home and kind of just reevaluated everything and talked to my family and was like, you know, I'm going, I'm going back to school. I can't do this anymore. And, and I just have to give shout out to like all my friends who didn't go back home and didn't do the thing I did and are staying out there and living their dream. Um, I did eventually go back out there because, um, work brought me back out there. But, um, I did. I mean, I, I, I essentially gave up, if you will, but, um, through just when I, when I was home, I kind of just mentally cleared my head and just realized like, no, that this is, this is my passion. And that's why I kind of started getting back out there again. And the results have been, been incredible, just because, yeah, like you said, just putting myself out there and not really caring about the consequences, because, uh, acting and life is just a game of projection. And, um, everyone experiences it. And luckily, I've been fortunate to have had more yes it or had several yeses in my, in my short career. Um, but I guarantee you down the road, there's going to be a lot more knows. Um, yeah, but it's still about, it's still about, you know, it's about to numbers game at the end of the day.