Meet Isaiah Ellsberry

We were lucky to catch up with Isaiah Ellsberry recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Isaiah, thank you for being such a positive, uplifting person. We’ve noticed that so many of the successful folks we’ve had the good fortune of connecting with have high levels of optimism and so we’d love to hear about your optimism and where you think it comes from.

My optimism comes from my grandmother. She raised me from about 3 months old until I was 6 years old in Birmingham, Alabama. My father was on active duty at the time and was often deployed. While my mother lived in North Carolina raising my two older sisters. Therefore, my grandmother raised me as if I was her child. She was always compassionate, generous, and willing to teach me valuable life skills at any moment. Honestly, my grandmother was the first person to show me what unconditional love is. As I grew older, she became my voice of reason and my spirit of correction. Often I believe God speaks to me in the voice of my grandmother. While grandmother is a woman of extreme virtue, she is also an extremely hard worker. She retired from the state of Alabama at 54, Only to become a property manager of a senior living facility a few months later. As of June 2024, she retired for the second time at 72 and enjoys spending her days shopping and exercising. Whenever life is challenging, my grandmother pours positivity and hope into me. She reminds me not only of my capacity for greatness but of my ability to persevere despite conflict. She possesses the skill to speak to my character regardless of the circumstance or situation. Whether I’m heartbroken or disappointed, confused or regretful, she reassures me that storms never last forever, a constant reminder that the world can be a dark and evil place, but character traits like compassion and forgiveness bring a special light to the darkness. My grandmother is so special sometimes words don’t describe it. I honestly wish every broken person I’ve met could encounter her presence alone. But no matter where life takes me, I appreciate her instilling a piece of her light inside me.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I am a full-time performing artist, poet, writer, program facilitator, and entrepreneur. I recently just started my own business P4 LLC. An organization dedicated to uplifting the community through performing arts utilizing the vehicle of self-expression. P4 was founded on the principles of the four P’s: Powerz, Purpose, Poetry, and People. I strongly believe that each individual has a uniqueness about them that I define as a “power” or “powerz”. Our powerz is nothing more than the gift we receive and give to the world. Purpose is the method by which our power can be measured. Every single person has power, but the ultimate goal is to examine how many people are positively impacted by the use of set power. Personally, this is how I believe we align our power with our purpose. Poetry is another channel that P4 strongly advocates but it is not limited to. I strongly believe the art of spoken word/poetry still deserves the same acknowledgment and recognition that other art forms receive. People are the core of the organization’s values. Without the presence of people, there is no community, power, purpose, or inspiration for poetry. Shortly, viewers can expect P4 to present merchandise, partnerships with future poetry play/productions, workshops, events, and numerous opportunities for a plethora of communities.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Three qualities that I feel are essential to any journey are obedience to self, the ability to persevere, and being consistent. Contrary to popular belief artistry is challenging. I believe we live in a world where from the very first moment we can function independently we are given instructions on how to be, think, and behave. However, to be an artist is to abandon all exterior expectations. The only voice that truly matters is your own. So true artistry is simply that, finding your voice without the influence of the world. Obedience is essential to any journey. The results that we manifest in life are due to the voices we follow. Whether the voice is internal or external we all follow directions from somewhere. The important question to ask is whose voice are we allowing to guide us. I believe it takes true courage in order to be obedient to self, but the results are always worth it. No matter if the journey is entrepreneurship or artistry, you must be able to persevere. This is simply the skill of pursuing despite adversity. Life will present hardships and obstacles no matter which direction is chosen. I’ve learned that a lot of times we focus more on the problem, rather than how we choose to respond and create valuable solutions. Les Brown once said, “Life has no limitations, except the ones you make”. Lastly, consistency is a catalyst for success. To manifest the things, we desire or deserve we must pay the price of consistency. The funny thing is consistency doesn’t mean that you won’t miss a day in your routine or that you will embody perfection. However, it is a measure of how dedicated you are to the journey you pursue. I’ve learned that it is easier to stay consistent with things that you are passionate about. The things that come to us naturally in life don’t have to be forced or demand manipulation.

What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?

Currently, the number one obstacle I’m facing in life right is myself. I’ve always had trouble balancing my thoughts and emotions regardless of the circumstances or situation. Furthermore, many people aren’t aware that I battle ADHD, bipolar disorder, severe depression, and anxiety. Recently, I’ve been attending therapy sessions to learn the necessary skills to combat my mental illnesses. Therapy has become an extremely productive outlet for me lately. I strongly encourage anyone facing a mental illness to seek the appropriate help and resources within their local community.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/poeticzae?igsh=ejQyMmM5a21jdGRk&utm_source=qr
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/isaiah.ellsberry?mibextid=LQQJ4d
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@poeticzaee?si=rS249YqfoYmq14ky