Meet El Nathan Many

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to El Nathan Many. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

El Nathan, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?

I have a deep desire to succeed. I have to succeed. I remember I used to talk to this girl, and she would always be so concerned with how I was always trying to be working on something, or trying to learn something, and I never used to rest or take a break. But to me, I can’t waste my time. I have so much I’m capable of and so much I can do, I would be wasting my time not doing it. I’m so young, I haven’t even hit adulthood yet, I have so much time to develop my craft and be the best at whatever I do. I gotta keep working and getting better because I have something to prove, not only to people around me, but to myself. I believe I am the best, but I can always be better. And I think that’s a mindset anyone who wants to succeed should have.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I’m a creator. I don’t really like the stigma that’s associated with that term now but I think that’s really just the best way to describe it. I’ve been working on building my fashion brand, Abelonde, for the past few months. I just dropped my first designs in April. I’m working on a lot of new stuff, it’s taking some time, but I can’t wait to get it out and show everyone what I’m working on. I’ve gotten a lot of help that I’m grateful for, but that brand is 100% my vision. The designs are mine, the videos and posts are all directed, edited, and taken by me. I’m also a writer, or rather aspiring to be. I recently finished writing a script for a feature film based on a one-shot called Goodbye, Eri. That’s my magnum opus in my opinion. Most beautiful thing I’ve ever written. My dream is to get that movie made, and to direct it, God willing. I like to write music. I write all different types of songs from choir to jazz. I have a few songs I’m hoping I can see performed. It’s definitely on my bucket list. I’m a photographer on the side too. I’ve been doing photoshoots for awhile, just for fun. I’ve got another one on the way, it should be out by the time this interview drops. So yea, lots of stuff on the way.

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?

I think discernment, perseverance, and confidence are definitely what’s gotten me this far. Discernment is the first thing I tell people to look out for when getting into the creative scene. It’s incredibly important to connect yourself to other likeminded people in your area, and community is a great resource. I would not be where I am right now without the support of people in my city who are on their own journeys creating what they love. But people can be so weird. There are so many people making so many decisions and you will absolutely come across extremely talented people who are misguided and horrible to others. It’s just important to discern who’s beneficial to be around and when to separate art from the artist. Especially since I’m still relatively young, so many people will and have tried to take advantage of the idea that I’m “naïve.” It’s also important to be perseverant. Just because you love something doesn’t mean you’re going to want to do it all the time. You’ll get tired and just want to stop. But you’re never gonna get anywhere if you slow down. So keep going. Third thing is being confident. Putting yourself out there is extremely scary, but it’s all about taking that first step. Stand behind what you do and be proud of it.

Do you think it’s better to go all in on our strengths or to try to be more well-rounded by investing effort on improving areas you aren’t as strong in?

I think being well-rounded is important. When it comes to having a creative vision, it’s incredibly important to stay true to it, and it helps a lot to be in control of it. If you have skills you lack in, that means that you need other people to assist you and fill in the gaps. Not to say assistance is a bad thing, rather it is very important and a necessity the father you go. I get help from different people, I could never get this far on my own. But being able to do as much as you can on your own to fulfill your goals and vision can help you to be able to be consistent to what you want done, if that makes sense. It also means you have more to offer to others to assist them, it’s all about playing your cards right.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://abelonde.com
• Instagram: Brand: @abelonde.4.abelonde Personal: @jack.blonde.jack
• Youtube: ABELONDE

Image Credits

Ethan Manu
Jeffrey Dailey