Biz LaChance shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Good morning Biz, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What battle are you avoiding?
The battle I’m avoiding…what a loaded question. I have a long list of projects that need a little love and attention and they’d be done. Their titles written on to-do list after to-do list, and yet they still never get completed. The battle of actually consuming my work in such large quantities to prepare it for “release” and to actually get the projects completed is the battle I’ve been avoiding. The amount of time, maybe the belief in the work, or maybe even just the amount of work left in certain projects that feels like something I need to prepare for before completing them.
Let’s be honest. If I were to break it down, certain projects only have 5-15 hours of actual work and they’d be ready to rock-and-roll, and yet the thought of those projects coming to light isn’t enough for me to grind out the time needed to complete them.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Carlos Michael LaChance, but for as long as I’ve had a name, people have called me Biz.
I’ve held many jobs, but most known for my time as an actor and independent film producer. I’ve dabbled in and tried my hand at everything from theatre, film, podcasting, (kind of) music (when it came to making a song for a short film or two) acting, and of course writing. Back in 2016 I self published a novel and titled it, “Murder inK” with the idea of sort of time capsuling this story idea and one day turning it into a film.
Working closely with so many professionals in the industry since 2017, I’ve learned a lot about myself and what sort of creative type I am. Through my experiences I have become stronger, more determined, and continue to find ways to motivate myself!
My current objective is to take a breather and realign myself with a good work-life balance. I’ve been on overdrive working constantly on projects and staying a float while raising children that the burnout I’ve been avoiding is closer than ever, and rather than wait any longer, I’ve decided to finally take the much needed time!
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
When I was younger, I foolishly took advantage of the self-love I gave myself. When I was younger I was, not necessarily confident, but I was comfortable with who I was. I was optimistic. I was very…maybe even arrogant. I knew who I wanted to be, and I was that person. I lacked self-doubt. I lacked reason to not believe in myself and lacked real reason why I wasn’t going to be everything I’ve dreamed of and more.
Things evolve and timing and need to survive come into play. Bad days, deaths, setbacks, successes, births, marriages, promotions, deaths, raises, birthdays, holidays, surgeries, recoveries, good days, great days, new days. They all shape and change you. For me, I have learned to trust myself and love myself more. I no longer believe I am as unique or special as I once thought,
Not to say that I haven’t found the better and more realistic view of who I am and what my role in the grand scheme of things is. As a father, friend, spouse, and every other title I am always interested in growing and being the best version of myself!
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
In 2018 I was in an accident while working on a Netflix show in my hometown of Rochester, New York. To keep the details to a minimum I was the passenger. The vehicle (traveling around 35-40 mph) tipped onto the passenger’s side and I broke 5 bones in my foot and got “road rash” on my right arm bad enough it required two different types of skin graft surgeries. Wheelchair bound, Physical Therapy needed, etc. it was a rough year to follow.
This particular issue had set backs physically and mentally. Unfortunately, it took years and years to get myself fully back on track. Mentally I just felt so at fault for letting my family down. I also felt like I had let myself down. Self doubt and a bunch of other boring words we use to label ourselves occurred.
Through therapy, faith and time, I’ve been blessed to forgive myself. I’ve been able to rebuild myself. And healing is an ongoing process. It doesn’t always feel good, but putting the work into yourself is worth it. Everyone needs to love themselves. I’ve been on both sides of the situation. Loving myself so much that arrogance starts to creep in, and then I’ve also been to the extreme where I can’t even stand to keep eye contact with myself in the mirror.
Something I’ve started to notice in people is that the ones who struggle the hardest mentally are the ones that seem to lack or be unaware of the relationship they keep with themselves. The way they talk to themselves mentally and how they prepare themselves for what’s to come. Yes handling how the past has molded them is what we always see at the front, but realistically people take advantage of how much they love themselves until they are faced with decisions they feel like they made poorly.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes. I can safely say that it is. I, as of more recently, have distanced myself from social media in a lot of ways. Now that Facebook is sort of the “has been” social media choice I feel safe keeping that open. And I have Snapchat for the personal touch it allows, but I don’t use the Instagram and Tik Tok accounts any more. I have a podcast page on Instagram that’s still open, but I don’t even keep the app on my phone anymore!
The only version of me is the real one. I have no online, or ego driven persona. Not saying I lack an ego entirely. I just don’t think I’m someone I’m not. I also find it easier to be real when I can be the honest authentic version of myself! 🙂
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What light inside you have you been dimming?
Well, this will be a bit of a tough one to unwrap. I think at this current time in my life the “light inside” that’s dimming at the moment would be my creative drive. As an entertainer it’s imperative to have a passion and a want to be doing what you’re doing. Let’s be honest, no one is forcing an actor or filmmaker to do what they do. It’s also quite obvious when someone’s heart just isn’t in it.
As real life has evolved in recent years, I’ve had to prioritize some of my other priorities in life. Struggling, and even thriving in the acting and film realm is taxing. Mentally, physically, sometimes on the people you know and support you. I have children, I have people that count on me. And I’m currently needed for other avenues of life right now, and the passion that once thrived in me has had to take a temporary “dimming” for the time being.
But, it will be back….
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/biz_is_acting
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@The_Biz_Show
- Other: https://www.imdb.me/bizlachance
https://www.instagram.com/not.carlos_podcast
Image Credits
All photos taken by me
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
