We’re looking forward to introducing you to Thomas J. Bellezza. Check out our conversation below.
Thomas J., we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
People. Specifically, I mean people who are willing to laugh a little, eat a little, and explore the randomness of life through conversation. I know. That sounds like a simple answer. And it should be. That’s the point. For me, people are my recharge. Not groups of people. Not the performance of it all, but rather the gathering of a small group of fantastic friends or family. People that change the bad to good with their presence.
I’ve always been a fan of questioning things, going deeper into the mundane of topics, and exploring where they can go. It is with my friends, family, and those in my close circles where I can enjoy that. I want people to challenge me, pushing my humor and my philosophies in life. I suppose I’m always looking for that deeper conversation with a side of potatoes (humor). At the end of the day, what’s the point of living if you’re not around good people?
It’s in these groups, these discussions, some of which find me bent over crying with laughter, that I rediscover myself, my calm, my peace. I’m a workaholic; it’s who I am and how I was raised. It keeps me focused and getting things started. But sometimes I need to stop, breathe, and give in to the greatness that is people. The right energy will allow me to reclaim my peace and just relax. Oh, yes, relax. That’s a kindness we all deserve.
Besides, if we’re not kind to ourselves in a world that sometimes feels cruel, how can we become the change we want to see? When I can, I try to call people or meet up. I’m not really opposed to stopping my day to go get dinner with good people and laugh until the restaurant closes. Strange coming from someone who works ten-hour days: eight on my business and two on my writing. But I’ll stop both for a good soul, great conversation, and a grand old time.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I often wonder who I am and what my role is in life, my business, and my career as a creator and entertainer. My parents named me Thomas J. Bellezza, but that name is just a label; what truly matters is my role in all of this, what I do with my life. Sure, I’m an actor, producer, musician, comedian, and, of course, a writer, but what’s my role in this life?
My whole life has been a collection of attempts that have led to failures and successes. And I owe every memory to the career I created, the business I developed, and the clients I have worked with over the last twenty years. As a consultant, I guide entertainers in navigating their career paths, opening doors to opportunities for them to say “yes” when many others were met with “no.”
Where those of my clients don’t need a little guidance, my passion for being a developmental editor and writing teacher is a way to help writers and authors develop their manuscripts, screenplays, or memoirs. There’s something beautiful about helping them outline their idea, hone their craft, or, in some cases, ghostwrite for them.
And I believe in all the missions I’m associated with: BBR Production, Team Rise Together, and The Write Mindset. My production company gives me the freedom to perform, produce, and work on projects I believe in, helping people develop ideas and their own missions. I started BBR over twenty years ago, and it’s been part of my life ever since.
Team Rise Together is my nonprofit that elevates those guided by group mentality. The mission is simple: work, grow, and rise together. It’s not about the “me” mentality. It’s about working together to elevate each other. It’s about finding like-minded individuals and bringing people together to succeed.
My newest venture is The Write Mindset. I’m three years in, and it’s been growing ever since. I truly love putting time into this company. The YouTube channel is where I put my focus, teaching people the craft of writing, guiding them in outlining their narratives, and doing live videos every Saturday and Sunday.
https://www.youtube.com/@thewritemindset
Between those three companies, I am able to put time into my creative mind, the passion projects that fuel my heart. I’ve recently released the first of five books in a self-help series. I wrote this book to help people understand the difference between the Artist Brain and the Business Brain; to reframe the brain for success in the entertainment industry.
“The Foundation for Longevity” is book 1 in the Breaking Down Success series.
Success in the entertainment industry isn’t about luck; it’s about strategy, longevity, and knowing the business behind your craft. This first book challenges the misconceptions that keep artists struggling and reveals strategies to build a sustainable career. Whether you’re an actor, musician, writer, or comedian, this book bridges the gap between talent and success.
https://amzn.to/4mbh97n
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
It’s been three years since I had three major losses hit my life, changing everything I thought I knew as a child. We know all the answers as a child. Maybe that’s why, at the start of my career as an entertainer, I believed I knew everything. Hell, “be so good they can’t ignore you” drove me to practice, perform, and repeat.
What I can tell you now is that what we think we know isn’t half of what we learn after loss. Real loss. I’m talking about the type of loss that creates a dense fog in your brain, your heart, and your soul. I still think about the day I was told I had cancer in 2016. I was diagnosed late in my cancer journey and was rushed into surgery less than a month later.
But here’s the truth about it for me…
I’m a cancer survivor, and still, that trauma is something I’ve learned to tame. But the hardest part about my life came during COVID. First, I lost my mother to brain cancer. She told me she had it, and before I could process it, she was unable to talk, stuck in bed, and slowly dying. I changed my life to help my father. He was old and needed assistance.
A few months later, his lungs began breaking down from COVID. He couldn’t hold oxygen in his blood. He couldn’t breathe. By the end, my father couldn’t walk or turn his head without feeling helpless. Watching him fade away still haunts me. I still wake up hearing his voice. Wondering why such a kind man was put through something so dark.
Two punches to my emotional face, and I struggled to find peace with my mother’s passing before my father fell ill. Now I was mourning two people I could never speak with again, two people who raised me. One of which is basically the reason I try to make people laugh. My father could make a whole room laugh. And I loved hearing that.
The third loss was the period of all I thought I knew as a child, and I was in my forties. My dog just turned nine, and his neck filled up with cancer. He couldn’t eat. He couldn’t do anything. I had to say goodbye to him. And, yeah, I know he’s “just a dog.” But raising him for nine years, compiled with my parents… Life is… interesting.
What did I believe about myself as a child that I no longer believe? That I don’t have all the answers. I know what I know until I know something new. And sometimes new information won’t bring me peace. It’s with this new information that I learned to improvise, adapt, and overcome. I’ve always been good at starting things, finishing them, and the follow-through.
I tell you, no one prepares you for death or burying those you love… I doubt it’ll be the final lesson I learn from my mother or my father. Though, it’s a lesson that has changed the way I approach life. I no longer feel the need to stand my ground when someone tells me the Earth is flat. As long as people aren’t breaking the two universal laws of life, I’m good.
1. Don’t physically hurt people.
2. Don’t go out of your way to maliciously mess with people.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
Invest in relationships. Invest in assets. And invest in your dreams. A lot of my career was moved around by the judgment of others. My fourth-grade teacher asked students what they wanted to be when they grew up. My answer was a writer. She told me to think about a trade, since I couldn’t spell very well… in fourth grade.
I was always very good at art, specifically comic books. People told me to lean into that. Since, well, I felt self-conscious about my writing and spelling. The truth is, I love drawing and doing illustrations, but I am passionate about storytelling. Comic books gave me a chance to do a bit of both.
Basically, the lessons I’ve learned in life gave me insight and the hindsight to remember these rules:
1. Who’s right for your bus?
2. Don’t work to recoup income.
3. You only get one life.
The five people you hang out with the most become the world you live in. I don’t mean you should avoid hanging out with others; just be aware of who you surround yourself with. What do you want out of life? What are your missions, the morals that drive your behavior, and the purpose fueling it all? Find people who inspire you, influencing better, stronger habits.
Save money. Save a lot of it. Save any amount you can, especially while you’re younger and still living with your parents. When that money reaches a certain amount, invest it into assets, businesses, and real estate. Not all at once, but slow and steady. A little becomes a lot. A great index fund can typically give you an average annual return of 10% on your savings.
Speak with an accountant and lawyers. I’m just giving general wisdom here.
You will never be who you were yesterday. You will never get another chance at saying yes to life when you’re saying no to it for the “greater” good of working a job you hate and giving up on the things you love. I’d rather be broke trying to write or perform than slowly die at an office job. The key to it all is about planning, saving, and surrounding yourself with the right people.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
That talent is king. And with talent, anything is possible. The old “be so good they can’t ignore you” mantra. There are many Artist Brains that believe if it’s great, it’ll sell itself. That being awesome, amazing, and unique will get the attention of others. A great book will sell. A perfect album will sell records. A funny comedian will pack out rooms.
In reality, none of that makes sense. I mean, honestly, think about it. Go and write the best book you can. Then, when you finish it, put it in the closet. According to the “if it’s great, it’ll sell” mentality, you don’t need to do anything but write it. No one will knock on the door of a great author, comedian, actor, or musician. It just won’t happen… unless…
They network, market, and practice. Networking is about who you know. Marketing is about who knows you. And practicing is about knowing yourself: your strengths and weaknesses.
Sure, a great book that’s read will create some word of mouth going on. But how did that great book get read? Marketing? Maybe networking? There’s a chance the author told someone. Or posted about it. My point is, even crap sells. It’s not about how great you are. It’s about how involved you are.
Are you involved in the industry of your interest? Are you a voice within that field? Do you showcase your expertise in open conversations? My point is this: you need to build and cultivate conversations to generate opportunities. And to do that, you need to meet people. But more importantly, you need to leave an impression on them—marketing.
At the end of the day, we are more than the things we make. If people believe in you, like you, and want to see you succeed, then they’ll elevate you. A fellow author who has a literary agent isn’t going to risk their relationship on something they don’t know. But a friend? Well, now we’re talking.
This is one of the main reasons I wrote the Breaking Down Success series. To dismantle the lies that are perpetuated in the entertainment industry. I know there are hundreds, if not thousands, of ways to make it in the industry. My stance is more about the lies we’re raised on when it comes to the industry and how to “make it.”
https://amzn.to/4mbh97n
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: If immortality were real, what would you build?
Sustainable community wealth. I’d build a financial system to provide for communities. Potentially as a model to help other communities. The wealthy have a system of trusts, assets, and protecting income that is left for generations. The same system is possible for other people but would take years to generate. Over time, it could be divided to reach more.
See, an asset generating trust, creating interest-bearing growth, is a start. Obviously, a quick answer in an interview is not going to lay down the full schematics of the process, but it would basically work like this:
1. The community puts X amount of money into a trust.
2. The trust fund invests in assets.
3. The trust generates an annual interest return on it.
4. Keep the interest in the trust for a greater annual return.
5. The community continues to place money into the trust.
6. After several years, the return can be paid out to people within the community.
Sure, at first, it’s not a lot. But, this is the thing: it’s about building the foundation for it first. On a grander scale, or even if we got into capital loan-outs on the trust once it hits a million dollars—my point is that the process could lead to more sustainable care of people within said community. And that community can be four families or a small town.
I know, it’s a big dream for a small person. However, the question does say if immortality were real. All I’m saying is, where there’s a will, there’s a way.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://makearightlefthere.com/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thewritemindset
- Other: The Foundation For Longevity (BOOK): https://amzn.to/4mbh97n
Image Credits
Bill Wadman
David Genik
Beatrice Sniper
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
