We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Antone Nixon a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Antone, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
My work ethic comes from both my mom & dad. My father was originally in the navy and had me living all over the world. Originally born in Scotland, I’ve gone from the UK, to Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Pensacola, FL and eventually Virginia Beach became home at the age of 14. My mom and dad were always working no matter what and I’ve always looked up to them. My step dad is also a major influence in my life as he’s the hardest working man I know.. Every day there was a new venture for me, Heck, my first job was at the age of 11. I never knew what it was like to sleep in, sleeping in for me will be waking up at 8am as crazy as that sounds. I take pride in hard work and always keep myself busy. I don’t see that changing anytime soon.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
VB sunrise is a representation of the city, Virginia Beach, Virginia. Most importantly, I’m a dad first. My son Maddox(11 yo), he’s my best friend and biggest supporter of VB sunrise, I just wish he enjoyed waking up early like me.
I’m up before the sun each and every morning and I showcase the sunrise from the east coast, right on the beach. What originally started from me and my dog running on the beach each morning at the sunrise, that same content is now being captured by a drone for everyone to see. It got so big I’ve had the pleasure of providing content for Tony Hawk, Jackelope fest, the shamrock marathon and a ton of other special events along the east coast.
I get so much feedback from people who no longer live in Virginia Beach, or maybe they just don’t want to wake up early like me, they thank me all the time for all that I do. I remember when 100 people followed my social media and now I have over 35k+ followers across all platforms. VB sunrise has allowed me to create merchandise and shirts that are worn all over the world, that’s special thanks to my artist and friend, Carlos (507.Carlo) who created an amazing visual from one of my drone photos.
The brand continues to grow and grow and I truly appreciate all of the support each and every single day. It warms my heart to see the feedback and love in return.
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?
People skills, being able to admit when I’m wrong and always pushing myself to be better each and every single day, no matter what.
Always push harder no matter what and never give up. There’s always going to be haters and jealous people, if they’re talking about you, that means you’re doing something right.
Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?
I’d say it starts with my son, I push harder and harder each day for him. Having a soon to be 12 year old, that teaches you all the patience in the world as he thinks he’s about 18 already. I also enjoy being around family and friends that are successful, their success pushes me to be great. I like to surround myself with people who have that same drive and passion like myself.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.vbsunrise.com
- Instagram: @VB_Sunrise_
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VBsunrise757?mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Twitter: @vb_sunrise
Image Credits
Steven Griffin
griffinimagery.com
IG: @griffenimagery
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
