We recently connected with Michael Brown Sr. and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Michael, thank you so much for agreeing to open up about a sensitive and personal topic like being fired or laid-off. Unfortunately, there has been a rise in layoffs recently and so your insight and experience with overcoming being let go is relevant to so many in the community.
After 13 years in pharmaceutical manufacturing, I was put in a tough position; Comply or be terminated. For over a decade I worked in vaccine manufacturing. I was climbing my way up the corporate ladder, starting as a temporary worker and reaching “Manager Associate Scientist” at the time of my termination. The road ahead seemed stable and promising, so what happened? Where did it all go wrong? Did it even go “wrong”?
Like many people around the world, Covid turned there world upside down in 2020. I was fortunate enough to work in an industry where the pandemic was, dare i say, welcome. After all, world ending pandemics is what we worked to produce products for. I never missed a day of work. In fact, I was required to show up to work everyday. I was considered a “hero”. As 2021 came to a close and the the first RNA vaccines were hitting the market, the heroes of yesterday became the liabilities of today. The company I worked for decided to make an unprecedented decision, to mandate covid vaccination to retain employment. Now I can go into the details of the available science at that time and what we knew when this decision was made, injecting my own personal position on the overreach that this company, other companies and most governments were exhibiting, but for the sake of time I will simply state it this way: I was forced into a impossible position. I was not alone. Millions of people around the world were put in this very same position. And I am a firm believer in each person should be able to make personal health decisions for themselves and their families, without coercion from outside influence. To each his own!
In June of 2022, I was finally terminated, along with several hundred others at my facility. My decision to not comply with the mandate was based on the information I had at the time. Each person, whether they complied or not, had to make their own decision and do what was best for them. I knew and felt that this policy wasn’t about our safety, but more about funding the company was receiving ($100’s of millions) and compliance. Again, I will refrain from diving into each aspect of the available science. I also felt in my heart and my gut that non-compliance was the right choice for me and my family. In hindsight, I made the right decision. What happened and where did this lead me?
The prior paragraphs make it sound like a simple and easy decision to make, it was not. I was the income earner in the household at that time. My wife was a fulltime nursing student. Our son was 8 years old. I had the health benefits and the secure paycheck. In the time from late 2021 to past my termination, I dealt with really bad depression, anxiety and my personal relationships were put to the test. Not everyone I loved understood my decision or agreed with it completely. I sought help from a therapist (a really crappy therapist, not all are created equal), I self medicated to numb the pain. I was void of any focus, purpose and spiritual connection. My entire life was falling apart and it was looking rather bleak. I was in a dark place. Upon termination, I was absolutely lost. I received no severance package and wasn’t getting paid for several months already while the termination ran its course. I lost the health benefits and stable lifestyle I grew to know. But believe it or not, there is a silver lining.
It took a while for me to find my way out of that dark hole of despair, but when I did, my purpose became really clear. Somewhere in the darkness, I opened my heart to God. Growing up in a split religion household, we never followed one or the other very much. At 38 years old, I was finally able to receive the message of Christ. I didn’t know what this meant or how to navigate it and at 41 years old, I am still learning. My testimony is an entire story in its own, but I can surmise it in one simple sentence: I had to fix myself spiritually before I could fix myself financially, mentally or physically. Through this process of opening my heart to God, I found my purpose. In short (too late!), I fixed my marriage (always a work in progress), I started my own company (a video production company), I found purpose, I found Christ and I took self ownership of my actions.
Overcoming this circumstance has so many more details and parts to the story, but I sit here today, writing this as a business owner and a fulfilled man. My story is just beginning, but losing my career was the catalyst to change. It didn’t have to happen the way it did. I still feel resentment towards the decision makers during that time and think there needs to be accountability for poor choices and possible malicious choices, but for me it had to happen this way. I would have never took a leap of faith. I would’ve never left that job and would’ve felt regret in never trying. I don’t have to worry about that anymore. I can’t wait to see what the next chapter holds for me and my family!
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
After reaching the crossroads of an ending career in pharmaceuticals and deciding my next path, I took a leap of faith. I was already doing videography on the weekends and as a hobby but I decided to go “all-in” and work for myself.
In 2020, I started my company Seymour Mac Productions, but had my first full year in business in 2023. I was no longer a weekend warrior.
Seymour Mac Productions is a video production company that helps our clients build trust and awareness in their brand by telling their story with video. We are heavily focused on the construction industry, but provide powerful storytelling video projects for all industries. Every business/brand can use video to promote themselves, we just happened to work with a lot of construction companies. A full breakdown of services and results can be found on our website at www.seymourmac.com. We aim to get our clients results with our videos, not just make a cool video and collect a paycheck. If we don’t think we can get them a result, we will frequently talk them out of wasting their money! Not a great short-term financial plan, but I believe in honesty and providing a valuable service, while building long-term and profitable relationships.
Seymour Mac Productions is named after my late-grandfather, Dr. Seymour Mac Goldstein. He was a chiropractor for 67 years in Brooklyn, NY and was one of the greatest influences on my life. He took patients until He was 91 years old and passed away during the pandemic at 93 years old. Before his passing, I was able to send him a video and tell him about his influence on my life and business, along with my family members. I am grateful for that opportunity. He loved his job. He loved caring for his patients and naming my company after him is my tribute to the impact that had on me. I love telling people the story and it happens often, usually after they realize my name isn’t Seymour.
For anyone reading this, I would love to connect with you and learn more about your business and maybe there is an opportunity to partner with you to tell your story!
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
On this journey I have learned a lot about myself. I have grown more in the last 2 years than in my entire life prior to embarking on this journey. There are a few things that stick out when I reflect on what has brought me to this point.
1. Believe in yourself! This might sound corny but it is essential for success. There are going to be times where you feel alone in your decisions and choices. People will try to talk you out of your “crazy idea” and in my experience, these people are trying to protect you from failure because they are terrified of failure themselves. In our failures, lies our true potential. We must believe in ourselves in order to take the risks necessary to do something amazing.
2. Failure is a gift! Playing it safe might get you to the next day, but it never gets your to the next chapter. When we take big risks, when we take huge leaps of faith, we take the chance of failing big! We also take the chance of winning big! This will inevitably lead to some failure but if you can learn a lesson from it and get back on the horse, you will increase the likelihood of success. I once read somewhere, “We are either winning or learning, never losing!” Whoever said that probably failed a lot but in the end was on the path they were destined to be on.
3. Spiritual, Mental, Physical improvements! Once I got right spiritually, I was able to heal mentally. That in turn gave me the chance to get right physically. I am a firm believer in a strong business requires a strong body and brain. I was overweight and felt like crap. I hated who I had become. I leaned on a fitness coach to dial in my nutrition and fitness routine and at 41 years old, am in the best physical condition of my life. I finally found my six pack! I look great, which helps me feel great and helps other believe I am someone of discipline and a man of my word. Improving these 3 areas of my life has created the best version of me!
4. Mentors and Coaches. Stop trying to do everything on your own. I know, “I don’t need no help!” There are people who are further along on the path than you, people who are more passionate and knowledgeable than you in certain areas you need to improve upon. Lean on these people. Make the investment and it will pay back in dividends. This has helped me level up at a faster rate than I imagined it would.
Tell us what your ideal client would be like?
My ideal client is a business owner who sees the value in video content. Someone who is ready to drive results and use their story to do it. Whether you are a construction company owner, a business coach, a dentist or any other type of business, telling your story is powerful. We will craft video projects to target your specific challenges and goals, infusing your brand into each project.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.seymourmac.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seymourmacproductions/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SeymourMacProductions
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seymour-mac-productions-ltd/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/seymourmac
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
