Meet David Collingsworth

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful David Collingsworth a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

David, 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 had to learn to be a dedicated hard worker. I watched my father, who always practiced consistent hard work and stressed the importance of doing things the right way, not the easy way. Work ethic is extremely important to me today and something I take pride in. It wasn’t always that way, and because of my failures I try to show up each day and make the next right decision so that I can deliver consistent results and be someone accountable and reliable.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
My life really has alot going on. I’ve married my high school sweetheart, produced a successful radio show about criminal justice, established a maintenance department for a successful franchise to a national chain, and started an award winning wedding officiant business.

Producing The Prison Show on 90.1 FM KPFT in Houston is my way of giving back to society. We use the first hour to discuss issues of interest to inmates and their families. The second hour features shout-outs from family and friends to their loved ones behind the bars.

In 2013 while working at Spirit Key Inc. as a chaplain, dorm pastor, and maintenance man I was contacted by a local business owner who was building onto a national chain of gyms . He asked if I could perform maintenance for him and when I asked the location he replied “all of them.” I was hired as Facility Manager for 6 local gyms until the company reached a milestone at 36 gyms which at that time hired a gentleman with 21 years experience to handle the larger companies management. Today we still use the platform for maintenance that was established under my direction, but my experience is best used in the field as a tech over training and special projects.

DeeDee and I dated in the 80s and our families tried to allow it, but my troublemaking knot head ways got in the middle of things and we were separated for 32 years. In 2015 we found each other on a dating site and spent 2 years fishing and going out to dinner before I proposed and we were married March 4, 2017.

The pandemic in 2020 hit us all hard. The radio station at KPFT in Houston had to learn to produce remotely, I became a videographer and translated all video to sound for airing over the radio. The gyms closed and we had to establish national cleaning and distance protocols. DeeDee lost alot of hours at work so I returned to ministry as a wedding officiant. Weddings were being performed in parks and backyards, for a long time, but slowly the venues have reopened.

Weddings gave me an opportunity to get out and ride my Harley and practice freedom of religion catering scripts to the couples’ needs and beliefs. David Collingsworth – Not Your Ordinary Preacher has won the Couples Choice Awards for 2022 and 2023 on the Wedding Wire/The Knot wedding platform and performed over 300 weddings since September of 2020.

My ADHD keeps me on my toes and staying sober has played a major part in my success and freedom. Learning how to make the next right decision and viewing life through others’ eyes have contributed to my success. I still have issues everyday, but I act rather than react and life is great.

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?
The tools to do any job, whether working on gym equipment, producing a radio show, having a successful marriage, or a business are the secret to surviving in prison.

1. Stop talking and observe
2. Remember as much as you see.
3. Learn from your mistakes and execute what works.

With all of life comes emotions and I have a roller coaster, but acting rather than reacting allows me to practice these 3 steps as often as I can. I am far from perfect, but repetitive practice makes perfect.

When I work on a piece of equipment I will watch and record what it’s doing (or not doing) until I see the error. Then remember that process for the next time so it doesn’t take so long to troubleshoot or dismantle the machine for repairs. Most repairs can be made rather quickly after practicing the 1st 2 steps enough times.

After 544 radio shows and over 300 weddings I am still learning and observing striving for new ideas and solutions, but the steps are roughly the same.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
I am always looking for folks to partner and collaborate with, so if they are reading this and want to connect.

For The Prison Show, our immediate needs are financial backing for KPFT and Pacifica. We need to expand to other areas of media and into the Gatesville area as well. We need a knowledgeable camera person to help us man our 3 cameras and get the whole show on our videos, not just certain faces. We really need the ability to put an app on the Securus Tablets so all of the inmates can listen in Texas. TDCJ is dragging their feet and only want “religious programming” Securus gave us permission, but TDCJ said “not at this time.”

Not Your Ordinary Preacher always needs clients of all kinds! I love performing alternate wedding ceremonies, and we have a 10 acre outdoor venue with room for everyone! I’ll travel where your wedding is as well.

As for my daily work, I love the work that I do, but honestly I wish I could perform all of my skills and not just working with my hands. I’m good at that, but I have managerial skills, observation skills, IT, videography, HVAC, plumbing, public speaking, non profits, a plethora of experience to offer the right person or company. It never hurts to ask!

David Collingsworth
903-360-4697
davidcollingsworth@yahoo.com

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