A year ago today, I had the honour of being interviewed by Tracy Martens on her podcast, YQG in Bloom. The episode was a significant milestone for me because it was the first time I truly got to introduce myself to the community after being relatively anonymous online.
In our episode titled “Navigating Social Media, Casino Living & More with Jake from Made In YQG” you’ll get an extremely candid look into my personal journey which took me from complete social isolation to becoming extremely involved in the Windsor-Essex community.
I opened up about interesting parts of my life that many didn’t know about, including dropping out of school and living in casinos from the age of 19 until the pandemic shut them down some years later. This incredibly vulnerable interview has set the tone for how I approach personal transparency online and has since led to many meaningful discussions and opportunities.
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- Housekeeper definitely took this pic
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- Week worth of hotel keys
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- VIP lounge
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- Jackpots with “grandma”
When lockdowns forced a return to social isolation, it led me to an incredibly depressing time of deep self-reflection. Struggling with a lack of identity beyond being “the casino guy” after the casino closed, I attempted to create a fashion inspired Instagram page as a distraction but realized it wasn’t the right fit for me.
After a small magazine purchase from an independent artist I came across while running this page, it introduced me to the value of personal connection, community and the meaningful words in the magazine and handwritten thank-you notes from the artist (pictured below) sparked a new appreciation for supporting creators. The artists name was @Ideapathy but his instagram and website have since disappeared!
After this, I started commissioning local artists during the pandemic, leading to a deeper passion for community support and ultimately leading to me creating the “Made in YQG” initiative.
My transition from reclusiveness to public engagement has been extremely dramatic. While this project has helped overcome huge waves of social anxiety, I often still experience reluctance to be in front of the camera. I continue to push myself to be able to showcase YQG in my own unique way.
If you haven’t listened to the episode yet, I highly recommend checking it – and Tracy out. She was my first interview so it’s only fair that she becomes my first blog!
You can find Tracy Martens and YQG in Bloom Podcast:
Youtube | Instagram | Spotify+ all other streaming platforms
