We recently had the chance to connect with Damon Bradley and have shared our conversation below.
Damon, 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: Have you ever been glad you didn’t act fast?
Absolutely. I’m glad that i haven’t acted fast on a few things. I’m a pretty patient a skeptical person overall. I worked in sales for a long time and i know people move off of emotion and also because of people they “like”. The prettiest picture is what people paint, and typically present. I’ve learned to look past the top layer. Ask the uncomfortable questions. Get down to the truth of the matter. Because more often than not a quick decision can end up staying with you much longer than you’d like. I’d rather take my time and make a smart decision.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My friends, and family call me Dame. Imma father, podcaster, writer, and creative from Detroit. One half of the highly successful Shoptalk Podcast. Currently we are working on growing the brand and the imprint of the show, and working on some projects with music and additional original content that we are really excited about. The end of 2025 and going into 2026 is presenting some very promising opportunities
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
Losing my parents completely changed how i saw the world. I lost my mother to cancer in 2013. Losing your mother is literally like losing your connection to the world. I lost my father in 2019. He was my anchor. The strongest man i knew. Felt like he had the answer for everything. After losing your parents you realized how truly cold and alone you are. The safety net of life is no longer there. It made me grow up quickly as i knew that from this point on I have no one but the Lord and my children at the end of the day. No one is coming to save you. You have to save yourself.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Absolutely. During the journey of our podcast, my life i wanted to give up plenty of times. I’ve gone through some pretty serious health challenges. Lost family. Grown my family. In all of those moments i thought to quit or maybe fall back. But then what? I’ve always found solace in trying to work and achieve something better. I want to leave a legacy for my kids, or worse case some bread for them to build and work with. My babies are my motivation to keep moving. If i don’t provide for them, who will. I can’t quit until i know their lives are full of abundance.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
My closet friends would say that my children, and quality of life matter to me the most. At the end of the day all you really have is health and family. Money comes and goes. Same with cars, clothes and homes. My kids and the quality of life we collectively have are what truly matters to me. I want to give them the best start I can and see their lives be better than mine.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people tell that i was a great father, and a good person. A man of integrity i hope people have glowing memories of time we spent with me full of love and laughter. We ate good, laughed til we cried and enjoyed amazing times together.
Image Credits
All black and white photos were taken by Jason Van Pierce @vanpierce cofounder of @inkmgmt
All Color photos were taken by Jason Johnson @jjohnson.jpg
