Sylvie Golod and Thaddeus Jones

00:03 My name is Thaddeus Wayne Jones jr. And I think I am 38 years old today's date is November 2nd 2017, and we are at the Richland County Library, which has been my home away from home, and I am sitting here with my career coach Sylvie golod who just has been pivotal in in the in that turning point for me going from a very dark place of not knowing what to do next to full steam ahead and in my career and making some decisions that really have started to pan things out for me at end in this life that I'm living. Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you Thaddeus. My name is Sylvia.

01:00 And I am

01:04 59 years old number wise not energy-wise. I hope today's date is November 2nd 2017 and a Saturday as mentioned. We are at Richland library Main here in Columbia Sunny South Carolina, and my relationship to Thaddeus is having the honor of having been his career coach and I get to continue taking this journey with him and watching him a Spire to all the things that we talked about in our initial meeting. Do you remember that first day I had a free moment to come into the library.

01:53 Without my son cuz at the time I was a stay-at-home dad. I actually I wasn't a stay-at-home dad. I was working third shift at a place that we will not name. I don't know if how I don't know how manufacturing company we can just say that third shift along with everything else that you were doing. I was burnt out to say the least and I just really really trying to find

02:20 What would be next because I I just had one thing after another after I graduated from college, you know, I wanted to get into film and entertainment and you know, that's kind of a hard thing to do here from South Carolina. So I started out to make my own Studio here and in Columbia, which you know, I spent my whole life savings on I spent about $10,000 we having the building and about a week after I opened the owner of the building sold it and the new owner didn't want to renew my lease.

03:02 And so that left me in a very uncomfortable very weird place and I eventually had to take a job on third shift. And so I was I was I was borderline depressed and I just really didn't know what I what I needed to do. And so someone mentioned to me that the library had, you know career coaching and counseling and I know I had at this point in time. I had a bachelor's and two masters and that's so impressed me when you tell me that and then when I learned about the third shift and so we had a coaching appointment together. We supposedly had an hour. I think we spent more time together cuz I got so attached I didn't want to stop but do you kind of remember the exercise that we went through two to talk about where you are and you're

04:02 I think it was about time management and and how we discover what's really important. Like what you what you know how you're using your time and that really resonated with me at it when I left and and we're after that exercise. It really started to make sense to me about because I was pursuing I was pursuing my PhD I was working third shift was taking care of my son and I was trying to start my business over over I was going to say over again something you said to me made it, you know made it abundantly clear that I needed to to kind of reevaluate the situation and the more I thought about it. I mean it really nagged on it in an egg in my mind as I'm working this third shift. I just hear it playing over and over again. And finally I just came to the decision that okay if I'm going to if I'm going to

05:02 Struggle anyway, then I might as well make it allowed me to have the courage to walk away from that that job and really start pushing, you know, wholeheartedly and forward into what I really wanted to do. Anyway online and I saw your production company because of you you had it out there. We talked about branding but we drew like a pizza pie whenever we were we were creating slices. And remember I asked you I said, you know, I knew education was so important to you I got to cuz I asked you I said, do you know cuz you were pursuing a PhD and I was like, okay you already have a ba and two masters and how important is this to you? Cuz I was trying to figure out you know, if that was an area that maybe you need to kind of hold off on but the one thing that impressed me about you is that you said no.

06:02 I want this and it said something that's been that I hadn't had a chance to ask you is where does that come from that drive to want that education that you know that the PHD and the thing that gets me is his philosophy because you have you know, entertainment a master's in entertainment and then you have the Fine Arts and then now philosophy and so I'm like, okay, where did where does that come from? I would have to credit my mom and grandmother because

06:39 Before I got my beard it had to go way back to where it started. I dropped out of college for 10 years before I came back to school when my grandmother passed away. We were really close. I hitchhiked to New York before she was before she passed away and we got a call from for my dad who lived in New York at the time and said, you know somebody needs to get here because she needs to see SEC. My mom couldn't afford to pay for all of us to go and I'm the oldest stuff for that time. And so she was making arrangements to you know, figure out who was going to sit with my brothers and my brother and sisters.

07:24 And you know get herself there. And this was I want to say the blizzard of like the East Coast blizzard of 97. I think it was a 98 and I was not going to wait we were really close and so my mom said, you know, I can't afford to send you so I knew someone who was a truck driver actually a friend of a friend and he was taking a load to New York. And this is before the weather got bad and we knew it was coming, but he I asked him could I could I ride with him and so you he said yeah, and then we've so we wrote good good ways. Then we got stuck in Maryland for like a day or two. And by the time I made it to New York, it was like like 3 in the morning.

08:16 And I like I recognize some of the location so, you know, he had to go a completely different directions. So I'll eat you know, you let me out and I walked the last couple miles in I got to swing then it was freezing and I had on like this it wasn't snowing but I had on this like up cuz I didn't have any super it's hot here at AAA like a hooded sweatshirt and I was dressed in layers and I had my little book bag. That's why I walked in and I walked to my I recognized some of the place so I walked to a friend's house. He knew I was coming.

08:52 When I got there, he's he basically said

08:56 You know, it's too late visiting hours are over to stay the night will go in the morning. Your mom is already here and I'll take you over to her her house. So I'm like no, I want to go to the hospital like right now. I'll let you know if it's 2:33 in the morning. I'm like, let's go. He's like man, we can't we can't go right now. So that night I'm tossing turning on their couch. You know, I'm up before everybody else in their household and you know, he finally gets up. He takes me over to my mom and I'll never forget that moment because I'm looking at her like why are we on our way to the hospital? Let's go and and she told me it was too late like she had already passed away. She passed away the day before and so while I was stuck in Maryland she had passed away and so that

09:48 That that hurt me so bad to the point. I didn't want to do anything for I didn't want her funeral. I didn't want to do anything. So my mom made me go to the funeral the way we came back to South Carolina. I stayed in New York for maybe an extra week when we came back.

10:06 I just I was upset. I'm not going back to school at yet. And so in that 10 years what kind of shut down. Shut down and went completely left. So I straight. I went away from education. I started really I felt like I was going to school for her. So I started doing music. I started I had every different job you can think of between at the music was that cathartic for you. Is that why did you start the music?

10:42 It was kind of cathartic, but at the same time I didn't take a lot of

10:51 It didn't take a lot of thought for me. I could be on autopilot and do music.

11:00 I could just end cuz all my friends they were just on autopilot without knowing you know, they're just wandering around doing shows and you know hanging out and doing kid kid stuff in Florida and and I want the Florida online. I want I mean I wasn't so what made you get off autopilot? What's because I mean, obviously that led you to us here at Richland library and then to me and so what was the recall those triggers? What was the trigger that put you a lot of Jaden Alexander Jones the birth of my first son and when I

11:46 First one I found out that I was going to be a dad my dad. I knew him I know of him, but at 8 we kind of parted ways our way in Siloam my mom butt.

12:01 I missed out on a lot of stuff and I always first I didn't have this go on this to to sound strange. I never wanted children and I think that was because I always knew that I wanted to do something to change me was always felt like that would be kind of hindering also because my my experience with my dad was not very, you know, nurturing kind of experience. So I didn't want that. I didn't want to either repeat that cycle or I didn't want to to put a child in a position where they would repeat my cycle. And so when I found out I was going to be a dad that made me think like, okay, what are you going to do? Cuz

12:42 You can't tell a child to to pursue their dreams. If you never pursued yours, you want to be a role model be a role model was the kind of guy. He's like Wonder we raised me and we had had interactions. You know, when I was like when you left when I was 8 I saw him intermittently, you know throughout the years and then when I was in my house about 23, I moved back to New York and live with him for about six months. I was in a crazy relationship long story short. I ended up coming back here joining Job Corps, and the only place they had in the whole nation of all the places in the whole nation. The only place they had immediate openings was Bamberg, South Carolina.

13:31 And so I ended up back in South Carolina, which I didn't really want to come back to South Carolina, but I wanted to get away from my dad hat at the time and I had already live with my sister had to live with my mom at Lynnwood friends and I was doing that just bouncing from house to house couch to couch and I'm tired of that job corps help me, by time, you know young people who don't know what they want out of life. Even if you have a high school diploma for a Job Corps rides. I was able to make a little money be around people my own age learn a trade and really had time to since I was I wasn't pursuing a degree at the time to think and that's really hard to do in this day and time because we're so like connected into everything. I never had time to just shut off.

14:31 And the rules and restrictions of Job Corps made that possible. That was the key ingredient and I tell that to everybody who comes for career coaching the first and foremost ingredient is self-awareness. And that's a condesa continue with a journey through life isn't it's because when you and I got together we were doing it again and we were doing that process over again. So like three lifetimes is every level of Awakening. Is it something bring something new? And so even though when you think you have it figured out like wait a minute level gleaning over the you know, if you look up here you're looking over to the next level. And so I think that's why I got so excited when you and I were talking is because and why I enjoy what I do is because I get to take that Journey with you and I was getting so excited because I was able to see the possibilities and you know, sometimes you're so close. Your can't see the forest for the trees.

15:31 You know, but yet as a coach, you know, I can't say quit that job. I have to help you see the vision and make sure yet and make sure that you're ready for it. That's that you know, that's key because I really do believe that things happening in the time that you're ready for that step had I have the opportunity earlier in life. I wouldn't you know what it's probably squandered it. I wasn't mentally ready to own a business to run a business. I wasn't mature enough. You know, it had I not had my first son. I don't know if I've ever gotten off of that kind of Merry-Go-Round because I was it's just me and so when he was born and I got to get it together and that led me to figure out how to try and start planning and that became the next kind of phase of just figuring out. What's the next step in that sky.

16:31 What I do now, I'm always thinking about okay. What's the next step because

16:38 When I came back when I came back to school and I moved here and I left my I had to leave him like he leave him with his mom at the time and I felt like I was starting to repeat that cycle and and that bothered me and it bother me a lot. So when I started when I moved here I made sure I had no space for him and his brother to come I made I even put out the evening to invitation to their mother that you look we don't have to be together. But y'all can y'all can move here I moved in the family and graduate housing at at USC and all of that came through because again people God puts people in places for a reason. I hope I really like that and so it has been a journey of God is leading me to the next person and in and if it is a God because that's what the term that most people understand but I really feel like it's like the universe like we're all

17:38 Together but when you start to accept your role and responsibilities as a as a human and being good to one another and just having those Positive Vibes and positive things start to happen and so once I started to realize the the part that I played in my own level in the level that I was on so I dropped out of school for 10 years. That's why you can't, you know figure out how to do something else like this is why your your money is not where it needs to be a while. You're not living the kind of life that you wanted. So I started to hold myself accountable and I think that's a great lesson for a lot of people is, you know, unfortunately and URI are two totally different people you would never think just on face value that we could become such good friends cuz I don't know I'd like to do more but then

18:38 Then yeah and the things that I also appreciate about you though is your willingness to give of your time. So you're taking responsibility not only for yourself and not only for your family, but when I reached out to you to ask you to help at our other branch location Richland library Main when they're doing a music entrepreneurship Program for Young People, you just didn't even hesitate and came and served as a mentor and giving back to the young people to learn information and not share that information. I do not and I've been with those kids are you know, just see, you know to have had the opportunity to come my way that have come my way from from a small town in Hampton. The young Small Town South Hampton, South Carolina, which is you know, very very people don't even

19:38 No, it's on the map to being able to come and you know work on movies to go on tours to work with, you know people of hi Preston and they really hone their craft. It would I would be remiss if I didn't share that that knowledge with no kids that don't have that opportunity right now cuz they wouldn't know it's an opportunity that there they can reach out and touch.

20:09 And I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't think of it too much as

20:15 I don't know is giving of the you know, my times feel like it's it's not an obligation. I feel like you know just part of who I am as a person to be able to I've always been a share and I've always been the kind of person. My mom says I was the person that would bring home, you know kids from school that would you know where their parents are not home right now so that I bought him home or you know, I had a friend named Terry his parents. I don't know what was going on with them as if he has a kid, but he had been home with his sister for like 3 Days by themselves and I bought them to my house and we'll let you know when my mom comes home there in the house eating and and she's like, okay what's going on? I was like Terry's parents aren't home. They haven't been home for three days and I'm like 8, you know 6 somewhere at 7 or 8.

21:05 And just bring home people and trying to help people is always been my thing. But I guess I always do it in a roundabout way when I was in the University. I was very involved in in film and learning about films and documentaries. And I think that's another reason why what you were doing resonated with me and did a short stint working in television said that you don't got kind of that same little bit of a vibe there then and I think that's another reason that that I really enjoyed, you know, looking at your website and learning about your production company, but is that why you didn't tell me if I'm wrong but that you're you're short films seem to gravitate to telling the story and and possibly helping people become more self-aware and trying to pull people together. I see that in you that you want to bring us together. I definitely do I want to entertain and I want to I want people to leave

22:04 Having conversations my whole like model of filmmaking is I want you to leave with a conversation. I remember some of the most poignant things that people would talk about after after watching a film and you know, some of those some of those moments are like the the most candid and and open conversations because you're not talking about yourself in that moment you're talking about this character, but you're you don't realize that your your your bias or your your experiences all shape that conversation and so as I look at as I started to look at that I wanted to make sure that I was making pieces that would spark a conversation rather you is on, maybe makes people uncomfortable or just that they can relate to the situation. And so that's it. That's the theme of a lot of mine.

23:04 Everything that I write and then try to shoot is all about having that conversation. Even now I'm working on a horror film The on the surface is a heartfelt, but the undertones of of it are about success and you know, what what people are willing to do for Success, you know, we have a short that we're working on two that's called The Harvest is about the problem of human trafficking but we deal with it in a different way again. I don't want to preach at people but I want them to have the conversation and I guess that's because I feel like the more we talk about these issues.

23:47 In an open way the easier they are to address it's only when we try to deny that with there's an issue or right there. Then we have some real problems. And so fact that you're you're creating platforms unique platforms to make us feel comfortable to even have that conversation. I know for myself, there's a lot of conversations I want to have but I don't have them cuz sometimes I'm afraid I'm going to be misunderstood or misconstrued when all I want to do is understand and so on and so that's why I really appreciate what you're doing. And that's why I appreciate our relationship is because we can have that dialogue and we can agree to disagree or weak. But ultimately the thing is we come to understanding and it's back to that point that you were talking about. We're all human. That's the common denominator and I can see now that's where the philosophy is coming and isn't it?

24:47 Can see that now that that's probably what's driving you for that the idea of being able to 1 and part My Philosophy on to the other people just how I look at things and share that with your not just my immediate family. But you know what people that I come across maybe that will spark, you know, someone else's mind to think about things a little differently are too, you know, instead of being angry at a situation. Yeah. Yeah, I have to ask you so what is your dissertation have you cuz you said you were very close to going to do my dissertation. Actually, I ate if it gets approved right now. I'm going to pitch.

25:42 MS state tax incentives. I'm going to give that back towards growing jobs here here here in South Carolina. My goal is to get South Carolina and understand why it's important to Foster entrepreneurial independent filmmakers in in their state, you know, this the base of the foundation for a lot of other things and if we can grow That Base then we can grow other businesses. Are we, you know, South Carolina's house itself, as you know, very high tourist place. And so that will grow that industry about seeing the connections that most people don't see and you know, because we're so focused on the dollars and sense of you know, what how much does it cost?

26:41 2 rather than outcome and results and out of that can come other things. I bring people together it it's been a a journey and so you have helped me so much of it so much. You can't even I mean, that's why I

27:02 Whenever you call or somebody from the library calls and ask me to do anything else like yet, but I will figure it out how to do it because the library has been pivotal for me. It was when I couldn't afford entertainment. They provided entertainment. I can come and get books First Time. I Ever Saw movies in a library was here like what I can I can rent movies here like it and so it's been a place that is comforting and it in a city where I knew no one and moved here. I remember you coming to one event that we did too. And we got to talk again is when we did that volunteer work shop and you came and you talked to different people that nonprofits and then you also attended some of our small business workshops. So you are always very active in what we were doing here in the library. You know, I told my friends that time I said, you know, I'm not going to pass up free information like it's like passing up free money.

28:02 Why would I it's just you know, these are things that offered right here for free at the library and all you do is show up. So and I try to drag as many people as I can but you know that my partner I tried to tell him as well say hey, you need to go up to the library and check out this was before he started his his PhD track and she started before me but I'm saying, you know, they got they've got a job coaches. They've got resources where you can rent a room and then and work out of the office and I'm telling him all these different things that the resources that are here.

28:47 And and still have Librarians that can help you with that research still at the library until found it. I have to tell you that having you and having the opportunity to develop our relationship and you allowing me to take this journey with you has strengthened me as a coach it it has you know, I think no matter who you are. A lot of times you may have doubts if you really do am I making a difference and I really doing anything and it's it's someone like you being open sharing and then allowing me to share that Journey with you that allows me to see that I you know, I can continue doing this and then I'm I'm I'm making a difference and I can tell you that.

29:40 You're you are tart turning point for me because like headed not had you been judgmental about you know, what I wanted to do cuz I can face that all my life you were saying. Well, you can't you can't do that from here. Like I had you done that. I probably would have just continued to work that job but you fostered like like you're doing this and you're doing this and you took a real interest in in what I was doing and what I really wanted and help me to clarify that not only in a concrete way, but in my mind's eye and so for that I will forever be grateful to you. So thank you very much and then we're going to continue this journey together and hopefully Inspire others to follow their dreams and what they were like you had said meant do what they're created to do. I believe everybody is here for a purpose.

30:38 And discovering that is part of the journey. Daddy has broke you.