An Interview With Stanley Bronstein
No one has it all figured out! — I remember looking at programs hosted by other organizations and watching others on social media, assuming they had it all. I didn’t understand why it was taking so long for us to get there. Then, I realized that those organizations are figuring it out day by day, too.
As part of my series about “individuals and organizations making an important social impact”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Servanté Cook
Servanté is a Lifestyle Digital Creator, designer, and community organizer living in Houston, Texas, known for blending imagination with intention to spark connection and change. As the founder of Oqupi Houston and LinkUpHTX, he’s building a thriving creative ecosystem where collaboration, not competition, fuels growth.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
I’ve always been passionate about curating spaces and bringing people together. I’ve done that for as long as I can remember. However, the role of being a “community organizer” and founder of a creative collective is a path I had no clue I’d embark on. I saw a need for something that I was specifically yearning for: A Black creative community that felt supportive, collaborative, and culture-shifting. At the time, Houston wasn’t there yet. So, I wanted to be a part of the change.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company or organization?
Over the last 3 years, so many moments have come full circle for me. One moment that stands out the most was when I was introduced to a young man at our last Creative Summit, LinkUp HTX. One of our team members got my attention during the event and said, “I want you to meet someone.” She brought me to a guy who had traveled from Nashville all the way to Houston to attend our event. He found our event on Instagram via a paid Ad and signed up as a volunteer.
This young man had never heard of our organization before that Ad, and he didn’t know anyone in Houston.
This story is so special to me because the thought of people traveling to attend our event and/or volunteer is amazing. We’ve had people come from Austin and even New Orleans. However, Nashville is the furthest!
It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
I don’t really believe in mistakes. I think it’s important to accept everything as a part of the process. I know that’s such a cliché thing to say, but I try to remind myself that failure and mistakes are part of the journey that was planned for you. Now, if we’re talking about me mispronouncing a panelist’s name at an event or booking a venue for the wrong event date… then yes, I’ve made some funny and embarrassing mistakes for sure!
Can you describe how you or your organization is making a significant social impact?
Oqupi Houston is rooted in cultivating space and community for Black creatives. We see our efforts create change and impact in real time through our programs and digital content. Our audience sees us as a resource! This community we’ve fostered has brought people together to work on projects and become best entrepreneur friends, mentors, and accountability partners.
Can you tell us a story about a particular individual who was impacted or helped by your cause?
I was recently informed that a friend of our organization, Leroy Cook, was introduced to a studio (Captiv Studios) after attending one of our events. He and the co-owner connected and worked together on Leroy’s most recent music video project. He later hosted his video premiere at the studio, inviting a whole different group of Black creatives who, mostly, didn’t know about the studio prior. Stories like this are amazing because they directly reflect our mission coming to life.
Are there three things the community/society/politicians can do to help you address the root of the problem you are trying to solve?
- The community can do a better job at voting (locally) to put the right elected officials in office whose mission supports cultural arts. There has to be more funding here.
- Black creatives in Houston must understand the importance of collaborating with those who are also in the trenches and doing the work! Our network is everything! This looks like supporting by attending their programs and sharing them. This also means volunteering your time or sharing resources that can make a difference in their businesses or organizations.
- Society can do a better job at not creating the narrative that having a huge social presence means you’ve made it. Popularity doesn’t mean productivity or purpose.
How do you define “Leadership”? Can you explain what you mean or give an example?
Being a great leader is less about managing and more about inspiring. It’s not easy to get people to support your vision and do so with passion. Being a great leader to me is about knowing people, understanding their strengths, and coaching them to be better.
A good example of being a great leader that comes up frequently in my world is when it’s time to have tough conversations. Many people avoid this, but I’ve realized that when you approach tough conversations head-on and with intention, there’s little room for confusion. Understand that your communication style might have to change depending on who you’re talking to. Understand how important it is to ask for clarification while being empathetic.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.
1 . No one has it all figured out! — I remember looking at programs hosted by other organizations and watching others on social media, assuming they had it all. I didn’t understand why it was taking so long for us to get there. Then, I realized that those organizations are figuring it out day by day, too.
2 . Starting a Community Organization is very different than starting a service-based business. — I used to have a wedding & event planning business. At first, I operated Oqupi Houston as if the businesses were similar; in reality, they’re totally different! Running a service business like wedding planning is not culture-shifting or cultivating community. Everything we do within our organization has a larger purpose. In my eyes, our “client” is every Black creative in the city of Houston!
3 . As a Founder, you must allocate a lot of time for yourself. Having a community based organization is tough because you’re forced to always be “on” when out at events, etc. It’s important to take many moments to recharge yourself. You might be shopping in Trader Joe’s one day and someone who’s attended all your events can bump into you, and they want to talk about what the event has done for their career. It’s a beautiful thing, but a lot of that can be draining for anyone. You must recover/reset.
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
This is a huge question. Community means so much to me, and I’ve witnessed how having community can really shape how you view the world. The movement I’d inspire is the one I’ve already created, which is LinkUp HTX. With the proper resources, I’d want it to span across cities. I’d love for the moment to not only be about creatives, but about people fostering community in general. How do you do this successfully? What does it look like for an adult to find people with similar interests and connect with them authentically? What does it look like for queer youth to have space where they feel seen and heard? There are so many thoughts here, but I’m most passionate about the power of community.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
I mentioned this earlier, but I truly live by a quote from Oprah. She said something along these lines: “There are no mistakes. There really aren’t any, because you have a supreme destiny. Everything you do is all leading to the same path. You gain as much from your losses as you do from your victories.”
This is relevant every day!
Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂
Issa Rae is one of my biggest creative influences. I would love to have brunch with her — sippin’ Viarae of course, while we talk about community and her struggles. I want to ask questions that moderators don’t touch. I wouldn’t talk about Insecure or any of her films. I want to talk about the days she was in the trenches, and the days she relied on friends/community to support her. What did she do when they didn’t show up? How did she push forward? How does she deal with peers who promote community and collaboration, but don’t actually live by it?
How can our readers further follow your work online?
- Follow my organization’s Instagram account via @oqupihouston + @linkuphtx
- Visit the website — www.oqupihouston.com
- Follow my personal Instagram via @iamservante
This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success in your great work!
About the Interviewer: Stanley Bronstein is an attorney, CPA, and author of more than 20 books. However, he doesn’t consider any of those his greatest achievement. His most significant accomplishment was permanently losing 225 pounds and developing the personal growth system that made it possible — The Way of Excellence. As a catalyst for change, he has dedicated his life to helping others maximize their potential, transform their lives, and achieve optimal health. To learn more, you can download a free PDF copy of his latest book, The Way of Excellence Journal, at https://TheWayOfExcellence.com.
Social Impact Heroes: Why & How Servanté Cook of Oqupi Houston Is Helping To Change Our World was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.