Social Media Stars Making a Social Impact: Why & How Influencer Santi DeOleo Is Helping To Change Our World
An Interview With Edward Sylvan
There is so much negative energy in the world today. Every day we’re seeing an article written where one side is blaming the other, one person is mad, and categorizing another person because of who they voted for or their stance on the pandemic. Socially, I’m using my platform to remind people that the world can be and still is fun and that we can always love people, even if we don’t align with them on all social issues. Again, enjoy life, smile, and have fun doing it.
I recently got a direct message (DM) from someone who follows me on Instagram, and they thanked me for the daily entertainment that my Instagram story brings them. They said something along the lines of — “it helps me forget about the stresses of the world.” That message is my WHY. It reiterated exactly why I share my life through social media.
As a part of my series about leaders who are using their platform to make a significant social impact, I had the pleasure of interviewing Santi DeOleo.
Santi was born in the Dominican Republic. His parents moved the family to Passaic, New Jersey when he was two and then Salem, Massachusetts when he was five. After graduating from Salem High School he earned a Communication degree from Endicott College in Beverly, Massachusetts.
During his college career, he began an internship at JAM’N 94.5 doing audio production. Santi was hired as an associate producer in 2003. “I worked when they needed me, unpaid, and I made myself very visible. I learned whatever I could, and I stayed in front of people’s eyes.” Santi started performing stunts. The show host gave him the nickname “Krazy Kulo” and subjected him to relentless bullying and often assigned him preposterous tasks to carry out live on-air. “I do it for the people, I do it for the entertainment, I do it to make him a sympathetic character.”
Santi worked his way up to co-producer and in 2007 was promoted to Executive Producer of the morning show. In December 2012, morning show co-hosts were let go by Clear Channel Communications. The show was renamed “ The JAM’N 94.5 Morning Show,” which saw DeOleo take on a more prominent on-air role as himself, rather than Krazy Kulo. In January 2013, Real World star Ashlee Feldman was named co-host of the revamped morning show.
On July 22, 2015, Santi was released from the station, and Ashlee Feldman and a new host would host the show beginning the following Monday. After several months off the air, mainly heading into 2016, in April, Santi was hired at another radio station and company where he worked for the next few years… Until now. “I’m back where I belong! Sometimes a break in a relationship turns out to be the best thing for it.” DeOleo has run and completed The New York City Marathon twice and the Chicago Marathon, as well as competed in numerous triathlons. He is active in Crossfit, a “high-intensity strength and conditioning” fitness program.
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?
The story is simple, I’ve always had a love for entertaining people. I was the classic “class clown” who loved making people laugh and smile. If it wasn’t for that love and passion for entertaining those around me, I would NOT have been on this specific career path.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began this career?
The most interesting story has to be getting fired or “let go” from my on-air radio job in 2015. At the time, I was devastated and lost; but losing my job provided me with the opportunity to pursue a different path — the influencer path. As an influencer in the world of social media, I was able to discover a new way of entertaining people. One that allowed me to have complete control over everything I was doing. I have since gone back into the radio world, this time with a much better sense of who I am, what I want, and a better understanding of what makes me happy. Now, I combine the world of radio and social media influencing into one because I get to do the one thing I love on two platforms — entertain.
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?
When I’m on the air, I tend to over-share, which has led to many long conversations at home with my wife! In the beginning, I didn’t understand how to tell stories about my personal life without it hurting my home life. I would always make the mistake of telling a story without regard to those closest to me. I learned a few times that I needed to have a conversation with those at home about what I said or what I was planning on saying because they didn’t like hearing it second hand, either from friends or family.
You have been blessed with success in a career path that can be challenging. Do you have any words of advice for others who may want to embark on this career path, but seem daunted by the prospect of failure?
Failures will happen. But don’t let those failures define your path or change your goals. As hard as it is, let those failures be lessons. See what caused the “failure,” learn from it and build on it. Also, “failure” in some cases is only a failure in someone else eyes. Again, learn from them and make the best of them –but NEVER let them become you or stop you in any way.
Ok super. Let’s now jump to the core focus of our interview. Can you describe to our readers how you are using your platform to make a significant social impact?
There is so much negative energy in the world today. Every day we’re seeing an article written where one side is blaming the other, one person is mad, and categorizing another person because of who they voted for or their stance on the pandemic. Socially, I’m using my platform to remind people that the world can be and still is fun and that we can always love people, even if we don’t align with them on all social issues. Again, enjoy life, smile, and have fun doing it.
Can you tell us a story about a particular individual who was impacted by this cause?
I recently got a direct message (DM) from someone who follows me on Instagram, and they thanked me for the daily entertainment that my Instagram story brings them. They said something along the lines of — “it helps me forget about the stresses of the world.” That message is my WHY. It reiterated exactly why I share my life through social media.
Was there a tipping point that made you decide to focus on this particular area? Can you share a story about that?
The first tipping point was when I got let go in 2015. This platform was my only source of doing what I loved the most, entertaining people. The reaction was very positive, so I stuck with that form of content. The second came five years later when we found ourselves in the middle of a pandemic and the most hostile political climate in history. When that happened, I knew I had to double down and keep trying to bring positivity to people through my platforms.
Are there three things the community/society/politicians can do to help you address the root of the problem you are trying to solve?
– Stop vilify everybody if your opinion is not coming out of their mouths.
– Start listening more! Give someone else opinions an open mind and a sense of understanding.
– Just take a breath, relax, and find a little peace of mind.
What specific strategies have you been using to promote and advance this cause? Can you recommend any good tips for people who want to follow your lead and use their social platform for a social good?
Focus on the good without letting the hate in the comments sway your direction. It’s easy to read one comment on Instagram that is filled with negativity, which in the same cases causes you (and me) to second guess your content or your message. But don’t listen. Stay the course and keep pushing forward because there will always be people out there looking to move their negativity onto you.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why? Please share a story or example for each.
- Don’t be afraid to fail. Failure to me before getting “fired” was a scary reality. I thought it meant that I wasn’t excellent and worthy. When in fact, it only made me better and stronger. Failure in that sense made me better.
- Be You! I spent many years looking at a personality and trying to recreate what they were doing, and it just didn’t work. I realize now I was too busy thinking of “what would they do or say in a situation like this?” It finally hit one day that I was at my best when I just “me.”
- Start Now! I was always the person that wanted it all to be perfect before I posted, launched, or put out a video. This led to months and years of pushing things off because it “wasn’t ready yet.” I wish someone told me to start now and let all the “rough angle” get fined tuned with time. There’s no such thing as perfect.
- Be consistent with your passion. There have been times where I haven’t been as consistent as I should have been. The times I have been, it’s been fun, and my social media reach has increased.
- Don’t Overthink It All. Everything works out the way it should in the end. Overthinking every aspect will only delay and keep you from your goals.
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. 🙂
The movement would be based on creativity and have it geared towards younger kids. I feel like so much creativity is lost when someone reaches adulthood because we’ve been made to think that one has to get the “normal” career that usually consists of the “9–5” to a job that you truly hate. To some, that life is ok — and that’s great. To so many others, they’ve settled for something because “society” makes them feel like their path should be simple, losing their creativity and dreams. The movement would be to keep creating and building towards your goals.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“Just be you.” Every morning before I start work or while producing content, I use this to remind myself what my strengths are and remind myself of what got me here.
Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂
It would be Casey Neistat. I see him as someone who’s found his path, his voice, and is being himself, and uses it all to create.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
Follow my journey on Instagram (@SantiDeOleo) and YouTube (@SantiDeOleo)! My most recent work features an in-depth tour of a brand-new luxury living community in the Greater Boston area, Caldwell!
This was very meaningful, thank you so much!
About The Interviewer: Growing up in Canada, Edward Sylvan was an unlikely candidate to make a mark on the high-powered film industry based in Hollywood. But as CEO of Sycamore Entertainment Group Inc, (SEGI) Sylvan is among a select group of less than ten Black executives who have founded, own and control a publicly traded company. Now, deeply involved in the movie business, he is providing opportunities for people of color.
In 2020, he was appointed president of the Monaco International Film Festival, and was encouraged to take the festival in a new digital direction.
Raised in Toronto, he attended York University where he studied Economics and Political Science, then went to work in finance on Bay Street, (the city’s equivalent of Wall Street). After years of handling equities trading, film tax credits, options trading and mergers and acquisitions for the film, mining and technology industries, in 2008 he decided to reorient his career fully towards the entertainment business.
With the aim of helping Los Angeles filmmakers of color who were struggling to understand how to raise capital, Sylvan wanted to provide them with ways to finance their creative endeavors.
At Sycamore Entertainment he specializes in print and advertising financing, marketing, acquisition and worldwide distribution of quality feature-length motion pictures, and is concerned with acquiring, producing and promoting films about equality, diversity and other thought provoking subject matter which will also include nonviolent storytelling.
Social Media Stars Making a Social Impact: Why & How Influencer Santi DeOleo Is Helping To Change… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.