Meet Brennan Coker | Sustainability Content Creator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Brennan Coker and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Brennan, what do you attribute your success to?
Simply put, commitment and consistency have made all the difference. I was determined to make things work, because I didn’t have a Plan B in place, and that lit a fire under me to show up every day with a get-things-done mentality.

As a result, I have not missed a day of creating content in over a year, and I’ve posted at least once every single day for over eleven months. This may sound overwhelming to some, but choosing a field that I genuinely love and feel passionate about has allowed me to be excited every step of the way. It doesn’t feel forced when it’s rooted in authenticity.

I’ve had to learn as I go, and troubleshoot issues as they arose, because I didn’t have a clear business plan (or really any idea what I was doing) initially. Although I wouldn’t recommend going that route, I wouldn’t change a thing when I look back on my own journey. All of the late nights, frustration, tears, and anxiety that went into this have allowed me to look back at what I’ve created with more gratitude and pride than anything.

I’m not a big fan of the “choose a job you love and you’ll never work a day in your life” cliche, because what I do is absolutely work, but I have to say… it certainly helps!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I work full-time as a freelance sustainability content creator, consultant, and commentator, with a big focus on using social media as an outlet for eco education.

I’m so amazed when I look back and realize that only a few years ago, I didn’t even think this type of work was a possibility for me. I still have a long way to go and things are far from perfect, but today, I can safely say that I live my professional dream in a lot of ways.

I work with incredible brands, organizations, and nonprofits that I previously spent years idolizing, all with the shared goal of educating the public on topics related to sustainability. I focus on food waste reduction, planet-positive recipe development, and realistic low-waste living.

I’ve learned a lot about the industry I’m in, and recently signed with an agency to allow me to focus more on the creative side of things, and less on the admin side. I’m immensely grateful to be growing in this work every day!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I lived in Miami for almost eight years before recently relocating to Palm Beach County, and I have a mile-long list of Miami recommendations to prove it!

My perfect Miami day starts at the Legion Park Farmers Market (I guess it must be a Saturday then), picking up an iced coffee with friends at Panther, then some organic local produce from my good friend Chris of French Farms, and finally some sourdough from the sweet bakers over at Baguette Plus. Farmers markets are a love language of mine, and Miami has no shortage of great ones! If I don’t make my own breakfast, I’ll have to get a bowl of the best banana soft serve from Peel, and maybe make a stop at Sweat Records to pick up an album or two.

Then we’ll head over to Center for Subtropical Affairs for a little weekend marketplace they host, probably to spend more money than I anticipated on vintage goodies and a few more plants than I need. Lunch is at Paradis Books and Bread, truly one of my all-time favorite Miami establishments–– with good company, good beer, and delicious food for everyone. Sunsets are best spent on the beach (Haulover, probably), possibly with a little snack picnic, ocean dip, and bike ride involved.

Then it’s onto see some live music and eat dinner! Center for Subtropical Affairs is a safe bet for music. If we’re lucky, maybe there’s a show at the Fillmore or the North Beach Bandshell, two of my favorite venues for concerts. The Miami music scene is one of my favorite parts of living in the city, due to its fun, colorful mix of cultural influence.

Dinner is always good at La Natural, Tigre, Boia De, Bar Meli, or Madolin, but there is never any issue finding good food in this city, which is something we can all be thankful for!

Miami is a vibrant, chaotic, tropical oasis and it will have a place in my heart forever. I could spend years eating, drinking, and dancing my way through this city and still find things to love about it!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My mindset as it relates to following my passions was completely changed during my internship with Guitars Over Guns Organization, a nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of at-risk youth through music and mentorship. At the time, I was also working 30+ hours a week waiting tables, while enrolled as a full-time student at FIU. I was beyond burned out, but all week I looked forward to the one day I spent working at the Guitars Over Guns office. I always left feeling uplifted, inspired, and excited about the future.

Chad Bernstein (CEO) and Jono De Leon (COO) became mentors as well as lifelong friends of mine, and helped me to grow into my skills as an individual, whether that be on a personal or professional level. We had, and continue to have, long discussions about community, business, social impact, and the personal responsibility of living up to one’s own potential. Through these conversations, I was encouraged to find my passion, mold it into something tangible, and approach life with a sky’s-the-limit mentality. My purpose in life, and of course, my business, probably would not exist in the way they do today were it not for these experiences.

I’m so grateful for every lesson that GOGO was able to pass onto me, and I know the kids in our community who have the pleasure of being part of their programs undoubtedly feel the same way.

Website: brennankai.com

Instagram: @brennankai

Other: Tiktok: @brennan.kai

Image Credits
Alejandro Algo