From The Thoughts of Jermaine Sain: Life After Layoff

Before I get started, I just want you to know that this is going to be a long post so stay with me until the end!!!

For 8 years, I worked a "9 to 5" and When We Speak TV simultaneously but near the end of 2016, I was laid off of my job of 8 years.  Surprisingly, I wasn't shaken when I got the news.  Thankfully I was given 2 months notice and received a severance.  

Now, with the career change I had to make a decision.....Do I make When We Speak TV my only career or do I look for another job?  I wasn't really sure what I wanted to do but I believed that God had a plan. 

I chose to find another job but before doing so, I wanted to take a moment to just rest and clear my brain...(well that was MY plan).

While I was completing a resume course at the job I was exiting, I was browsing online and saw that an event (Jazz In The Alley) was having Tony Hightower (former guest on When We Speak TV) on it's line up.  Being the "hardest working man in Atlanta", I reached out to the event about media credentials and they welcomed me with open arms. During the intermission, the Event Director, Ziggy, invited me on stage to introduce myself to the audience.  I was a little surprised but very honored at the same time.  Then, it hit me.....This was the first time anyone had given me their stage to introduce When We Speak TV to their audience!  I knew from that moment that Ziggy and Jazz In the Alley was an event that I wanted to associate with.

WE'LL COME BACK TO THAT!!!

Meanwhile, my 2 months passed and I'm laid off my job of 8 years...and although I said I was going to take time to rest, that didn't happen because the next day after my official lay off date, I was headed to AUMA Radio, to be one of the special guests on, That Morning Show.  

I was really afraid because I wasn't sure what to expect, plus I normally have someone with me when I attend events, interviews, etc and this time I had to do it all by myself.  To make a long story short, I had a blast at AUMA Radio and I rocked it like I know to do.....

MOVING ON......

Over the next month or so, after my appearance on AUMA Radio, I received more interview requests. I interviewed with Paul Vail of Why Am I So Happy on BBS Radio, Noelle Jones of  Current Situations on BBS Radio, and co hosted an episode of Lunchtime Fun with Dr Kam and The Crew on WIGO 1570.  I really had a blast with each interview and I really hope that I was able to inspire the audience.  

LET'S TALK ABOUT CO HOSTING FOR A MOMENT

As I stated, I co hosted an episode of Lunchtime Fun with Dr Kam and The Crew on WIGO 1570.  I meet Dr Kam during a red carpet media launch of the Dream Music Fest in Riverdale, Georgia, about a month earlier and to my surprise he invited me to come to his show.  

On the day of the show, he (Dr Kam) had invited myself and a few other entertainment professionals. Particularly, there was a former student of the Georgia Film Academy, as well as, an instructor from the Georgia Film Academy.  I enjoyed speaking with every guest that came and I was really enjoying cohosting but the Georgia Film Academy was really starting to peek my interest.

After the show was over, I got a chance to speak with the former student of the Georgia Film Academy in the parking lot of WIGO 1570.   I told her about my situation and how I had been laid off of my job and that the Georgia Film Academy sounded interesting to me.  She informed me that I should definitely look into the academy and she also told me that I should look into doing some background roles in films.  I had considered it before but I wasn't sure how to begin, then she recommended that I go to Central Casting Georgia and register.  At that time, I informed her that I had been planning to do so but hadn't.  Then, she strongly suggested that I do so.  Needless to say, I went and registered about two days later and was immediately booked as a club goer for the Lee Daniel's tv series Star on Fox.  

BECAUSE THIS IS SO LENGTHY, I'M GOING TO SPEED UP THE REST OF THE STORY...

Where do I begin? By the start of 2017, I started to realize that although I was laid off, it was required in order to push me forward....

Do you remember the Jazz In the Alley event I spoke about? Well.... When We Speak TV is an official partner of Jazz In The Alley.

Do you remember me saying that I went to Central Casting and was placed on Star?  Well.... I now work at Central Casting and cast people for films. I even got my business partner, Chet, on an episode of Star.

Do you remember the instructor from the Georgia Film Academy?  Well....I started attending the Georgia Film Academy and the instructor that I met ended up being one of my instructors!

And to add to all the blessings......I also was able to cast independently through SAINJ Productions for WeTV's Braxton Family Values!

And guess what else?...you just may catch a glimpse of When We Speak TV doing our thing on Growing Up Hip Hop Atlanta...but we will have to wait and see how the edits turn out!!!  And then there's one other reality show that you might see us in....but that's still being taped so my mouth is shut!!!!!I'M ALMOST DONE!!!

Although this was a very long blog post, I really just wanted to document this, to the best of my ability because I really hope and pray that someone will be blessed by hearing my story.  Sometimes we have to be given that extra push for us to really go after our dreams.  I really had no idea how things were going to play out when I got laid off but I knew that I couldn't allow it to stress me and I prayed "Lord Thy Will Be Done" and I left it alone and just followed God's direction of my path.

You might be in a turning point like this in YOUR life.  If so, I encourage you to do the same, pray "Lord Thy Will Be Done" and then allow God to direct your path.  I really hope that someone reading this is enlightened, inspired, and motivated......I can't wait to hear your testimonies.........WHAT DO YOU SPEAK!!!

MORE ABOUT JERMAINE SAIN

Jermaine Sain is the host/ creator of a talk show called When We Speak.  After exiting the U.S. Army in 2003, as a Medical Sergeant, Jermaine began pursuing a career in music after he auditioned for American Idol in 2005, in Austin, Texas.
In 2008, Jermaine moved to Atlanta where he has had the opportunity to provide backing vocals for Kem (Grammy nominated R&B Singer) Heart (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame), and Barry Manilow, as well as for companies such as Pink Ribbon Story Foundation and Verizon Wireless. He made his first music video appearance in Kem's Glorify The King.
Jermaine's talk show, When We Speak, caters to entertainment with a close focus on indie music professionals.