Adrian Jstn, The King of Seventy7
Today is a national holiday at Seventy7, and we want to wish our CEO, Adrian Jstn, a happy birthday. Adrian Jstn is our leader, and we all admire him here at Seventy7. Without him, we wouldn't be able to do the work that we do. Adrian is responsible for why our company has always behaved with grace and class, and he expects the same from all of us. For that, we thank you Adrian and everything else you do for us. Most people don’t know that Adrian has a brother & In this interview, Adrian has asked his brother, Brandon, to conduct the interview because he wanted to be honest and vulnerable in his answers. We hope you get to see a different side of him.
What is Adrian Jstn's favorite quality about himself?
Adrian: My perseverance. No matter what, no matter what I go through, no matter how hard it is, I'm always able to push forward in some way, shape, or form. I'm always able to do what I need to do, to continue to do what I love, to continue to be there for myself, respect myself, love myself, no matter what. I think I'm so happy that I'm at this point now to where I'm taking so much and paying so much attention to my mental health. So there's nothing that can get in the way, no roadblock, no anything, no obstacle that I can't overcome because I know how to push forward and self-motivate and persevere.
Brandon: That's a strong quality. And I honestly, I believe that everybody needs to incorporate some type of perseverance into their lives, especially because life ain't easy. You know what I'm saying? So you just got to have that certain side of backbone for yourself. So nobody else can feel like they can come and take that.
Adrian: Exactly that
What is one question you've always wanted an answer to?
Adrian: I always ask people my friends after we've been friends for a minute, what was your first impression and what do you think of me now? Because they're usually the polar opposite. People always tell me, when I first met you, I thought you were an asshole. I thought you were this stuck up piece of shit. And then they say, but no, you're just a very hard worker and you're serious about your business and you're a great person. It just reminds people to not just a book by its cover because a lot of those people who thought that about me and we're now friends, they feel bad because that's never what it was. That's never what it is and I can understand why they think that because I don't play no games with nobody. Not about myself and not about my business!
What's one statement that you would say to past, present, and future self?
Adrian: to my past, my present, and my future self. Is it one statement or is it one for each?
Brandon: It's one statement that applies to each version of yourself.
Adrian: Remember that you always have, you always can, and you always will.
If you could go back in time to meet one person who would it be?
Adrian: I would love to meet my great grandfather. My great grandfather, my grandma's father. He just sounds like we were such similar people. He worked hard, he didn't play by his money, and he was a boss. I really enjoy every time I hear a story about him, and hearing his perspective on things and knowing how hard he worked and what he thought about his family especially about how important family was. The other person is James Brown, for sure.
What do you think your purpose in life is?
Adrian: I think my purpose in life is to live... I should expound upon what living means to me. My purpose in life is to live a life that is full of me doing things that I want to do and that is full of me doing things that make me happy. Nothing less than doing anything that makes me happy, anything that I want to do. And if I don't want to do it, I won't do it because then I'm not living in my purpose, I'm living in someone else's. So it's me living a life that is fulfilling, fulfilling to me. Period.
Brandon: I couldn’t have said it better myself. I’m not even answering the questions but i’m somehow hearing my answers back to me. I’m resonating!
Adrian: Yes!
Who is Adrian Jstn in his best light?
Adrian: It is this moment. I'm so grateful. I think it makes it just the best because I woke up this morning and to be able to have conversation, to be able to have my own magazine, to be able to have a gift that not everybody has, and to be able to utilize that gift. I think that makes this moment and the next moment the most cherished moments because I don't know if there will be a moment tomorrow. I can pray for that moment, but all I can do is be grateful and cherish the moment that I'm in right now.
Brandon: Oh my God. You are just something, man.
What is the name of this chapter in your life?
Adrian: This is chapter one, “Jst The Beginning”
Brandon: Why is this the first chapter, though?
Adrian: This is the first chapter because I feel like everything before this point was the introduction. Everything before this point was me being raised. Everything before this point was me going through things with my parents, me going through things with my family, me still trying to figure out my spirituality, me still trying to figure out myself, my love, everything. that was me learning and growing. Now that I've gotten over that, and now that I have some type of sustainability in who I am and who I want to be. I'm ready to begin my life. This is jst the beginning.
What is something that you're holding on to and you just can't let go of?
Adrian: At the moment I'm holding on to Dr. Pepper. I am obsessed with Dr. Pepper. That is my favorite soda of all time and no matter how healthy I want to be. I will go a month without drinking Dr. Pepper and then one day wake up and then crash out for some Dr. Pepper like I need to have Dr. Pepper at least once or twice a month and then I'll be okay. The hold that Dr. Pepper has on me is something that I just can't let go and I don't see it going away anytime soon.
Brandon: I said something you're holding on to, not something that gotta hold on you.
Adrian: Well, I'm holding on to it. When I have that bottle in my hand, I'm definitely holding on to it.
What is one trait about yourself that holds you back?
Adrian: A lot of times I give too much grace. I try to love how I feel God loves. Even when people don't like me, even when people hate me, even when people do this or do that, I still always show them love, respect and support. Regardless of if we're speaking, regardless of if we're not, I'm still always going to show you. common decency because we're all humans. We all have to share this space, this world together, regardless of if we like one another or not. A lot of times that causes me mental and emotional strain. I think that is something that definitely holds me back is the amount of care and love that I put out that I always don't receive back.
What is your relationship with your parents and how would you explain that to somebody who doesn't know?
Adrian: My relationship with my parents is full of nothing but love and respect. I respect and I love and I honor them till the end of my life. I respect them and honor them because they created me and they’ve created you. Without them, we would not be here to have this discussion and to learn and grow and become better and atone for the lives that our parents and the people before them and the people before them have lived. So I'm grateful for their creation and I respect, honor, and love them from a distance. I wish them nothing but the best.
What was your biggest struggle this past year?
Adrian: I think the biggest lesson that I have learned this year is that it's okay to be comfortable in my solitude. A lot of times when we meet new people and we make new friends and they turn out to not be who we thought they were, it really hurts you and it really disappoints you. But, that just tells you that you have not taken the time to fill your cup. That tells you that you have been pouring from a half full cup into their cup. Now that their cup is full and they've left you, you are left with nothing. Meaning you have not taken the time to take care of yourself. So that's the biggest lesson I've learned is that I need to take more care of myself, for myself, by myself, in my solitude, doing what I feel is best for myself in all ways, in all aspects when it comes to my life.
Five things that you would love to experience.
Adrian: I would love to experience, number one, true love. Unwavering, strong, built, supported love. I would love to experience fatherhood. I would love to have kids and teach them and love them and support them in the ways that I wasn’t from my father. Number three, I would love to experience the world and different cultures and travel and do it with my family and the people that I love. Number four, I would love to experience Waffle House every day. I love Waffle House. If I could be a Waffle House, I would be a Waffle House. Waffle House is literally my entire life, so that's number four. Number five, I think just joy, living in joy. I think it's important to count out that there's a difference between being happy and being joyous. Being happy is just a right now feeling. It's a feeling that you feel in a moment, things can create happiness. But, joy is a way of living. Joy is who you are. Joy is something that lasts forever. Joy is not something that can be created. Joy is not something that can be replicated. Joy is a lifestyle. So I want to experience the lifestyle of joy.
Brandon: You know, it's like I’ve grownup with you & I always knew that in a way, you were going to show the world who you were. I feel like the world needs to hear about how you carry yourself and how you think because most importantly you are self healing. You can patch those holes for yourself and a lot of people just need to understand that you've been doing this since you were young, since you were a baby. You've always been able to take the punches and just roll with them. That is why I always knew that Adrian was gonna be famous.
