Meet Arthur Smocks Jr. | Co-Founder & Executive Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Arthur Smocks Jr. and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Arthur, the decisions we make often shape our story in profound ways. What was one of the most difficult decisions you’ve had to make?

The most difficult decision I’ve ever had to make was to listen to God/The Divine by chasing the vision placed in front of me. Throughout my life and before we (My wife and I) started Smocks Media Group, I was lost. Lost in my career path, life goals and general direction. I was blowing in the wind with minimal guidance from my then predecessors. Once I met my wife, Briantria Smocks, she helped me find stability. We worked in different sectors for several years, but nothing seemed to really change for me. My wife on the other hand was moving up in the ranks of education quickly and happily. We were comfortable, which isn’t a bad thing, but it wasn’t what we were called to do or be, at least not right now.

One day God/The Divine spoke to my wife, and through several encounters, convinced her that California was the place for us to be. Mind you we were already doing ok in Texas with one child. I did not see the Sunshine state as the answer nor a solution in our equation of happiness, especially financially. I couldn’t have been more wrong. I took a leap of faith in 2019 and moved me, my wife, and son Levi to Long Beach, CA. We were…well I was terrified. My wife on the other hand felt “right on key” and knew we were in the right place. I came to feel the same a little while later.

This became the first choice of many that helped me through more difficult decisions. When starting our nomadic journey in May of 2023, amidst an exploding housing crisis and minimal outlook on when or how we would find the appropriate housing for our family of now five (Bri, Levi, Sage, Gia, and Myself), we leaned on faith, planning, teamwork, and community. While we are still growing SMG, our foundation Arri Kenzo, and rearing our two boys, we’ve been to humbling places, lived in beautiful communities, and have had the opportunity to make the best out of the difficult decisions we’ve had to make. These decisions have ultimately shaped us for the better as company owners, parents, friends, and lovers.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?

Smocks Media Group (SMG) was founded by my wife and I in 2022. She saw an opportunity and noticed I was underutilized at the company I was currently helping manage. As a couple, we operate on opposite sides of the coin. Using each other’s differences to our advantage, we maximize each other’s potential and that of our Client Partners through various ventures which aim to help the world. We focus on the sectors of Education, Entertainment, and Wellness, but we didn’t start this way. At first, we mainly focused on Education and slowly we realized the connection to Entertainment. Once we paired those two together, we realized they needed balance and thus Wellness was the completion of our trifecta. Finding this gave us a better understanding of where to focus our efforts. We began to be in the right places at the right time; it was freaky good. It felt like any door we touched could open; not like magic, but because those were the doors meant for us. We’ve learned to trust in one another, our community, and ourselves while growing.

This process was not easy at all. To overcome the obstacles we face, we had to shed old ways of thinking, let go of relationships that held us back all while staying vigilant for the opportunities to impact and change our community.

The world should know that SMG has some great projects coming out, including our first event, the LET’S RISE! 2024 LA County-Wide Economic Summit. Check our website and Instagram to stay informed.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.

I would have to take them on a food tour of SoCal. ut before that, we would take a trip to the local dispensary. We would then do a 7-day food tour consisting of three stops a day. Each day we would try breakfast, lunch, and dinner at a new spot. The first day would be Indian centered. The second day would be Hot Chicken focused. The third day would be “hole-in-the-wall” spots. The fourth day would have to be vegan. The fifth day would be Asian focused. The sixth day would be a juice/smoothie day. The 7^th day would be a BBQ tour.

Aside from the food spots, we would frequent the beaches, take time to relax, read, play games, watch a movie, and catch up. We’re both very busy people with demanding schedules, so the down time would be appreciated. We would also have to do one exciting thing. This would be a trip to Catalina Island. Neither of us have been and we have heard fun things about the island.

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?

I would like to dedicate this piece to Briantria, Levi, and Sage Smocks.

Further recognition goes to Kia M. for her amazing ability to storytell and write the past into the future. 

Website: https://www.smocksmediagroup.net/our-why

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artsmocks

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/smocks-media-group/?viewAsMember=true

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVtKifn8cRkIZkOvWa7BVdg

Image Credits
Ralphi Burgess- Diderot Magazine Cover Artist

Jason Lewis Photography- Visions of H.O.P.E. event