An Introduction to Soul Mana

The ethos of this project and my intentions behind it

This project has been a long time in the making. For many months, I’ve felt an internal pressure to create—an unshakable urge to put something meaningful into the world. It took three life-changing events to finally push me into action and execute on the fire I had been holding back.

I’ve always been ambitious, but never truly for myself. Like many, I was sold the lie that career is everything. Success in business, making money, and climbing the corporate ladder became my primary objective after college. I was fortunate to find myself in situations that allowed my career to grow rapidly—given opportunities I didn’t always feel I deserved, but ones I made the most of.

After two grueling years at my first company, and just under a year in my current one, I found myself staring at a hard truth—I hadn’t taken a single step toward making any of my dreams a reality. I had experienced the corporate climb, earned more money than I ever expected to at my age, and still felt unfulfilled.

The Spark

The impetus of this project was one of those three life-changing events I mentioned earlier. I had the privilege to go on two missions trips with my church. One to Tijuana, Mexico and the other to Abaco, Bahamas. These experiences profoundly changed my life (I’ll save most of the details for a later post).

Planting seeds at the hydroponic farm

Grilling burgers for the group after a day on the farm #dadvibes

Experiencing the beauty of these places and their vibrant cultures brought me a joy I hadn’t felt in years. A purely divine joy. What I learned from them rocked me to my core.

We as Americans, are utterly oblivious to how good we have it here. I’m not discounting anyone’s struggles—everyone faces their own battles—but witnessing the reality of life beyond our borders put my own challenges into perspective. I expected that sense of joy to persist when I returned home.

It didn’t.

In both instances, I left riding a spiritual high only to experience a crash. I yearned to understand why I felt so alive there, yet disconnected here, in a life full of privilege and opportunity.

A Message That Wouldn’t Be Ignored

A few weeks later, I found myself on stage at church, giving announcements for our young adult ministry. It was my first time doing this on stage. I was wrapping up my portion and I received a text from my friend, Ross, sitting in the audience:

At first glance, it seemed like a simple message of encouragement from a good friend. The impact it left on me was far greater than that. For the first time since those trips, I felt that same deep joy and contentment—like I was exactly where I was supposed to be, doing exactly what I was meant to do.

From that moment on, the mantra “Use your voice” followed me everywhere. Random YouTube shorts, articles, and even in daily conversations. It didn’t allow itself to be ignored. I finally decided it was time to do something about it.

The Birth of Soul Mana

And that’s where Soul Mana was born.

At its core, the name means “soul food” (and no, not the kind you get from your favorite diner, but rather “food for the soul”). The name has Biblical references, when God provided manna to the Israelites during their 40 years in the desert after the Exodus. It’s also a nod to my favorite card game, Magic: The Gathering, where mana is the resource that allows you to make actions within the game.

This combination—food for the soul and fuel for action—perfectly captures what I want Soul Mana to be. Producing content that not only nourishes ones soul but equips it to stay filled and grow.

Soulful Intention

My mind is constantly preoccupied with thoughts about the nature of life—how to best live it and how to make a meaningful impact on the world. Sharing these thoughts with close friends and family has always led to deeper connections. More meaningful relationships. My intention with this project is to bring that deeper level of connection to the world. To connect with others, but also grow the connections people have with the ones they love most. Including, their inner selves.

It’s selfish in one sense—helping to relieve the creative pressure that I’ve been feeling—but it’s absolutely selfless in its intention. Success, to me, isn’t about numbers or metrics; it’s about impact.

This is best explained by what I call the 1% rule. If I can help increase someone’s connection with others, pump more joy into their life, or deepen their love for themselves and the life they live—by just 1%—then it will all be worth it.

I hope you’ll come along for the journey. If this resonates with you, feel free to share it with others who might connect with it too.

No matter the outcome, I’m committed to continuing this path—and I’d love for you to walk it with me.

With Love,

Brady