It’s fall. Despite it being 82 degrees in October, fall is here, I swear! I am kicking off October the right way with a featured creative, by the name of Bertram Byam. You may know him already, as he’s steady becoming quite the socialite in NYC, and the go- to guy for all things dope in the city. Not only is Bertram a stand up guy, his events are innovative and refreshing. Maybe you’re tired of the usual Saturday brunches and day parties. Maybe, you’re looking for something a little bit different. You’ve come to the right place, friend. Check out my interview with Bert, aka PoweredByBerto and the Deadass Movement.

” I’m deadass tryna make it.”-Bertram Byam

Tell the people where you’re from: Brooklyn, NY

What’s your 9 to 5: I’m a technology consultant for small to medium sized businesses

 Explain to me the meaning behind the ‘Deadass Movement?’

Well I noticed that my name [Berto] was being used to push people’s brands that I knew. That was cool, but then I thought about it. Like my name was being used for promotional use for free.  So why not push it even further, see how far my name could take me, and poweredbyberto.com was born. Every year I reinvent myself, rebrand myself, but the point is, I make opportunities for myself. I saw this as an opportunity to do something new. Like I’m deadass trying to make it big, and it’s on me to make it happen. It’s me versus everybody. And so, the brand evolved in that way. We got merchandise, hand delivered, pins, t-shirts, you name it. I’m bringing 90s energy to events, curating events where people actually talk to each other, and vibe. I think our generation needs this.

What’s your real name? Bertram Byam

Tell me about your graphics? Who does them, because they’re dope!

Thank you! I actually make them myself; I use Imovie and a few other graphic apps. I’ll admit it, I’m not great with Illustrator though [laughs.]

What makes a ‘Deadass’ event special?

The way I see it, the goal, is getting people to cut the bullshit, and actually have fun. Events are so pretentious these days, like everyone ‘acts how they are supposed to act.’ I want to curate experiences where people actually come together and enjoy themselves. If I advertise an event for $10 at the door, it’s still gonna be $10 when you arrive. No gimmicks, no schemes, keeping it honest.

What is it about your persona that makes people gravitate towards you?

I think it’s because people recognize me, doing me. I consider myself humble to a fault. People like to feel involved in the brands they support, and I love collaborating.

What are you working on, as far as future events?

Right now, I’m planning a discussion series, movie screenings, to name a few things. I definitely want to do more work with black businesses. Honestly, I just want to grow personally, become more thoughtful and purposeful. You know, I’m an only child of a single mother. I think that’s why, as a result, I really value interactions with people. I really value every type of relationship.

https://deadassbrunch.splashthat.com/

What’s your ultimate goal? 

Honestly, I just want to make people feel good. So far, I’ve been breaking even. If I can make money, that’s cool, but that’s definitely not the end goal. I just want to make people happy, I want people to enjoy the experience from start to finish.

Ya’ll check out my guy’s next events, they are super dope and a lot of fun!

IG:poweredbyberto

Twitter: @PoweredByBerto