Announcing Our 2022 SoBros Staff Core Value Awards

Stoney Keeley honors members of the SoBros Network with 2022's Core Value awards.

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I usually try to keep this stuff in-house, but I figured, “what the hell? Why not make a post about this to celebrate the people who make SoBros Network what it is?” I am going to brag on the SoBros team for a bit here today. 2022 was a solid year – I wouldn’t say that it was the roaring success that 2021 was, but it was steady as she goes, and I count that as a win considering everything that has been going on with the operational side of the business, and in all of our personal lives this year that is none of your business, internet. But, part of a steady 2022 campaign is the collaborative effort put forth by everyone involved in SoBros Network – not just on the content side, but in the stuff you can’t see on the internet – supporting one another in times of need, team-building, solving marketing problems, technical glitches, balancing a busy wedding-planning schedule with running a media company *ahem*.

There’s a heart and soul to this team that deserves to be celebrated, and that’s why, five years ago, I decided to come up with the SoBros Network Core Value Awards as an internal way of celebrating the strong creators and the strong people who have, for whatever reason, decided to help me push this SoBros Network boulder uphill and chase my dreams with me.

Once we officially formed as a company, I did all the cliché and hokey business shit – mission statement, vision statement, core values, etc. I wanted it to come from the heart, though – looking at my own personal values and genuinely believing that if we carry them in our hearts, it will lead to the success of this company as we’ve defined it. Those values are: be humble, create fearlessly, GSD, and uplift others. In my opinion, humble people tend to be a little more grounded in reality and understand that it takes a lot of work to execute upon an ambitious vision. Creating fearlessly means that you aren’t afraid to be yourself and to pour yourself into your work – that leads to you being the best you, and creating the best content you can. Uplifting others and GSD are pretty self-explanatory. But, you get it – so, with that said, on to this year’s winners, and who on the team best represented each core value in 2022.

2022 SOBROS NETWORK STAFF CORE VALUE AWARDS

Be Humble: Brittany Fernandez – Brittany creates a lot of cool shit for SoBros Network, but you never hear her talk about it. She also helps me out a lot behind the scenes, and she’s terrific on the production side of things. She’s one of the biggest brains I know, and she has a deep understanding of what it takes to make it in a creative industry in a practical way. I don’t think I’ve ever heard Brittany talk about getting rich doing this. It’s a love of the game that a lot of content creators don’t possess, and there’s an inquisitiveness with her that always seems to be searching for new ideas. Any time I need an idea…it doesn’t matter what it’s for…Brittany is there to help. Personally, I think that is why she is such a successful woman. She has shown a tendency to keep pushing things forward with a willingness to help that makes this team better. Period.

Create Fearlessly: Rooster, Ryan Yearwood – Rooster deserves a ton of credit for the thoughtfulness behind Phone It In. It’s one of those things that you don’t really hear from just listening to the show. Not only does she put in the research to get our agendas lined up, but she’s very careful about keeping the show from falling into a routine – you won’t see too many spooky episodes in a row. You won’t see too many history episodes in a row. You get the idea. Once we hit record, she’s prepared, and she’s not afraid to be herself. Her spirit with this show is an example of the exact reason this award was created. And, because of that spirit, being willing to create without fear and just being herself, Phone It In has been the 2nd most downloaded podcast on SoBros Network for two years running. Hundreds of people listen to this show, and she is the secret sauce. My hope is that she’s as proud of her work as I am.

Meanwhile, Ryan had a banner year on the content side of SoBros Network. From race coverage to food reviews to river trip recommendations, Ryan really branched out and put some excellent stuff on the internet. The “birth” of SoBros Outdoors has put some of my favorite stuff we’ve done this year on the site. He’s been a key figure in the sustained growth of this company from the beginning, and I was so proud to see him rewarded with a credentialed media badge this year. He deserves recognition for his knowledge base, the ideas and vision he has for his content, his signature sense of humor, and being an authority that people can trust when it comes to this stuff. That approach to creating (fearlessly, if you will) shines through in everything he does.

GSD (get shit done): Steven McCash and Brandon Vick – Machines, the both of them. I joke every year about naming this the McCash-Vick Award, but let’s just look at the history of it. Brandon has won this every year it’s been around. McCash has won it every year that HE has been around with SoBros Network. Why not?

Brandon submitted 138 articles this year, and appeared on 61 podcasts. He continues to produce the 2nd most content on SoBros Network dot com, behind only yours truly. But, he’s always committed to his ideas. If Brandon Vick says we’re going to do something at a certain time on a certain date, you can take that shit to the bank. It’s as good as gold. And, it doesn’t matter how much he puts out in a given week, he’s always thinking about what he’s going to do next. Not only is it a testament to his love of movies, but it’s a rare dedication to the craft that demonstrates his passion and just how seriously he takes his responsibility and obligation to the Music City Film Critics Association and the Southeastern Film Critics Association. Brandon is a true pro’s pro.

McCash is our ‘Utility Man’ for good reason. If something needs to be done, it’s going to be done. Hell, even at times when I’m like, “man, I don’t know if I can do this,” McCash is there to pick me up and make sure we stay on track to hit our goals. Like Brandon, if McCash says we’re going to do something at a certain time on a certain date, his word is as good as gold. They may differ on movie opinions, but they are both demonstrably appreciative of this platform, and committed to the vision. If I need anything – someone to review a restaurant, someone to talk football, someone to review a movie – McCash is up to the task, and he has such a variety of interests, that he can do it all well.

Uplift Others: Outspoken Owen Reed – Owen has been the “voice of the fan” on The Unofficial Titans Podcast since he took the role as my co-host, and since then, I’ve received nothing but kind words about his performance on the show. He’s positive. He’s funny. And, he loves the Titans with a fiery passion. What people don’t see is that Owen brings that vibe to the SoBros team in everything we do – not just that little Titans show we run. He’s always making us laugh. He’s always willing to help out however he can. He is, quite simply, one of the most uplifting people I know to be around.

Congrats. Everybody gets a big bag of truffles at our next meeting.

Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD, #BeBetter, and ‘Minds right, asses tight.’ “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley.

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