Introduction
Brian Bailey is the founder of I Love the Burg and That's So Tampa and he currently serves as the Chief Marketing & Experience Officer for Metro Inclusive Health. I Love the Burg has grown into the go-to guide of St. Pete's restaurant openings and closings, popular culture, and the "Weekly-What-To-Do's." Bailey got his start in New York City but quickly put down roots in St. Pete by building his business and getting involved with the LGBTQ+ community. Bailey has established himself as a businessman, tastemaker, and community activist - willing to get into the fray to better the 'Burg.
Years in St. Pete
12
Organizations involved in
Metro Wellness and Community Centers, a healthcare organization that provides essential services to the LGBTQ+ community for over 25 years now. As well as Academy Prep, an organization that gives an opportunity for higher education to youths in the south St. Pete area, and then helps them get into better preparatory schools like Shorecrest, for the future.
What gets you out of bed every day?
Well the technical things are the alarm and usually my dog. But typically what gets me out of bed everyday are the ideas that I thought about the night before. I tend to be one of those people that the mind goes for at least 30 to 40 minutes before I fall asleep, and then when I wake up the next day, I kind of want to like jump on them.
Why St. Pete?
It was sort of by chance. I left my agency in New York some years ago, and was freelancing and doing some things on my own out of my little apartment in Astoria, Queens, before I got the opportunity to represent a company out of Sarasota. And I flew down here for a couple years in a row to their annual users’ conference, and it was at the end of February, which is not a great time in New York City. So I kind of enjoyed the winter down here more, but couldn’t quite find the right city I wanted to live in until I ended up in St. Pete at the Saturday Morning Market when it was back on Central Avenue, and looked around, and kind of noticed the walkability potential of St. Pete, and decided that this is where I was gonna settle.
What is one habit that you keep?
The one habit that I keep maybe not so regularly is attending CrossFit, partially for fitness, obviously, but also because of the camaraderie and friendship you get with it.
Who are some people that influence you?
That was a hard choice to make. First one is my mother. I’m an only child, so I’m pretty close to her, and there are very few life-changing decisions I’ll make without running them by her. And same thing goes for my partner in life, Dexter Fabian, who also is someone I run the business with, so he gets both life decisions and business decisions for me to pass by him. One of the other people that definitely influences me is Bob Glaser, he’s the CEO of Smith and Associates. He’s someone Dexter and I have become pretty close to over the last couple of years. I sort of look at him in somewhat of an older brother capacity. He’s someone I like to bounce business ideas over, and he has never given me bad advice.
What is one piece of insight - a book, methodology, practice - that you would share with our readers?
I would also throw this to Bob Glaser. Couple of months ago, he gave me a book called “Traction,” which I read from end-to-end and would highly recommend if anybody wants to get serious about their business, that they read it.
What is one thing you wish you knew about your work 3 years ago?
How digital media would evolve so quickly. One of the things about our industry that we’re involved with is, we’re content creators, but we’re also analytical people. The idea of social media has changed so drastically over the last few years, not just from a content perspective, but also from a metric perspective. So we’re constantly changing. I wouldn’t say we’re changing our model, but we’re certainly constantly evolving. It would be nice to have a little foresight of that.
What’s next?
What’s next for me is some fairly significant career change in the next two to three weeks, to be determined, or to be announced, so stay tuned.
