Meet Mark Herndon

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mark Herndon and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mark, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I am a Colorado Springs, CO native. Born and raised right here. This town has changed SO much over the years. My mother raised my younger brother and myself as a single mother for most of our childhood. I 100% owe my work ethic and drive to her. I started working with my Mom cleaning office buildings at 10 years old or so. I started my first W2 job at 14 and started managing businesses at 16yrs old. My mother set the drive in me for sure at a young age. While I’m not what one would call “Successful”, I have been running / Managing businesses for 30+years. Everything I’m a part of or am tasked with or even a hobby I pick up, I go at 100% and don’t let up.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
God gave me a unique voice and personality. Finding the right avenue to use that has been the journey. Finding an avenue to use both has been far and few between. When those opportunities do present themselves, It’s that much sweeter. I feel that I do have a personality / energy that sets me apart from many that I get to combine with my voice. With that being said, I’m trying to learn from everything I do to continue to get better each time I get behind a microphone.
It has not been easy getting back into radio. Regardless of whatever gifts or tools or wants that you may have, It’s not a guarantee that you will get to use them. It has been almost 24 yrs since my last opportunity. I’ve had the privilege of doing a few commercials and KJ work through the years, but as far as a regular gig, it’s been quite some time.
As far as lessons learned, that is many. I have goals and wants for a future in Voice Work and Radio. With that being said, Colorado Springs is not the Ideal market to make a career out of it. While not impossible, still not Ideal. My whole family as well as my daughter are all here, so I have been resistant to moving to a city or state that has a lager opportunity. Staying with doing what I can to put myself in front of as many people as I can and an Ear/Eye open for said opportunities has been my goal to push through until an opportunity arises.
I consider myself to be as fun, dedicated, passionate, and goofy as they come. Good, bad, or indifferent I am authentically me. i believe that comes across in my work and what I feel sets me apart from many.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Oh my. That’s a very good question. Here in the Springs there are the ever popular sites like The Garden Of The Gods, Cave Of The Winds and visiting the top of Pikes Peak. I’m pretty sure those would be part of the agenda. Colorado is full of so much beauty and places to visit, so I think a road trip together through Colorado would also have to be in the plans. Mt Princeton Hot Springs, A Concert at Red Rocks would have to be a must. Doesn’t even matter who’s playing. We’d probably wrap it up with a trip to Water World. I would take my friend to the Cheesecake Factory, Casa Bonita both in Denver, and the Edelweiss German Restaurant here in the Springs and The Wobbly Olive (cause that’s still a place I’d like to check out). While that’s a very busy and expensive week, That would be a blast and a must with my best buddy.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
The are are so many I can reference. I believe that we “should” be learning from all of our experiences, both good and bad, to grow into who we become. My early perspectives we from living a pretty rough childhood. My father was an extremely abusive man. Seeing him and his anger and the resulting actions showed me very young (and have lasted my entire life) who I did NOT want to or become. How I did NOT want to parent, how I did NOT want to treat women. My mother is the strongest person I’ve ever known. She endured SO much and kept it together to protect and raise my brother and I as best she could. She never quite, never gave up. She didn’t turn to alcohol like so many do. She worked, and worked hard to provide for us. She got us out of the abusive situation with my Dad, regardless of the danger. My Mom sacrificed so we could survive and grow. I owe everything to my Mother, Larie. My Grandfather, “Papa” and my Uncle Glenn were also huge influences for me. Baseball was my solace, my escape in life. My Papa instilled that love in me. Everything I knew about baseball (and painting) I learned from him. My Uncle Glenn was the first person in my life to introduce God to me, gave me my first Bible, also he very much instilled my sense of humor that developed with me throughout my life. I owe so much to them. As I said before, I take and learn from as much daily in my life as i can, however, everything I am or am not definitely started young with my Family.

Website: https://www.Gnarly101.com

Instagram: MagicMark80sDJ

Facebook: Mark Herndon & Drivin’ With your Eyes Closed

Other: TikTok: @Mark_Herndon (MagicMark80sDJ)

Image Credits
Paul Shidler
Charles Herndon
Gianna Herndon
Larie States-kirchner
Axel Herndon
Gnarly101.com