Today we’d like to introduce you to Conrad Julian Bonsi.
Hi Conrad Julian, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
One of my strongest beliefs, outside of my faith, is that life is what we make of it. We cannot always control what happens to us but we can control how we respond to it, how it shapes us, and ultimately, the narrative we choose to tell.
I believe every person carries a unique story, yet within those stories are common threads that can connect us to one another. That is why I believe we should be more open with our communities. The people around us are often the very people we choose to do life with; the people who become our support system, our sounding board, and sometimes even our inspiration. With that in mind, I try to show up as my authentic self in whatever space I enter. That authenticity has been part of me for as long as I can remember.
Growing up, I was always active with both my hands and my mind. I remember taking my toys apart as a child just to understand how they worked, then attempting to put them back together. I loved to draw, and I also loved to sing. Looking back, I recognize that those early interests were expressions of a creative and curious mind that I have carried into adulthood.
For as long as I can remember, I have always found ways to create and communicate. While living in Philadelphia, I wrote several blogs about life, experiences and faith. I also created life and travel content through my CJTV YouTube channel; traveling across the United States and my homeland, Ghana. Today, that creative expression has evolved into something I am deeply passionate about: PlusOne Podcast.
I try to live intentionally, grounded in my faith and attentive to God’s leading, while remaining authentic to who I am. I believe that whenever we become involved in something meaningful, we leave a piece of ourselves in it. Podcasting has given me another outlet to create, connect, and share a piece of myself with the world.
The foundation of PlusOne Podcast is built around two core values: culture and community. Every show is curated with those values in mind. I started podcasting in 2022, during the period of the COVID-19 pandemic. There was so much uncertainty and chaos during that season, and I quickly realized that creating became a healthy outlet for me—a way to process, connect, and maintain perspective.
Since then, what began as an outlet has grown into seven seasons and continues to evolve. Some of my favorite episodes have been conversations with special guests because I believe every person brings a unique story and perspective to the table. Those conversations often become a reflection of the world we live in; different backgrounds, experiences, cultures, and beliefs coming together in one space.
For me, podcasting is ultimately about more than producing episodes. It is about creating a space where people can be heard, perspectives can be exchanged, and communities can find common ground.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Creating something out of nothing can be incredibly challenging. There are so many directions a creative idea can transmute. Sometimes I may have the destination in mind but the path to get there is unclear. Other times, I know exactly where to begin but have no idea where the story will ultimately lead.
My lovely wife has helped me understand that the best thing I can do is simply start and then allow myself to enjoy the journey. More often than not, that journey leads to discoveries and opportunities that I could not have planned from the beginning.
One of the biggest challenges I initially faced with podcasting was consistency. Like anything worthwhile, consistency is critical to building momentum and trust within a community. There were periods when weeks, and sometimes several months would pass without a new episode being published. I began to notice the impact that inconsistency had on engagement within my community.
At some point, I realized something had to change. One of the biggest adjustments I made was becoming intentional about preparation. I began mapping out entire seasons, establishing an overarching theme, identifying topics, and building individual episodes around that larger vision.
I also learned to leverage the resources available to me. Sometimes that meant utilizing modern technology and readily available resources at little or no financial cost. At other times, I integrated human input by seeking the expertise of a business consultant.
That shift in strategy has made a tremendous difference. Today, PlusOne Podcast has listeners across 42 countries around the world, including the United States, Ghana, Mexico, Argentina, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Vietnam, the Netherlands, India, Italy, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Ecuador, Pakistan, and Romania, just to name a few. While the largest percentage of our audience is here at home in the United States, the international reach is incredibly meaningful to me.
It is a reminder that when you create something authentically and remain committed to developing it, your reach can extend far beyond the boundaries you initially imagined.
There is a statement often attributed to Abraham Lincoln: “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” Whether we’re talking about a podcast, a business, or our lives, I believe there is tremendous truth in that idea. We cannot always predict where the journey will take us, but we can take responsibility for creating the future we want to see.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am the host and creative director at PlusOne Podcast. Our audience and community know me as the storyteller that helps curate engaging and impacting stories to our audience.
Attaining major milestones as currently one of the 4 million podcast shows globally, we have been consistent with our platform and show. Many other shows tend to cease publishing shortly after a few episodes. This consistency has helped us build a community in 42 countries and growing.
Our authentic episodes curated around culture and community sets us apart. We have intentional conversations around the wholistic individual. Career and Professional Advancement, Entrepreneurship and Financial Mobility, Emotional and Mental Wellbeing, Heritage and Identity, Family and Relationships, Community, Purpose and Contribution are our core foundational pillars.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
If I had to identify the qualities I credit most to my growth and success, authenticity and excellence would be at the top of the list.
Authenticity allows me to remain grounded in who I am, while excellence challenges me to continually improve what I do. Beyond those two, empathy, being a good listener, storytelling, consistency, and being coachable have all played significant roles throughout my journey.
I believe success is not simply about having talent. It is also about being willing to learn, receive feedback, adapt, and continue developing.
From a business perspective, I believe it is equally important to understand your why and build from there. At PlusOne Podcast, one of the frameworks we use is something I call the VAD Factor—Vision and Development.
The concept is simple: establish a clear and precise vision, then intentionally develop every area of the business and its services around that vision. Development without vision can create movement without direction. But when development is anchored to a clear vision, it becomes much easier to build with purpose.
Our vision at PlusOne Podcast is: “Bridging the gap between communities by empowering immigrants to build successful lives in America.”
That statement is more than a tagline. It is at the core of who we are, what we create, and the impact we hope to make. It gives us a lens through which we evaluate our conversations, our content, and the direction in which we continue to grow.
Ultimately, I believe the most meaningful success is not simply measured by how far you go, but by how many people you can help bring along with you.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/plusone.popcast
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/plus.onepodcast?igsh=YXZ1azR1Y3lwN2J0&igsi=YXZ1azR1Y3lwN2J0&utm_source=qr
