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BRAD WILLIAMS
As owner and promoter of mega-popular gay dance club Jungle, Brad Williams relishes his role as a businessman dedicated to strengthening the city’s LGBT business community. Producing top shelf events every week isn’t too bad a gig either, and stay tuned because a Jungle renovation may be in the works.
How would you define your role in Atlanta’s LGBT community?
My role as a businessman and member of Atlanta’s community is to build, strengthen and unite members of Atlanta’s LGBT businesses to help serve members of our community as a whole.
What do you forecast for Atlanta’s LGBT community in the next 5 to 10 years?
I am not one for predicting, but a lot of our future depends on the younger generation and how they get involved in the progress and evolution of our community. That being said, it also depends on the older members to lay the foundation. I am happy to announce that for the first time in awhile, gay bar and business owners came together to discuss issues we currently face. We are coming up with strategies to improve our community. My prediction is if we continue to work together, Atlanta’s GLBT community’s future is a bright one. If we do not, who knows?
We learn from all our experiences, both good and bad. Tell us about a negative life experience you’ve had that you learned a valuable lesson from.
The one experience which I think had the most impact: In my early days in the bar business I was a bar manager. I suspected a bartender had stolen from the business. Based on the situation I felt 95% sure he was guilty. I fired him, only to find out several months later he was innocent of this act. This was extremely disturbing to me to find out that I was wrong. I vowed that day never ever to allow myself to be in that position to convict another person without being 100% sure. This has allowed me to reflect on this and influences me in my decision making. Side note: A few years later I discovered this same person was convicted of the same crime committed on another business.
How has being LGBT shaped your outlook on life?
I don’t think my sexuality has shaped my life.
Tell us a little more about yourself. What are your hobbies? What are your goals?
My hobbies – I enjoy the business I am in. I love working in my yard, look forward to someday having a boat off the Georgia coast. My goals right now are to possibly renovate Jungle and work with others building the Gay Business Association and strengthening the GLBT business community.
If you were stranded on a desert island, what’s the one book you would want with you?
First Book – Outdoor Encyclopedia on Survival. Second Book - How to Build A Boat. Third Book – How to Love Myself.
