Episode 466 – From Doom Scrolling to Faith Scrolling with Kevin Clark
What if social media left you feeling encouraged instead of angry, anxious, or drained?
I talk with Kevin Clark, one of the people behind Blessn, a faith-based social media app built around positive connection, community, and creator monetization. Kevin shares how a friendship that began backstage at the Academy Awards grew into years of entrepreneurship, failed ideas, successful homes for people with developmental disabilities, and eventually app development. We also explore doom scrolling, fear management, trust, learning from failure, listening to your inner voice, and focusing on what you can control. Kevin’s story is a reminder that building something worthwhile often takes far more persistence than expected, but community and purpose can make the effort worth it.
Highlights:
00:10:46 – Learn why repeated business failures can become valuable training for future success.
00:21:17 – Discover how Blessn combines faith, positive social media, and creator income.
00:26:19 – Explore how fear can become a tool instead of something that controls you.
00:37:20 – Consider what changes when doom scrolling is replaced with faith-focused content.
00:47:03 – Learn how trust and shared values can strengthen an online community.
00:54:12 – Hear what founders often underestimate about app development, testing, and feedback.
About the Guest:
Gerald Jones and Kevin Clark’s friendship goes back over 20 years, to the night they first met backstage at the Academy Awards. Their bond grew through creativity, shared values, and a deep desire to make a difference. Together, they later won an Emmy Award for a public service announcement addressing school gun violence – a project that reflected their heart for inspiring hope and protecting the next generation.
Beyond their work in media, Gerald and Kevin have also been long-time business partners supporting individuals with developmental disabilities, running programs focused on empowerment and compassion. This commitment to community is woven into everything they do – and it became the foundation of Blessn.
The story of Blessn began in March 2023, when Gerald Jones became sick of doom scrolling on social media, and found himself bummed out after every TikTok session. It occurred to him that maybe there was a better way. There should be a short form video social media that uplifted and encouraged instead. He thought it would be better to faith scroll instead of doom scroll. He called his business partner, Kevin Clark, who was feeling the exact same way. They decided to create something themselves, that uplifted people about the world and each other. Something that encouraged connectedness.
Over the next several years, the two friends poured their faith, creativity, and personal savings into developing the Blessn app, testing every detail to make sure it felt safe, uplifting, and positive. Their mission is to shift the culture of social media and to make it a place where kindness, faith, and encouragement are celebrated, not drowned out by negativity.
At its heart, Blessn is more than an app – it’s a movement. A space where users can share uplifting videos, connect with others who believe in goodness, and replace endless “doom scrolling” with “faith scrolling.” Gerald and Kevin believe that positive scrolling has the power to change hearts, strengthen communities, and remind people that light always wins over darkness.
**For more information on the Blessn app, visit: blessn.com**
Ways to connect with Richard**:**
The Blessn website is: https://blessn.com
Follow on social media @blessnapp
social media links:
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/blessnapp
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/Blessnapp
About the Host:
Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog.
Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children’s Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association’s 2012 Hero Dog Awards.
https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/
https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/
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