Carlos Whittaker

Chances are you've heard of musician, thought leader, blogger and communicator Carlos Whittaker and just didn't realize it. Maybe you know him because of a certain Beyonce "Single Ladies" viral video that received a People's Choice Award or from his segment on TLC's "LA Ink" or maybe it was through his popular blog - Ragamuffin Soul. Whatever the outlet, one thing's for certain - Carlos Whittaker knows how to make big moments in his life. Currently reigning at nearly 7 million views, it's hard to believe that the overnight success of Carlos' son's "Single Ladies Devastation" on YouTube was a complete accident. "I remember putting the video on YouTube that night and not thinking much about it," recalls Carlos. "The next morning my phone was blowing up with calls from all these national outlets asking me if I was the horrible father in the YouTube video." The calls continued flooding in and the Whittaker's found their family in America's spotlight with appearances on shows like CBS Early Morning, The Today Show and more. But for Carlos, his wife Heather and their three children, this viral moment was just a snapshot of the bigger picture. "Our family has experienced our share of moments both big and small. What we've learned is that every single one has played a pinnacle part in our lives. Each moment has built on to the next one and when we take a step back we see this incredible canvas that has been woven together." The release of "Moment Maker" on April 1 marks Carlos' debut as an author, but this journey into writing a book began long before that. Growing up between Los Angeles and Atlanta, Carlos began his movement as a "Moment Maker" early on. From professing his undying devotion to his first love to convincing his best friend to provide moral support in the trunk of his car, each moment has made a significant impact on Carlos' life. As an adult, Carlos and his wife Heather moved from California back to Atlanta where he joined the team at Andy Stanley's Buckhead Church. There, Carlos continued to apply 'moment making' into his every day life, blogging about his experiences and recruiting his family and friends along the way. These years of "moments" find its way into the book "Moment Maker" where Carlos shares his experiences and divides these discoveries into three parts - "Creating Moments," "Receiving Moments" and "Rescuing Moments." "I've learned that 'Moment Making' has to be a conscious decision. There's a story in the book about when I meet a group of soldiers who had just returned to America. I had a choice, I could either go back to my hotel room or I could make a moment, sit down with them and hear their stories. It's experiences like this one that have taught me that life is full of beautiful surprises. You can start out thinking you're making a moment for somebody and end up getting a moment right back." Carlos shows through his stories that in a world where ordinary has become a lifestyle, there is way out of the routine. Each decision in being a Moment Maker plays an integral part into our lives. And when we choose to take that leap, the possibilities are endless. "This book is a reminder that life is best lived when we choose to do it fully and fearlessly. We can spend our lives waiting around for something that may never show up or we can make a conscious effort to make the most of every single opportunity. That's the amazing thing about being a Moment Maker. Our biggest, best moments are only a second away. All we have to do is say yes." Official Facebook Page for Carlos Whittaker. I tell stories and sling hope. Booking@carloswhittaker.com