CONTENTs 06
LETTERS FROM EIC’S A word from our outgoing editor-in-chief Evelyne Del Substantial welcomes Kimberly Knight and The Lux Blog NC to the family. 07
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IN THE MIX A conversation with Redd Rose Vodka CEO Taylor A. Jackson Taylor A. Jackson is an entrepreneur, legal services professional, and Founder of the highly sought after spirits company, Redd Rose Vodka.
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THE ART OF STORYTELLING
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ARTS AND POLITICS
A chat with Fabian Williams Storytelling is not a one size fits all medium. There are themes, mediums, and of course the visionary. For Fabian Williams storytelling takes place in a variety of mediums.
A Candid Conversation with Pierce Freelong Durham City Council Member & Emmy Award-winning Filmmaker Pierce Freelon is known for his acts of philanthropy, scholarship as a professor, and creative contributions to the arts community.
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THE BUSINESS OF THE ARTS
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LIFE ASSURES US MANY THINGS
A Talk with Poet & Entrepreneur Dasan Dasan Ahanu is a notable poet, community events curator, and entrepreneur. He’s a Nasir Jones Harvard Fellow Alum and producer.
A Conversation with Chris Godley If there is one thing that life assures us it’s that things are bound to happen and it’s important that we have certain insurances to protect us.
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GREG HEDGEPETH President & CEO
Those of you that know me know I’m always excited and over the top when it comes to Substantial. Wouldn’t you be excited as you watched your child grow up before your eyes. Substantial is very much my baby and it’s growing up and I couldn’t be more excited and proud. The past few quarters for Substantial have been all about learning, retooling, collobrating and growth. We’ve been learning alongside 32 other Black, Indigenous and people of color media outlets during the Branded Content Project Sales Bootcamp. This opporunity has allowed us to recieve state-of-the-art sales training and content development tips. We’ve learned from experts from the Local Media Association, Local Media Consortium, Facebook Journalism Project and a number of nationally recognized publications. But its just the beginning. I want to take just a moment and harp on cоllаbоrаtіоn, because we’ve all heard that “collaboration іѕ thе kеу to our success,” but really how many of us are seeking out, or finding meaningful and real ways to collaborate? Word in Black a groundbreaking collaboration of the nation’s leading Black news publishers have figured this out and Substantial wants to follow this powerful example. See trаdіtіоnаl business would have you to believe thаt thеrе wаѕ not еnоugh buѕіnеѕѕ to go аrоund, so competition was healthy аnd considered thе nоrm. I’m here to tell you the idea of bеаting out your соmреtіtіоn” has been the long standing trаdіtіоnаl buѕіnеѕѕ vаluе. I’m also here to tell you that’s never been the Substantial way. Our buѕіnеѕѕ practice has always been more about еmbrасіng the true dеfіnіtіоn of collaboration: thе concept оf working tоgеthеr and the vаluе оf іntеrdереndеnсу. You need us, we need you, we need each other. There is strength in numbers and as a small Black owned media company the only way we will survive is to find ways to collaborate with other businesses to grow and scale. This is why it was just right to have Kimberly Knight and The Lux Blog NC join the Substantial family and as I said a moment again it’s just the beginning. We can’t wait to share with you what’s to come. We are Substantial and so is the power of collobration. 4
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PABLO PICASSO
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A LETTER FROM THE OUTGOING EDITOR “It always seems impossible until it’s done” ~ Nelson Mandela It sounds like a setup for failure - relaunching a digital magazine in the midst of a global pandemic when everyone is online grabbing their proverbial microphone and producing digital content. It sounds like a setup for failure relaunching a digital magazine in a time where black owned and operated media outlets are closing their doors left and right. It was a setup to relaunch Substantial Magazine. But it was a setup for success. Over the past year we’ve developed countless relationships that have further strengthened our influence and pointed us closer to our purpose. In our very first issue after our relaunch in 2020 I talked about the vision that we had for Substantial. Our President and CEO expressed the desire to have people who were not only willing and able to be a part of this dynamic vehicle; but also willing and able to take a set of “keys” and drive. This year he has issued me a new set of keys. In this new season I will be driving our vehicle in a direction that will not only strengthen our relationships, but also build new ones. I’m excited to serve an instrumental role in building our roadmap to success. My new role as Director of Business Development and Strategic Partnerships is the result of a
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Grow on PUR• POSE team that is committed to growth. It is the result of learning the ins and outs of black owned and operated media. And it is a direct reflection of the intentions that we stated in our relaunch last year. In the next few months we will be announcing some amazing new developments. We are building some new products and strengthening others. I leave you in the very capable hands of my supremely Substantial sister Ms. Kimberly Knight. Together we plan to show the world that “We are Substantial. And so are our Power Moves.” ~ With Gratitude, Evelyne Del Substantial Magazine
EXPANDING THE SUBSTANTIAL FAMILY Substantial welcomes Kimberly Knight as new Editor-in-Chief Greetings Substantial Magazine Readers, As the seasons change, so do our roles in life. In this new season, I’m excited for new opportunities to share my creative talents and supportive network of amazing people I’ve met along the way. For the past 7 years, I have served in the roles as a Contributing Writer for Sheen Magazine, been a Guest Contributing Writer for Essence Magazine, and for 6 years I’ve been the Editor for The Lux Blog NC. That is why I’m honored that Substantial Magazine has appointed me as their Interim Editor-in-Chief. It is inspiring to see the journey continue in my creative works and to join an established team. Substantial Magazine President Greg Hedgepeth and Editor-in-Chief Evelyne Del have curated cutting edge editorial works and impacted communities across North Carolina. Evelyne Del has been an outstanding Editor-in-Chief and I’m looking forward to joining this powerhouse team to continue to open doors for more Black media companies in North Carolina.
FOR• WARD
In this new role, it is an opportunity to show the empowerment of collaboration across Black media platforms. I look forward to the expansion of storytelling and engagement for both Substantial Magazine and The Lux Blog NC. wearesubstantial.com
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SUBSTANTIAL TEAMS UP WITH THE 2021 LOCAL NEWS FUND For generations, we have been committed to telling stories that are important to our readers and we are grateful you trust us to do this. We acknowledge we could not do it without you. Much remains uncertain these days, yet its clear supporters like you understand the importance of local Black news and highlighting our stories. We’re asking you to make a tax-deductible gift to grow our coverage and expand our reach as it relates to equitable media. Our impact on the economy is Substantial and issues like equity in our education systems, our justice system and the ongoing challenges related to COVID, Black health and real access to wealth building need our attention. Your donation to our Indisputable campaign — 2021 Local News Fund, via Local Media Foundation, will directly support this journalism. It will allow us to take a Substantial look at the ongoing fight for true social justice and equity in our state. Learn more and GIVE!
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In The
MIX Interview by Kimberly Knight
A CONVERSATION WITH REDD ROSE VODKA CEO TAYLOR A. JACKSON Taylor A. Jackson is an entrepreneur, legal services professional, and Founder of the highly sought after spirits company, Redd Rose Vodka. Jackson’s inspiration for joining the spirits industry has been an adventure filled with joyful surprises and lessons learned to reach her level of success. She’s one of a few African American owned spirit companies who seek to increase visibility of ownership in this field. I had the opportunity to chat with Jackson about how she started her pathway to owning her own spirit brand and what we can expect next from Redd Rose Vodka. KK: Tell us about how you started your business, Redd Rose Vodka.
Photo courtesy of Taylor A. Jackson
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I have been a bartender for eight years and bartending actually got me through law school. I read an article about Diddy, Sean Combs, and I didn’t know he did not own Cîroc. I also read an article about Titos and how he got started. In 2014, I thought these are regular people who started some of these brands. I started to look behind the bars to see who owned the brands. Then, I just did my research. My law degree helped me figure out what I needed to do to own my own brand. When I first got started, I wanted to do a tequila but after learning the laws about that, it wasn’t in my best interest to do tequila right now. So, I went into vodka, because it’s the best next thing in regards to tequila.
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KK: Wow, that’s so interesting and you said you went with vodka instead of tequila. When it comes to you, as a business woman, what made you make that decision? TJ: When I started the brand, I was taking away from my savings. You have to import tequila into the United States, because they don’t make tequila in the United States. You have to go to Mexico to get the tequila and I wasn’t in a place to do so. That’s not where I am. So, I just did the research to figure out what’s the next best thing to tequila and of course, it’s vodka. That’s kind of how I went into the vodka avenue. Once I opened up the avenue to vodka, I was like, I can have any flavor. I can have anything that I want with vodka because it’s made so many different ways. So just depending on the base, you can flavor it with anything, add anything to it, and it can still be a really good cocktail. KK: When did you decide, I think I want to make this a business and monetize with it? TJ: My initial thoughts were I just wanted to do something simple. I didn’t want to make it a whole brand. When I first got started, I was like, it’s just vodka. Then “life” started happening. My grandmother passed away and it kind of all just started to make sense. It just started coming to me that this is what I should do. That’s how I got the name. That’s how I transitioned into the vodka. Then I wanted the flavor to have a story. I wanted the bottle to have a story and the name to have a story. KK: I’m glad you brought that up because I was wondering where did the name, Redd Rose, derive from? TJ: Yes, so my grandmother’s name was Rose Red. She was one of the first African American women to have a recycling business in Ohio. She had two flea markets where she allowed other people to come and sell their items. She was a very hard working woman and if anything came up she would just say “I got it”. That’s what I wanted the brand to be about. I want the brand to support women more than just me saying so. KK: So what is something that you wish you would have known before you got into this business? TJ: I didn’t know that there’s so many levels to the alcohol industry. I didn’t know that each state has different laws for importing and exporting outside
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TJ of the country. You have to go through the government and you have to get permits. They have to do a background check on you because it’s liquor. It’s a lot and I can’t just sell it online. I can’t just say “Hey, let me sell you a bottle or I can’t just post the website”. It doesn’t come from me. I can’t have it in my house. I can’t just throw it in my garage and say “Hey, come buy bottles from me”. It’s a very regulated industry and I did not know that. KK: What information can you share with our readers about monetizing with your brand?? TJ: If you are interested in this industry, it’s not a quick flip. It’s not something that you put, $100,000 dollars into and you’re going to make $500,000 right away. It’s not that easy. I can say today I’m $140,000 in the hole. It’s probably going to be a year or two before I can make that back. I was spending time with different distributors trying to figure out what they charge, where they are, and who they can ship to. You have to have a distributor in each state, so make sure you know those policies and add them into whatever you’re trying to do.
KK: That brings up another question, because sometimes people link wine, beer, and spirits all in one box. What is the difference in regards to someone who is a wine or beer distributor versus spirits? TJ: Yes, so wine and beer is categorized as the same thing. They’re in the same house. Liquor and spirits are completely different. So wine and beer are so much easier than liquor, you can move a lot easier with wine and beer than liquor. So if you want to get into the industry and you don’t want to go top tier with the “big dogs”. Then I would say go wine, champagne, or beer. Just know why your product stands out. If you go into the liquor store or the grocery store, look at some of those 12
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bottles, they’re really collecting dust. You can’t come into the industry just thinking that the product is going to sell itself. Redd Rose is a fantastic vodka enjoyed by people who don’t even drink. So I now know what my niche is and I tell my story. KK: So what is your favorite cocktail to make with red rose? TJ: That’s a good question there’s so many. When I started I wanted to sell 100 bottles but I sold 275 bottles. People sent me cocktails and I would have to say that Rose Marie is probably my favorite. The good thing about Redd Rose is you can have it over ice by itself.
KK: Are there any updates for Redd Rose we can expect this Fall or Winter? TJ: Yes, I have a few more flavors coming out. It will be a lemon-flavored vodka and we are going to have more flavored vodkas. People do ask if I am going to have a plain flavor and no because there are enough plain flavors on the market. We want to keep it with a straight over ice simplicity because that is our “best friend” right now. So, I would just look out for those flavors coming soon. Visit: www.reddrosevodka.com @ReddRoseVodka – IG and FB
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The
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of storytelling
A CHAT WITH FABIAN WILLIAMS Storytelling is not a one size fits all medium. There are themes, mediums, and of course the visionary. For Fabian Williams storytelling takes place in a variety of mediums. And they all depend on his mood, current events, or his current surroundings. His work almost chronicles his own journey and shows a pattern of growth, resilience, and constant discovery. Williams says that he doesn’t ever remember not being an artist. It was something that has always been a part of life, even though the canvas may have changed a time or two. After being admitted to East Carolina University, he set out to become an illustrator. But after joining an ad agency, he quickly realized his first lesson in the business of art - you become much more valuable to a company if you are able to move around and contribute to different projects. “My strategy for staying employed was to learn as many creative skills as I could”, he says. At the time he was more of a designer than an illustrator. But he quickly taught himself to use PhotoShop, InDesign, voiceover software, and whatever else he could put his hands on. This gave him the flexibility to work his way up within several different organizations, taking him all the way to the West Coast to work on projects with a diverse set of colleagues that have influenced many of his projects to date. 14
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Interview by Evelyne Del
Fabian Williams
“If they don’t want to see my black face, then I don’t want to deal with them either.”
SM: For most black families, monetizing an artistic craft is rare. When did you know you could monetize your craft, and how did you do it? FW: My parents thought I was strange. All I wanted to do was draw. They would have to make me go outside. But I get it; they just wanted me to be well rounded. There was a time when my Aunt suggested that I remove his face from his branding and marketing so he wouldn’t get pegged as a “black artist”. For most black families, especially those in the South, artistry was a luxury, and it was still an unknown territory. If we were going to allow our nieces and nephews to dabble in the arts, we wanted to make sure that there was a bit of safety attached to it. At the time, I felt some kind of way about it. I felt like, ‘If they don’t want to see my black face, then I don’t want to see theirs either”. But I did go through with it, and I eventually understood what she was saying. I knew that it came from a place of love SM: That’s understandable. A lot of us don’t have those examples of successful artists coming from within our own
families. Was there ever a time when you doubted whether or not things would work out in your favor? FW: There was a time when I was so poor, that I considered doing so many other things just to get back on my feet. ‘Broke Fabian’ was the guy who ended up befriending people sometimes just because I knew they would feed me. I spent many days and nights in my apartment with no electricity and no food. I had to learn how to juggle and pay certain bills at certain times just to stay afloat. So, I knew that I had to be serious about this thing if I was going to make it work. I had worked with some of the best artists in the world when I was out in California, so that really gave me a different perspective than a lot of other artists. I knew that I couldn’t wait any longer, so I had to network, create a following, and just create. I had to create and just believe that the money would come in. I took a chance, used my own money to create projects I had never done before. But it worked. And I went on to start teaching at local schools and universities, and even helped some of the people in my own family to become working artists.
SM: What do you think is the thing that created a turning point for you? How did you stay on top once you realized that you could make money as an artist, and essentially a storyteller? FW: My circle never let me quit. I had so many encouraging people in my corner. I wanted to be great for those people, for my kids, for my family members. I knew that I was taking a chance. When I did that project where I created the Dungeon Family Pyramid I had no idea what I was doing. I had never built a pyramid before. But I did it. I believe that the work I’m doing now is because for black people, we have to see it. We’re not shown these things because once we start doing these things, it’s over. We’re not necessarily seen as efficient creatives, but the thought of that is crazy because all black people do is make stuff”. Fabian Williams has worked with some of the best designers in the world. His latest work of art is an extensively designed mural that spans the campus of Morehouse College. Read more at weareubstantial.com
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ArtS & Politics A CANDID CONVERSATION WITH PIERCE FREELON Durham City Council Member & Emmy Award-winning Filmmaker Pierce Freelon is known for his acts of philanthropy, scholarship as a professor, and creative contributions to the arts community. He’s a devoted husband, father of two, and is known for his works with youth in Durham, North Carolina. He is the son of the late renowned architect Phil Freelon and Grammy Award-winning Jazz Artist Nnenna Freelon. Still, I wanted to learn more about what the journey of Pierce Freelon was like to becoming the creative artist and political figure he is today? I had a chance to chat with him to find out just that. Photos courtesy of Pierce Freelon
KK: How did you know you wanted to start? Specifically, when it came to digital content and poetry for black space? PF: I grew up in a very creative household. My dad was an avid photographer and he loved to draw. His profession was architecture, but his creative passions were varied. Same for my mom. My mother is a jazz vocalist. She loves theater and performance. So, I just grew up in a
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community, in Durham, North Carolina, and in an environment in my home, just surrounded by the arts. That was a real privilege. I didn’t realize that until later in life because it was just how I came up. I realized, as I grew, that not everyone has that special access to tap into their creative voice. To have a space that they can go to help them grieve, to process information, or to express themselves. That was really, really powerful and important to me personally. I got to college and became exposed to a broader curriculum, in terms of I was an African American Studies major. I had never taken a black studies class before. So that was really illuminating
Pierce freelon
“Look at all of this beauty, abundance, and history that was not a part of my school curriculum.”
to me and to look back at my high school experience. I said, “Wow, you know, my History class was limiting, my Science even was limiting, and, Social Studies, and English”. It just centered around the history of Europe and colonization. I didn’t see many people who looked like me in any of the books that I read, the poets that we studied, or the plays that we performed. It was mostly men and mostly White men. So that really opened my eyes when I got to college. I said, “Look at all of this beauty, abundance, and history that was not a part of my school curriculum. I may learn that at Kwanzaa Fest, or at my grandma’s house. I wasn’t learning this for seven or eight hours a day in school. I never learned that. Then the other thing that I was kind of exposed to was the extent to which the background that I had really being saturated in the arts was not the reality for most people That being in my community and in the Black community. I felt this real dual responsibility to not just teach kids about their history, legacy, heritage, but to tell that story. Also, to give kids the same outlets that I had. To be able to pick up a journal and jot down a poem, or to draw a painting, or make a beat, or sing a song. While that was happening a lot, I think, organically, we didn’t always have the resources or the tools to have access to a studio. To have access to a formal kind of training of how to write poetry, how to do coding, or how to make beats. There was a passion, interest, and a skill set, but not the tools. The access to equipment and training to be able to turn that idea into a song, to turn that song into an album, to turn that album into career was not there. Those skill sets were largely missing. So that’s why I created Black Space, to meet those two needs and to meet the creative needs of the Black community. Also, the ancestral historical need for us to know who we are and where we came from. KK: What was it like to transition into knowing that you would like this to become a business or nonprofit? When did that opportunity happen for you?
PF: That’s a really good question, Kimberly. I talked to kids about this a lot. I think its kind of like dating when you’re young. You become kind of curious about passion in a romantic sense. When you date you think somebody’s cute, you holler at them, maybe you get turned down, or maybe we’ll go out for ice cream. It’s an experiment. That person that you thought looks great, may not be a good fit for you energetically or maybe they have different values than you do. So it just wasn’t the right fit. I think similarly, we have relationships with our passions and the things that that we do on a daily basis. When I was a kid, I was really interested in Marine Biology. Why? I thought it would be cool to swim around in a scuba suit and look under rocks. Now, I don’t and I tried dealing with water. It wasn’t for me. So the whole majesty of that idea in my head just didn’t pan out. I went to a school in Durham, North Carolina called Durham School of the Arts (DSA). They made you pick a track like painting or music, or a discipline in the Arts. I reluctantly chose theater. I didn’t think that theater would be my bag. I jumped into theater and found out, Wow, like, I really like this. This is so dope and I’m good at it. It’s fun to be in front of an audience and to improvise. We had this improv comedy troupe and it was just so cool. I took note of that the feeling in my stomach. I would describe it as butterflies, like I walked out of my first couple of theater classes with butterflies in my stomach. The same way that you have butterflies about a crush. You know what I mean? It’s like be mindful and cognizant of the things that bring you joy. That’s really important. You know, what is it for you? My mom got butterflies about music. My dad had butterflies about architecture. For me, the first time I stepped into a theatre space, the first time I performed on a stage, I got butterflies. Now on the education space, this leads to your question about how do you decide to turn this entrepreneurial endeavor or nonprofit thing into what you do for a living? When I was in college, again, I was an African American Studies major. I realized, wearesubstantial.com
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as I told you, that my high school was not providing the curriculum that was meaningful to me, culturally and ancestrally. My ancestors were like, “why you reading about Shakespeare, but you’ll know nothing about Diop, you know? So, I decided to do something about that. I went back to my old high school and I developed the program where I would teach kids about Black history through Hip Hp. We looked at the lyrics of Queen Latifah, Public Enemy, NAS, and KRS-One. We analyzed lyrics and talked about the history behind the lyrics. Then we have them do their own poetry. When I tell you this was like an experiment, nobody gave me permission to do this. I saw a need. I wasn’t doing it at the time, because I thought it would be something I would turn into a career. It was just like, oh, here’s a way for me to take my education in African American Studies and provide something positive for my community. So I went into the school, I did a week long workshop, with old English teacher, Mr. Freeman. He let me take over his class for a week and I was the teacher for that week. He kicked up his feet up on the desk and watched me work. I had so much fun. I was in there rapping
with the kids freestyle and we were listening to Hip Hop. They’re writing these crazy intimate stories about their personal lives. We did an event on that Friday where the whole school came together in the auditorium. They got to spit their poems to their classmates. You would have thought it was like LL Cool J came to perform for the school. They were so turned up that they walked out of that experience feeling full and feeling like why isn’t the rest of school like this? How could I make this my daily practice? Not just something like you said, “a hobby”, not just something that’s like, I’m volunteering here. It took 10 years for Black Space to come into fruition from that epiphany. That was probably where it started. I was doing that after school program as an independent project. KK: I remember interviewing you for The Lux blog NC, when you were running for mayor. How has that been for you now since joining the city council for Durham County?
Photo courtesy of Dalvin Nichols
Pierce freelon
Yeah. It’s been the one of the blessings of my life. I ran for mayor in 2017. I saw a need. There were no millennials running for office or young black men with my voice that were stepping up to serve in this capacity. I don’t know if you remember from when we talked back then. The median age of our city council at that time was like 65, with a couple of the city council members in their 70s or 80s. There was just this generational chasm. So this was also shortly after Trump was elected. I was looking for somebody I could be excited about in politics and I didn’t see them. I decided to run. So the first lesson from that is I thought I lost that race. I did not lose the race. I didn’t win the election, but I won at life. It was such a beautiful learning experience and look at where I am now. The mayor, I was running against Steve Schewel, who became the mayor, he was my opponent. We developed a relationship during that campaign, a relationship of mutual respect a relationship of shared ideas, and of constructive dialogue. Constructively thinking about how to make Durham a better place. I earned his respect through that race. So much so that when an opening occurred on city council, he was the main one, “Pierce is the guy”. He’s smart, he’s hard working and he’s from Durham. I earned a seat at the table, by the way that I ran the race for mayor, even though I didn’t, quote win. So you know, two and a half years later, I was appointed to Durham City Council and I’ve been serving for the past year and a half. It’s been so profoundly impactful for me, as a Durham, native, the only person on our council who was actually born and raised here in this community. It’s so important for me to be in the room. Read more at weareubstantial.com
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Interview by Kimberly Knight
Dan P. LEE
THE MAN BEHIND THE PLOTTWST Here at Substantial we believe in full circle moments and that’s exactly what we had when we got the chance to catch up with the rural NC native Dan P. Lee who’s showing the big city just how Substantial he is. Dan P. Lee was featured in our 2014 issue of Substantial as a young rising entrepreneur and stylists hitting the Eastern NC scene. That’s right over seven years ago we had the opportunity to chop it up with this young ambitious brother that knew then just how considerably important in size and worth he was and as you read this current feature and listen to our All Things Substantial podcast you’ll also note that he knew then he was also Substantially built and made. SM: Tell our readers a little about the origin story of Dan P. Lee. DPL: I’m a fashion stylist currently living in the New York area. I specialize in menswear styling for all realms of entertainment ranging from editorials, look books, music videos, live performances, red carpet appearances, etc. I’m originally from Elizabeth City, NC. The 252, you know! I left Elizabeth City and
Photo courtesy of Eshama JP IG @eshamajp
Dan P. LEE
went off to college at East Carolina University and that’s where I met you (Greg) and was introduced to Substantial. In fact, talking about full circle moments I remember you giving me the creative freedom during my photoshoot and you gave me the freedom to direct the other features that were in that young and Substantial highlight. Really thinking back on it I remember going to the Substantial Awards and being in that environment. Honestly it was those moments that I believe helped prepare me for the moments I’m experiencing now. Being on the red carpet and having photographers taking pictures, etc. back then gave me the opportunity to experience it and now it’s wearesubstantial.com
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Photo courtesy of Eshama JP IG @eshamajp 20
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seize The Moment just scaling. I’m just thankful for the platform that you shared with me at a young age and you gave a young creative a chance and a voice when there weren’t a lot of opportunities in the South, especially Eastern NC. SM: What made you pick up and say I’m about to take this chance as a stylist in New York? DPL: So the journey has been very beautiful but you know I’ll never sugarcoat it, it’s also been some hard unknown moments. I graduated one day and literally moved to New York the next. I moved not having a job but knowing if I could just get an opportunity or a chance to talk and network with different people my time would come. I‘m thankful to have had the support of family and friends who helped me along the journey. In fact, it is still helping me somewhat. I had a friend who let me stay with him when I first moved to New York for about a year until I got my feet under me and got things going. I remember before I got my own apartment I had a colleague who let me borrow their apartment when I had to move from my first set up in New York. It’s certainly been an experience and I’ve had some challenges trying to figure out living and trying to grow my name and career. As you know in the beginning like anything it’s not super profitable. People see the photos with the stars and the fancy red carpets but it took work and perseverance. SM: WOW, talk about faith. You just described what it means to have it and walk in it. Stepping out there and going from Elizabeth City to Greenville to New York and I need our readers to understand when Dan P. stepped out there and made that move it wasn’t like there were things lined up, it was more like “yo we’re going to go out here and we’re going to make something happen. We’re going to seize a moment.”
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Talk to me about some of the highlights of the career thus far. DPL: So I really gained my start at the top of 2016. I’ve been able to be play a part in various projects with companies such as Elle, ESPN Magazine, Sports Illustrated, At Large, Icon Magazine, L’Officiel magazine, Atlantic Records, 300 Entertainment, and Island Records. A highlight for me honestly if I had to choose one, which is hard, would have to be attending my first Grammys. It was an aha moment. I mean I’ve had the chance to work alongside my mentor who styled Mary J. Blige and some other really big names and those were some big aha moments too, but it was something about that first Grammy Awards and getting to be backstage and see all the people I grew up watching on TV. It was surreal. SM: OK, so now I’m having an aha moment because I get to talk with and say I know someone who’s rubbing elbows with the upper elite, should I say some really Substantial people. So tell me about your new brand PLOTtwst. What’s the story behind the name? DPL: So funny enough, I was just trying to think of different ways to get my name out there and be different. I like to think “I’m somewhat of a marketing guru.” And if it wasn’t for fashion, if I was to go down anything within a corporate space, I would have gone down the marketing lane. So for a while a lot of stylists usually would say like, they would post their work obviously on social media and we’ll put hashtag style by and whatever the name was. I never liked that, I never liked the whole “styled by” because it always read to me as if they were kind of watering down their clients actual style. I never as a stylist think I should supersede my client and make the
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Click to listen to the full interview with Dan. P Lee world think if it wasn’t for me, they wouldn’t have status because it’s not true, right? You understand a lot of these people actually do have real true style, they just are so deeply involved in their art and talent that they’re not actually going out to the store. In fact some of them have so much influence and recognition it’s hard to even be out in the stores and picking stuff out. So that’s where I come in and serve as that liaison and alleviate that stress. So because everybody seems to have a tagline or a catchy slogan these days I was like OK what can I put out there. Initially it was like, “Dan P. on Threads,” then after a few iterations and a friend of mine hitting me up and offering some critics God dropped it in my heart and I was like PLOTtwst because when I think about it my life’s been one Plot twist after another and I believe my style reflects that. SM: What would you say to that young creative that’s here in NC? DPL: I’d say don’t let where you are define who you are or who you want to become. If you want to be a doctor do the work and become a doctor, if you want to be a stylist do what it takes to be a stylist. Don’t say because I’m in a small town that I can’t do fashion, I remember asking influential people right there in Greenville if I could style them or asking photographers to let me help with styling for photoshoots and sets. I’d tell them you’ve got to be willing to take a chance on yourself and that the hard work and challenges come all too often before the success. --You can listen to the entire interview with Dan P. Lee via our “All Things Substantial” podcast. You can follow and support Dan P. Lee via his website danplee.com, IG @dan.p.lee and Twitter @Dan_plee
The Business of the Arts:
A Talk with Poet & Entrepreneur Dasan Ahanu
Dasan Ahanu
I am a professional artist, curator, cultural organizer, and arts administrator. I create art, but I also try to create experiences and opportunities for artists.
Dasan Ahanu is a notable poet, community events curator, and entrepreneur. He’s a Nasir Jones Harvard Fellow Alum and a member of Grammy-winning Producer 9th Wonder’s Black Jedi Zulu nonprofit organization. He has been an advocate for preserving the arts community in North Carolina and beyond with his philanthropic efforts. It is because of his commitment to his craft that he is consistently curating creative programming to push the narrative of the importance of the arts forward. Take a look at this engaging conversation we had about monetizing with your art. KK: Tell us about Dasan Ahanu.
DA: I try to place art and culture anywhere that they can have an effective impact. So that’s the big part, you know, art and culture are my passion. That’s at the heart of everything that I do. Also, I use my artistic and curatorial skills to help different businesses and organizations with some of the things that they’re trying to accomplish. Then, I see where art and creativity can kind of help enhance what they’re trying to do. I get to live in a creative space, day in and day out. It’s wonderful. KK: When did you first begin this journey? How did this journey of utilizing your creativity and actually knowing when to monetize with it begin for you? DA: I got laid off. So what happened, really briefly, is that I got laid off from where I was working. I was in a project supervisor position for a tech company. That led me to evaluate. I was re-evaluating what was going on for me at that time and I went back to school to get a deeper education. I was going to study business, but I dove deeper into the
arts community. It was a way to have a flexible schedule, but also be able to pay my bills. I was embraced and fell in love with working with arts organizations. I enjoyed working in the community. Also, being a part of events and things that were going on. That, I never left. So it immediately became a search to figure out, how can I stay there? A part of it was networks and relationships. The other part was doing a self-assessment. It was figuring out what skills do I have at my disposal and who needs them? I needed to equip myself in order to enhance those skills, so they would be marketable, and then just kind of plot my way. So that’s how it all started. It was at a transition point in my life. So when you get shaken out of that kind of comfortable place, you got to start thinking outside the box. The arts community was just waiting there for me, to hold me down. So that’s how I got going. KK: What advice would you give to someone who is interested in getting started? wearesubstantial.com
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DA: I think the biggest piece of advice is to look for experiences. I believe where there are experiences, there are opportunities. I think you will find the opportunity if you are open to the experience. I am curious by nature. So, I have to, kind of remember, that not everybody is. That doesn’t mean you can’t walk into a thing curious, but you just need someone to put that into your head to be curious. To be open and aware when you’re in places, so that you can take in the experience and see what the opportunities are. I believe that what that does is it draws a certain energy towards you. I think it’s really important to artists because we put out energy but because we’re creatives it is a little different. So what you draw back to you is going to be different. The kind of opportunities you draw back to you are different, how people think of you, when they have conversations with you, and how people see you. There are folks who walk up to me and they’ll say they were drawn to me. Also, there’s a thing that happens with us, as artists, we kind of have to open up ourselves but that doesn’t happen to other people. So that’s the first thing, experiences are very important. In a variety of experiences, there, were things that I was curious about. I went to checkout things to get into. Some of those places, early on, were where I made the relationships that ended up really providing me with new open doors down the road. A lot of times, I got credit for being there, just for being in a place. I was curious, excited, and intrigued by what was going on there. That experience piece is big for me. KK: There are times when we get into passion works or projects as creatives due to areas of pain and suffering. Is there anything you’d like to say about creative people or artists in regards to mental health? DA: Yes, art is cathartic. It’s therapeutic but it’s not therapy. What I do know is that my art helps hold me together. 24
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Click for bonus questions with Dasan. My circle and the folks who love on me hold me down. That circle can include any number of resources that I feel that I need at any given point and time. I know that I can make it to that resource because I have my art but I can’t rely on my art to be the answer that I need. I think that’s an important thing. There’s so much that art opens you up to. It can be a slippery slope for having that many hands, eyes, thoughts, and ideas involved in your pain, trauma, or healing. That involvement should be vetted. You don’t always get to do that when your art is the place where you go to work through those things. Especially, when your art is also public. I’m just very cautious of that. That is a place where you can go that is cathartic and therapeutic to help but it’s not the end.
Visit wearesubstantial.com to read the entire interview with Dasan. You can learn more about his work by visiting www.dasanahanu.com. For information on the poetry slam visit Bullcitypoetryslam.com. The theatre company website is www.blackpoetrytheatre.com. Then there is the Hayti Heritage Center website which is hayti.org. The Carolina Performing Arts Center website is carolinaperformingarts.org. My social media is Dasan Ahanu across all social media. @Dasan Ahanu Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook Interview by Kimberly Knight
LET’S GET DIGITAL A CONVERSATION WITH DIGITAL CONTENT CREATOR CALEB DIGITAL” Digital Content Creator Caleb Farrell, also known as Caleb Digital, creates vivid and storytelling videos on various platforms such as Instagram, YouTube and Tik Tok. However, it was the viral video of Grammy Award-Winning Recording Artist & Acclaimed Actress, Mary J. Blige which catapulted his digital presence to more mainstream content creators. In the video, social media followers saw the celebrity doing her infamous “bop” dance but with a flare, actually a lightsaber like in the classic Star Wars films. Since then, Caleb Digital has been improving his content and I had a chance to chat with him candidly about what’s next for him. SM: What would you tell people who want to start a YouTube channel? Are there things you wish you would have known beforehand? What tips or things would you wish that you would have known prior to you when you started?
CD: I will definitely say and I always say this everywhere I go. I know it sounds corny, but I came from this high school where there are the “Three C’s of success”, which is creativity, collaboration, and consistency. Those are the three things that pretty much get you up to the top. If you have all three of those things, then no matter what, you’re going to get somewhere. You’re going to move to where you want to get in life. As long as you’re creative and it’s something different where no one has seen it before. It’s like, “Whoa, okay, this is cool” if you’re consistent with it. Also collaborate with other people, you can bring in more people from their audience, and also bring in your own audience at the same time. So that’s one thing I would definitely give advice to a lot of people. Consistency is a huge thing when it comes to social media and I’m still struggling with it right now. The type of content that I make, you know, has a lot of effects. I don’t get to pose as much as I want to, but I’m figuring ways around it right now. SM: How do you find a work life balance with nontraditional work hours? What is it like for you working as a digital content creator with that schedule and finding balance with it? CD: Really, it’s like a double life actually. I usually always compare it to one of my favorite superheroes ever, Spider Man. He’s Peter Parker and Spider Man at the same time. He’s doing all of these amazing things, but he also has people in his life such as his family and his friends. So that’s kind of what I see it as. Personally, making time and free time is harder than it seems. People think that I can just be free every once in a while but I can’t. Sure, I am my own boss. I do make my own time and stuff like that. But there’s a time and place for everything. I know I need wearesubstantial.com
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CALEB DIGITAL
Make everything marketable. Everything you got when it comes down to your YouTube, Instagram or Tik Tok. Make sure all your pages show what you’re selling, your marketable point, and also make it worth their time. your marketable point, and also make it worth their time. SM: How has Covid-19 affected your business work or has it not affected your business work? CD: It’s actually made it a lot better not going to lie. It sounds crazy but, a lot of people are on their computers more. They’re on their phones more. So that brings more views to the content creators. That brings in more eyes to your business now because people don’t have anything else. Things are kind of easing up a little bit. So people are going out more, but we don’t know it might go right back down to a lock down again pretty soon. So either way, it still works, especially for digital creators and stuff like that it helps a lot of the time. Whether there’s a pandemic or not, but hopefully it clears up. SM: Is there anyone creatively you have not gotten the chance to work with?
to get “X, Y, and Z” work done and I set a time for that. I have a little schedule that I go by. I’m working on a project and I’m working on two projects right now for clients. I’m working on another project that randomly popped up today. My own project I got to finish up because I’m filming tomorrow. So there’s a lot that goes into balancing that is a hard choice especially when you first started you just got to figure out your schedule. SM: What advice would you give someone starting a creative business? CD: Make everything marketable. Everything you got when it comes down to your YouTube, make sure that links to your Instagram or Tik Tok. On Instagram, you can get brand deals. On Tik Tok, you get paid per month for certain videos if you reach a creative status and then link back to your store. You know everything has to be in a circle pretty much so they’re watching you on Tik Tok then link something to your store so they can buy stuff on your store. Then on your store link them to your YouTube so they can watch YouTube videos. So I would definitely say that make sure all your pages show what you’re selling, 26
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CD: I would say Drake. Drake or Jamie Foxx, one of those. Those are two of my favorite people, like ever, so I would like to work with them. That would definitely be something to knock off the bucket list. SM: Are there words of inspiration you would like to add when it comes to using your creativity to create a business? CD: I will say one thing that is a motto of mine, that I got from my mother, is she always told me when I was a kid, just to never give up no matter what it is. Whatever you’re doing, just don’t stop until you get to that. It could be a software not loading but, I would literally spend as much time as I can fixing the software. I get it because the guarantee or the reward at the end is always better because you know you worked hard for it. Another thing is I would definitely say to aim higher, because if you don’t, then you’re always going to stay in the same spot.
Read the full article at wearesubstantial.com
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Mindset is everything. An important part of being a successful entrepreneur is having the right mindset. A few key elements of the right mindset include being determined to win, being committed to success, and being decisive.
Funding for your business is out there. You
need to be patient, understand the different avenues to get funding, and decide when is the right time financially to go after capital.
Everybody is in sales. No matter what your title
says or how big your team is, entrepreneurs need to know how to sell. If you can’t sell people on your product and services to bring in revenue, your business will fail.
Marketing doesn’t have to break the bank. There are several free and low-cost marketing AMIE THOMPSON, CEO Creative Allies According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 20% of small businesses fail within the first year. However, you’re much likelier to be in the 80% that succeeds if you have the right knowledge and the right network to help you be successful. In August 2021, Creative Allies hosted its first annual Black Business Collective Summit to educate, empower and elevate black business owners across North Carolina. This virtual event, attended by over 200 people, showcased a variety of black entrepreneurial talent to share insights, guidance, and wisdom with other black entrepreneurs. While there are numerous events across our state focused on helping black entrepreneurs be successful, not many have representation from different areas. We were fortunate to have speakers from Asheville, Rocky Mount, Raleigh, Charlotte, and Durham showcasing their expertise. The event was powerful and attendees learned about five critical aspects to grow a business. Topics included Mindset, Funding, Sales, Marketing, and Money Management. Here are a few key takeaways from this event.
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tactics to use as a small business owner. These tactics ensure that you give a great first impression of your business and let people know you are here and ready to help them.
Know your numbers. Managing your money and
being financially prepared for months of slow revenue or no revenue is absolutely critical to keep your business running. We are very thankful for the support of our Brand Ambassadors for this event, our corporate sponsors, and all of the attendees. As a business owner, don’t let yourself get overwhelmed by everything you need to know. Just commit to taking small actions every single day, and don’t think you have to do it all alone. Collaborate, network, and learn from experts who specialize in helping entrepreneurs like you achieve your business goals. You can still learn from our incredible speakers by watching the replay of the event here: blackbusinesscollectivenc.com/summit
LIFE
assures us many things
A CONVERSATION WITH CHRIS GODLEY If there is one thing that life assures us it’s that things are bound to happen and it’s important that we have certain insurances to protect us. This year and certainly 2020 has been so unpredictable and we’ve lost a number of iconic members of the Black community, one in particular that made us pause was the death of Anthony “AJ” Johnson an actor and comedian best known for his performance as Ezal in “Friday,” died at the age of 55. What was just as sad as the news of his death was the news that he didn’t have life insurance. It made us pause and think wow how was that possible, but the truth is there are a number of us in the Black community that don’t understand the real purpose and power of life insurance which is why we sit down with business owner Chris Godley of State Farms to chat business, life and fighting the stigmas of talking about death planning in our community. SM: Chris, please introduce yourself to our readership. CG: I’m originally from Washington, North Carolina. Some people like to call it little Washington. That’s not correct. It is the original Washington. So let’s be clear on that. I am from the original Washington born and raised on a road out in the country called “Chairman road” with my grandparents, you know, on a small farm. And so I just came from a very humble hard working background, always familiar with hot work, getting your hands dirty, or 14 years old, I started working and paying the light bill at my grandmother’s house. And so that was kind of the way I got started. I’ve been in the insurance business now for 24 years, I’ve been with State Farm for nine years. I started out in this business as a life insurance specialist. What drove me to this business was actually the tragic death of my twins and not having life insurance on them, and having to go through the pain of having to cremate my babies. So that was something that was really challenging for me. And I said, “you know what, I want to use this as an opportunity to turn that tragedy into triumph, and to help other families in a way that they never have to go through what I went through.” So I’ve been very fortunate so far, and very blessed. SM: We appreciate you sharing that personal family moment. We can only imagine what that must have been like for you and for others who may have had to go through something like that. So you mentioned 24 years in the insurance business, what made you step out there and get your own agency? What was that decision making process like? CG: One word scary. Very, very scary. So what you have to understand is the company I worked with previously, I was the number one agent in the country with that company. I was a part of the million dollar round table, which is the top 1% of all insurance and financial advisors in the entire world. So I was doing pretty good. However the problem was I was working from sunup to sundown. I’m talking seven days a week. I was missing my daughter growing up, I was really taking a lot of time away from my family. Even though we were making great money, it was challenging. So at some point you have to ask yourself is there some sort of work life balance, and there was none. So, when I first took a look at State Farm and State Farm to look at me, I saw where their values really kind of align with mine. And it was important to me to be wearesubstantial.com
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with a company that had a name recognition that I could trust and State Farm was the number one homeowners auto and life insurance company in the country. And so the biggest reason why I stepped out there was to try and get some form of my life back and be able to provide a lifestyle for my family that I felt like they deserved. SM: So you own an insurance agency with State Farm, but tell us, what do you do to stand out and sustain your business in that space? CG: Well, one thing you have to do is look at the demographics and look at market penetration. So when we look at State Farm’s market penetration in the Pitt County area, we were somewhere around 17%, our State Farm goal is to be at 25% market penetration. So for me, the challenge was getting people to know Chris Godley. So I said, what can I do to make myself stand out? And one thing was, and here’s the honest truth there’s no shortcut, it’s just hard work. It meant joining every board that would have me. At one point in time, I was on eight or nine different boards. I was always running to board meetings and just shaking hands, kissing babies, and not even trying to sell people insurance. I was just letting people get to know me and what I do. You know, just to have that name recognition to start helps you stand out. Then I started trying to find ways to do small sponsorships for everything that I could. And I used social media a lot. I remember going over my marketing budget a couple of times. I mean I remember in the beginning I was maxing out credit cards, I was going to my 401k, I was looking at different options and trying to figure out how I can do this. Really, I was borrowing money at high interest rates, different little finance companies, you name it. But here’s the catch 22, people didn’t see that part or understand it. Because the more you do, the more people come to you and ask you to do. And I’m like, I’m eating noodles trying to make it. So that was an interesting time and process. But you know, we made it through that hump. SM: Chris there were so many small gems and lessons that we can break down further. You literally described the journey of the entrepreneur/small business owner. We’re out here trying to get this thing to a point where it’s sustainable. But yet, on the outside looking into this thing, everybody already thinks we’ve made it already. WOW, good stuff. There’s so much more Substantial wants to talk with you about regarding owning a business but I have to ask you this very important question. How hard is it still to talk to our people in the Black community about life insurance and the purpose of it? CG: I think the most challenging part of the conversation, well some of it comes from just basic economics. Some of it comes from priorities, quite frankly. Most people buy what they want, not what they can afford or in some cases what they need. And the challenge with that is people want something that’s tangible. They want the shiny object to be able to hold in their hand. You know, they want something that they can benefit from, and obviously there is a benefit for insurance. However people rationalize costs for things like, I pay my cell phone bill, I can use it, I pay my car payment, I can drive it, I pay my rent or my mortgage, I can live in it, I pay my life insurance, well... What do I get from it? Oh, I die. And then some else in my family benefits from it. So I think one of the things we have to do is sit down with people and identify what’s important to them. Because life insurance is so much more than just providing a death benefit. It can be used to help subsidize your retirement as well. It can be used to help kids with a college education. But most importantly, it provides inheritance to our children. It provides that mortgage payment, if you die, it takes care of that car payment you leave beyond, etc. Again the challenge sometimes is taking something that’s intangible, and making it tangible for someone. And for some they have life insurance on their jobs, but really if you think about it you will more than likely outlive those policies, what happens when you switch jobs and have to start over, etc. You have to play the long game. Listen to the full interview with Chris Godley via our “All Things Substantial” podcast. Visit wearesubstantial.com
urance Agent
Call me today!
n Blvd 7834
Auto, Home, Business, Property, Life, Health, Banking, Mutual Funds, Annuities
Business
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Chris Godley 30
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owner, LUTCF
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1860 W Arlington Boulevard, Greenville, NC 27834 P: 252-364-8940 www.godleyinsurance.com
Community opportunities Eastern NC Entrepreneurial Promise (ENCEP) is a virtual regional incubator for diverse companies in underserved counties of eastern North Carolina. Each cohort of 15 companies will engage in a 10-week program of intensive workshops, peer networking, mentorship, and connections with capital providers and strategic advisors. There is no cost to participants. Apply at www.encep.org for Cohort II, which will begin in January of 2022. Applications will open, Nov. 1st. ENCEP seeks to serve businesses that: • • • •
Are run by minorities or women Are located in economically distressed (Tier I or Tier II) counties east of I-95 Have revenues of less than $250,000 and opportunities to scale to $1 M in annual revenue or 50 employees Are in a wide range of sectors – consumer products and services, wholesale, manufacturing, etc.
They’re also looking for mentors for ENCEP companies, apply at https://encep.org/mentor-application/.
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Community opportunities Black Friday. 2021. The Whole Weekend Black Dollar will be hosting 6 events over a 3-day weekend for Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Sunday - business owners, get your vending booth tickets…community members, mark your calendars! Visti https://blackfriday.market/blackfriday-2021
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VOTE BECAUSE IT MATTERS It’s election time! Before you start scratching your head and wondering if its been four years already, pause. We’re not talking about the Presidential election we’re talking about local elections. Local elections have important consequences and we should not dismiss them. While congressional elections take place every two years. State and local races happen every year and we assure you who we put or allow to be placed in office matters in the grand scheme of things. Local government manages a ton of the things that affect our day-to-day lives. Here’s a few things that come to mind: Local school quality, policing and public safety, economic development and funding opportunities, local tax rates, certain local infrastructure planning, ordinances, affordable housing or the lack thereof, the list goes on and on. Put it this way, local government has a lot of money and influence to decide what our community’s priorities are and how communities are run. In North Carolina alone there are more than 550 cities, towns “local municipalities.” We think we should certainly be paying attention and participating. Civic engagement has always been a top priority for Substantial and encouraging our communities to vote starts with awareness, education, and participation.
CHeck your voting status
2021 Municipal Voting Tool
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SUBSTANTIAL TEAMS UP WITH THE 2021 LOCAL NEWS FUND 2021 Local News Fund is a program administered by Local Media Foundation, tax ID #36‐4427750, a Section 501(c)(3) charitable trust affiliated with Local Media Association. Funds donated to this program support local journalism projects to inform and educate the public on critical local issues. Through this program, LMF provides funds to this news organization and many others to support these important efforts. Contributions to this program are tax-deductible to the full extent of U.S. law; please consult a tax advisor for details. Your donation to our Indisputable campaign — 2021 Local News Fund, via Local Media Foundation, will directly support this journalism. Substantial Media will allocate proceeds from this program to provide news coverage and investigative reporting, above and beyond routine effort, that is intended to inform, explain, and educate our community regarding the ongoing fight for true equity in our state. Your tax-deductible donation will help us tell these important local stories. A Substantial thanks for your support.
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of considerable importance, size and worth. Strongly built and made.
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