One on One with Clayton Mitchell

Every time I interview a talent my hope is that you are inspired, knowledge is gained, and you are entertained.  I want to go on record as saying, I personally experienced all of these aspects when speaking to BOA co-founder Clayton Mitchell.

For those of you who don’t know BOA is a marketing, management, and record label based out of Washington DC.  It is founded by LaGreg Harrison, Muhammad Hill, and Clayton Mitchell.  They are known most popularly for their work with hip hop artists Wale and Black Cobain.  Mr. Mitchell has the title of financial director and is responsible for many of the amazing things that go on behind the scenes.  

Recently, one of my peers asked me a very real question.  She looked at me in awe and said, “Do you really think it was worth it?”  By “it” she was referring to the numerous college loans, internships without pay, and the courage to constantly put yourself out there to employers and investors.  

I responded by looking her in the eye and saying yes, because I know it’s going to pay off.  But lets be honest we all have our weak moments, where we in fact wonder is it worth it.

 However, seeing individuals like Clayton, who worked toward their dreams and supported them with education and long hours make the dream real!  Check out this empowering and inspiring Q&A with Clayton Mitchell below.

Tell me about yourself?

My name is Clayton Mitchell III and I was born and raised in Washington D.C. (Uptown). I attended Archbishop Carroll High School and I obtained my BS from Howard University and a MBA and MS from the University of Maryland.

I love classic cars, NBA TV, good food, fashionable girls, and retro Air Jordan sneakers.

In short, I’m the cool, fly quiet guy that hardly ever spoke in homeroom… Oh, and I have the uncanny ability to make cool shit come to life... (Laughs)

Explain your job title and what goes on during a “regular” day.
I am a Co-Founder and Director of Finance for The Board Administration, LLC (BOA). Not only am I responsible for managing BOA’s financial records, I also support both the business development and marketing branches – this includes identifying and prioritizing potential business ventures and implementing go-to-business strategies.
Wow, I really don’t think I’ve had a “regular” day in a long time, but I’d say that starting at 9am I check email messages, follow-up on leads, and communicate back and forth with my partners throughout the day. My day usually ends with a short brainstorming/re-cap session with someone from the team.

How is it having business partners that you have such a good relationship with?

It’s a blessing to have business partners like mine. BOA started back in 2009 as a boutique consulting firm with me, Le’Greg “G” Harrison, and Muhammad Hill. Muhammad is my cousin and G. is a longtime family friend – it feels like we’ve been joined at the hip for quite a while.  I tell everyone that we all had our own identities prior to BOA – those two guys played collegiate basketball while I did some party promotion and interned with the United States Secret Service. BOA was formed out of our equal love for sports, music, and fashion.

In the beginning, we were brand ambassadors for Sparkling Nuvo and then made the move into music after linking with Wale Folarin, Tre’ Walker, and Black Cobain.  Not to go off on a tangent but I want to take this time to highlight people like Margaret Owooje, Santrise Webb, Nyrik Lee, Jay Dixon, Erica Herbet, Jady Exp, Aaron Turner, LaTasha Perkins, and Tyrell James – these are the people in the background who make BOA possible; I can’t imagine this company without them!

Did you ever think BOA would grow to be so big? What was it like starting up?

I’m thankful for everything God has allowed us to do and I believe we’ve only scratched the surface. Although on the outside it may look like we’ve “made it”, I feel that we have a long way to go and much more to offer to the DMV and the world.  

Starting BOA was tough, again we started back in 2009 so it’s not like we just popped up on the scene; I remember when the only supporters we had were family and close friends.  There was a lot of financial sacrifice, broken promises, sleepless nights, and REALLY HARD WORK!

Where do you see yourself in five years? 10?

In 5-10yrs I see myself sitting in a boardroom meeting with one of the following: Steve Stoute, Richard Branson, Karl Lagerfield, Jay-Z, Mark Parker, or LA Reid – seriously! Lord willing this won’t take me 5-10yrs.  I know I’ll be a top-level executive and doing a lot of philanthropic work…and maybe get married and have a few kids along the way- Lord please bless me with a son or daughter with point guard skills!…(Laughs)

Biggest accomplishments?

• Lotus Flower Bomb – Grammy Nomination
• BOA recognized by Forbes Magazine Online for our social media work
• Black Cobain touring with Mark Ronson in London and opening for Meek Mill’s Dream Chasers Tour

Whats next for BOA?

We’re gearing up for some major mixtape releases and collaborations by all of our artists. This year you’ll see more from Tiara Thomas, Black Cobain, Mz. Sasha, and Fatz. We’re also excited about the additions of Light Show and Aaron Wess! We really do have an eclectic group of artists and I think we’ve done a great job and building something special.

Who would you say inspires you on a personal level and on a business level?

On a personal level, I’m inspired by anyone who works to break the cycle of poverty and looks to improve social awareness; I really want a leave a mark.  James E. Mitchell (my father) use to say that “being poor and hungry is a great motivator”.

On a business level, I’m inspired by creative thinkers and just wanting to be in a position to open doors for others like myself. I’m a firm believer in people with odds stacked against them.

Social Media Plugs?

Personal Instagram and Twitter: ChampagneStains and @ChampagneStains
Company Twitter: @thaBoard

If you could give a piece of advice to a younger person who wants to be in your shoes what would it be?

My advice would be to never be afraid to follow your dreams and take calculated risks! I think too many of us have deferred chasing our dreams out of fear.  There have been times where I’ve felt like I was having an emotional breakdown because I felt like I wasn’t doing enough. Truthfully, not chasing your dreams or reaching your goals should keep you awake at night and should bring tears to your eyes – I’m so sincere saying that.

This year I saw a lot of people creating vision boards for 2013 and that’s great, I applaud that – but here’s the thing, that vision board doesn’t mean shit if you don’t plan and implement the steps to achieve everything on those boards.  Don’t wait to be great!

(end)

I told you it was powerful.  This is the message I got, Never give up. Never stop working. Ever.  I hope it did the same for you.. 

Also If you want to know get to know Mr. Mitchell on a personal level check out our random game of  this or that! =)

This or That: Clayton Mitchell 

Behind the scenes or In the Spotlight

Money or Fame

Very Likeable or Very Sucessful 

Quiet Evening or the Turn Up

Basketball or Football

Rap or RnB 

Rihanna or Alicia Keys 

Top 3 Television shows of all time-- Law and Order SVU, HBO’s Entourage, Martin

Top 3 artists of all time-Jay Z, Pimp C, Biggie;

(current) Black Cobain, Mz. Sasha and Lightshow

  Keep in touch with Clayton Mitchell on Twitter/IG@ChampagneStains
and follow me for more interviews/updates@askKirbyCarroll 

Introducing LaKyle Thomas

Yesterday, I had a phone interview with model and actor Lakyle Thomas. Lakyle is a Georgia native, orginally from Lagrange but now he happily resides in Atlanta.  He has been acting since the young age of five.  

Today, he can be seen in many popular television shows such as Single Ladies, BET’s the Game, Necessary Roughness and as a past spokesmodel for the popular brand, Sean Jean. However, there is another passion that held his attention for quite awhile. 

LaKyle was quite a football star in the past and was awarded a full scholarship to Fort Valley College.  One could still hear his love for the sport as he jokingly explained how he almost cried when he saw that the Ravens had won the SuperBowl!  To get a better idea of his laid back personality and strong sense of work ethic. 

Check out the exclusive one on one below.

Tell me about yourself? I’m tall dark and handsome (laughs).

What is it that attracts you to acting?  You can truly come out of yourself you have the power to be whoever you want to.  Its really exciting!

Was it hard to give up football, do you still miss it all? Yes, I miss it very much but I love what I do, I don’t regret my decision.

I know you’ve appeared in numerous television shows such as Single Ladies, Necessary Roughness, and BET’s the game, what is your most memorable experience from working with these shows and why?  Man, there are so many! I remember when I was working on Necessary Roughness, we shot at the Georgia Dome.  I really enjoyed that because I got to combine both of the things I enjoy.

I noticed a lot of the shows you've appeared in tape in GA.  Many people feel that Atlanta, is the new Hollywood, do you agree or disagree and why? I definitely agree.  The revenue in Atlanta is just as much as Hollywood and NY, Atlanta is on the rise!

What else are your working on? I have three auditions coming up, I’m working on a  short film, a TV series, and this week I’ll be hosting a red carpet.  

Where can we catch you at the red carpet? It's this Thursday at the Porter Sanford Theatre.

Now I have to ask, if you could give a piece of advice to an individual thinking about pursuing a career in acting what would it be? I would definitely say get some training.  If you have the chance to take classes or major in fine arts I recommend it.  Experience and education are equal and they both are necessary.  The last thing you need is no training in this business!  

LaKyle makes it very obvious that he is a passionate individual and a hard-worker.  Keep an eye out for his future projects, a  comedic pilot called “Side by Side” "5 Reasons a Man Won't Marry You" and “Complicated Melody” where he will be working behind the camera as well as in the front! 

To keep up with him socially, add him on facebook @LaKyle Thomas and follow him on twitter/IG @ActorLakyle

-@askKirbyCarroll 

One On One with Kareem the Dream

I felt truly honored to conduct this latest interview.  Last week I sat down with Kareem Taylor, a voice actor out of Brooklyn, NY.

Kareem's amazing talent can be heard on CNN and many national promotions and commericals.  

He also is a radio personality and writer.  The popular radio show, Pillow Talk, which started as a road-trip conversation has transcended into a phenonemenon with a strong and loyal following.

In my one on one Kareem spoke about the importance of entrepeneurship, going after your dreams, interning, and embracing your passion.  

Every now and then you meet individuals who you know are going very far.  I can truly say I believe Kareem is one of these people.  His amicable personality, immaculate level of passion, and consistent work ethic is demonstrated through his success and body of work.  

Check out some of his words of wisdom below

Also make sure you follow him at @KareemTaylor

and follow me @askKirbyCarroll for more Updates 

For the full interview, click below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDpdZF78sT4

One on One with FEVERR

Earlier this week, I headed across the water to Norfolk, Virginia to sit down with the new sensation sweeping the Hampton Roads area.
His name is Akiem Jones, but the music world refers to him as FeveRR.  He's been performing for around ten years and has truly grown as an artist.

FeveRR shows his dedication to his craft by spending long hours in the studio and constantly practicing his craft.
His newest project is a mixtape entitled "the Resume."  Through the Resume FeveRR gives you his "objectives" as to why he is the most qualified MC around.

In addition to being a street conscious artist, FeveRR is extremely knowledgable and adept in social issues. 

 He is a graduate of Old Dominion University and a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.  He believes in the power of the mind and is an advocate for education. 

Check out our exclusive Interview below and give me  your thoughts!
Oh and don't forget to check him out on twitter/IG

@F3v3RR 
and Youtube @TheRRidge757
AND JOIN THE MOVEMENT AND DOWNLOAD THE MIXTAPE  http://www.hulkshare.com/2k8ryirf8a9s

Liz and Bee Boutique

First of all, I’d like to introduce myself. My name is Deanna Smith (@DeannaLuvsU) and I am a recent graduate of Clark Atlanta University. I’ve known Kirby since the days of being Mass Media Arts students; you know, classes together, working together in group assignments (Fab5), etc., and after reading different posts on askKirbyCarroll, I wanted to hop on board.  So now, I am a guest writer, and I too, will be making posts from time to time about fashion, entertainment, etc. Ok, so enough about me; I’m just gonna jump right into the interview.

Last weekend I spent my Saturday talking about fashion, new styles, and the power of entrepreneurship. Liz and Bee is an online boutique owned by Bianca and Bridgette Tatum.  Hailing from LaGrange, Georgia, they currently reside in Atlanta, Georgia as college students at Clark Atlanta University. I recently had a phone interview with Miss Bianca Tatum, and we just simply talked about the boutique, the future of the boutique, and just overall fashion.

(Q&A below)

So, tell me a little bit about you and your sister, and how you guys came up with the idea of your online boutique, Liz and Bee.
Well, me and my sister are twins; we’re like ‘day and night’. Um, she’s more on the business side of things and I’m a fashion major, so I do all the buying of the clothing and she does the marketing. I have always made jewelry and I’ve always had a website, and I wanted to sell clothing as well, but I didn’t want to do it by myself, so we decided to do it together.

So can you tell me a little bit about your jewelry?
I started making jewelry when I was 13; my cousin had a boutique called “Paper Dolls Boutique” and this lady made jewelry for her.  So I was like, ‘hey, I can make jewelry!’ So, I went and bought some beads and I’ve been making jewelry ever since, and I know how to make everything: necklaces, earrings, bracelets, etc.

What is the look of Liz and Bee, and what is the inspiration behind it?
The look is like chic, but classic and trendy pieces, but trendy pieces that you can’t find everywhere.  It’s inspired by college students; like, all the things that a college student would want to wear, but at a decent price.  We try to target girls at the age of 18 to women in her 30s.

I’m sure you guys have long-term goals for the boutique, but as far as short-term goals, have you achieved what you’ve wanted to achieve so far? Like as far as marketing and getting the name out there. How are people responding to it?
Well, it’s easy to find people to retweet you on Twitter or to repost a picture on Instagram, but it’s hard to get customers to actually buy things. So, right now we’re working on getting an ad in Kontrol Magazine so we can market through them to their audience versus just people in Atlanta, family, or people from school.  So as far as short-term goals, to hold an ad in Kontrol Magazine and also to just try to do well with our people who are buying things; make our customers, repeat customers.

Are you guys looking to expand one day? Like have your own stand-alone store or a franchise of stores?
Yes, I do want to have a boutique one day, possibly in the next year or two because I graduate in May, so we’ll see how online goes and how marketing goes for that, and then we wanna move towards opening up our own store.

FUN QUESTIONS
If you could name 3 stores where you think your clothing and accessories could be found in, which 3 would it be?
Ummm, Zara, Urban Outfitters, and maybe Anthropologie.

In your opinion, who is the best-dressed celebrity and why?
Oh goodness, um, I don’t want to say Kim Kardashian because everybody will say Kim Kardashian. So, I’m gonna say…I don’t know! Everybody who has style is creative. Like everybody does it, but does it in their own way. So, I guess I’ll say Kim Kardashian.  I feel like her style is innovative and different, and it’s always something new and fresh.

Do you have any advice for anyone who is looking to start their own clothing line or entrepreneur businesses?
I would just say to always keep your dreams in front of you and don’t let people discourage you. I will also say until you get your business started and off the ground, keep your plans to yourself because it’ll be a lot of people who can come by and just tell you, ‘well, don’t do this’ and ‘don’t do that’.  Stay focused and motivated towards whatever you wanna do, and just always stay true to yourself and your passion.   
 
Well there you have it guys; my very first interview for askKirbyCarroll!! I really hope you guys enjoyed it! I also want to thank Miss Bianca Tatum again for taking time out of her day to be interviewed by me, and thanks to Kirby for allowing me to join her team of writers. 

To shop at Liz and Bee, you can just simply go to the website (www.lizandbeeboutique.com) and make your purchases there.  Also, go ahead and follow them on twitter (@LizandBee) for updates and exclusives!

One on One With Model: LeAndrea Portis

Hello Everybody!

First of all let me start off by saying I missed you guys so much!  I'm in the process of relocating and it has been close to impossible to keep updating.  However, as promised we are back up and running and I am so excited for you all to see the interviews I have lined up!

The most recent interview was conducted a few weeks ago  with Model/Socialite LeAndrea Portis of Atlanta, Georgia.  Leandrea hails from my hometown Hampton, Virginia and has been modeling for the past four years.  Miss Portis has appeared in numerous fashion shows, grammy nominated music videos, and hosted events all over the east coast.  

I believe what sets LeAndrea apart from many other "models" is her passion for the art.  She studies her craft, always has her portforlio present, and can name top designers at the drop of a hat.  

LeAndrea plans on competing for the next season of Americas Next Top Model in a few weeks and judging by her portfolio and strong following I believe we will be seeing her on TV very soon!

The goal of askKirbyCarroll: First to the Stars is to get to know the stars before they are stars.  I believe Leandrea may be a prime example of this.  On a personal level she is an amazing friend and on a buisness level she is extreemly professional and easy to work with.  

You can find her in D. Woods upcoming video, To the Bottom, 11Alive.com, and Kontrol Magazine's Masquerade Fashion Show video.  

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for ANTM as I hope you all will as well.

Check out our one on one video BELOW

@askKirbyCarroll 

@LittleMzPortis

One on One With 14 Year Old Superstar Michaela

Yesterday I sat down with the beautiful and talented Michaela Thurlow.  Michaela is a 14 year old singer, songwriter, pianist, producer, and dancer.  She is absoultely gorgeous and has a very strong and powerful voice that captivates everyone as soon as they hear her sing.  

During our interview Michaela explained how she's had a desire to sing since she was five years old.  I find it amazing that many people spend their entire life looking for their passion and she was blessed enough to find hers before she entered grade school!  She has become a YouTube phenomenon performing popular covers such as We Found Love and Thinking about You.  However, what really has everyone talking is her new single Show Me, now available on iTunes.

Though, Michaela loves singing she also is very dedicated to positivity and cares a lot about her generation.  Currently, she is on a school tour along with a few other teen sensations to promote a campaign against bullying.  She also took time to passionately explain to me the difference between true inner beauty and outer beauty and how important it is to stay humble and true to yourself.

To hear more about Michaela follow her on twitter, IG, Facebook and Youtube at

@MichaelasMusic

Take a listen to the full interview to hear us talk about our love for Beyonce and Drake, guys needing to show and prove, finding your passion and Michaela gives us a taste of her singing ability! Its all in the Video! ENJOY!! 

Also don't forget her single is available on iTunes NOW it's entitled Show Me and is getting more and more play everyday!

To stay in the loop about the latest interviews follow me @askKirbyCarroll or on FB Kirby Wright