We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Alex West a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alex, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’ve love to hear an interesting investment story – what was one of the best or worst investments you’ve made? (Note, these responses are only intended as entertainment and shouldn’t be construed as investment advice)

In my experience, the best investment is always in yourself. Before you can reach success and monetary wealth, you must invest in yourself. Mental, spiritual, and physical alignment is optimal, no matter the venture or juncture in which you are investing.

I’ve invested in people, opportunities, and external energies in the past, only to be deflated because I was pouring from an empty cup. Invest in a nice cup, and fill it with your best self. When the time comes, you will receive a handsome return on your investment. Whether it’s business, career, monetary, or relationships, this investment principle can be applied.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I started out as an actor and quickly realized that there were not many opportunities for me to play the characters I was interested in. From there, I began writing my own scripts so that I could cast myself in my own films. I bootstrapped a budget for my first film, in which I wrote, directed, produced, edited, and starred as the lead actor. As a result, I won 23 international awards from film festivals around the world.

Through my film production and media companies, Culture Forward Media Group and Culture Forward TV, I align with other Black and diverse filmmakers who share the same vision. I believe that authentic cultural content begins with the creatives. My mission is to find those creatives on a grassroots level and elevate them to global visibility.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Seeing your idea or creation go from mind to palm is by far the most rewarding experience. In my field, especially, driving a film from idea to outline, to script, to production, and finally to release, is the equivalent of crossing the finish line of a triathlon. Oh yeah… and of course, being paid for your art is always paramount.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

I believe that as creators, it’s up to us to light as many torches as possible by supporting one another. It’s imperative that we continue to join forces, share content, and develop platforms like Voyage to share our stories.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Thecfmg.com
• Instagram: @Cultureforward_mg
• Other: https://Cultureforwardtv.com

Image Credits

Culture Forward Media Group, Culture Forward TV