We were lucky to catch up with Cleve Willis recently and have shared our conversation below.
Cleve , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
There are no real original ideas , I don’t think. maybe there are I really don’t know. I just do and try to stay in the moment , and do the next best thing. It may fail it may not. Certainly with my adventures and experience I have ideas however it is almost always a collaboration that seems to work for me the best trusting myself and others. I simply try to show up prepared to whatever I might be doing. And I try to have fun with all of it and to open to it may not look like what I thought.
Cleve , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
As a kid I watched MTV a place on TV where you watched 24 hours of music videos. Wow I miss that channel. I saw all the bands Van Halen, Tom Petty, Motley Crue, Skidrow, Nirvana, and Soundgarden on and on 24 hours endless rock n roll alternative and pop music. I was hooked. I started at 16 going to local clubs seeing local musicians and those who became national from that very great Atlanta Music Scene that was. I kew I had to be a part of this world and there was no choice it was & is a burn in my soul, the rest was history for me. Watching learning becoming and finding my rock n roll voice eventually.
Through the years of drugs , music , rock n roll the cliche yes , I found a healthy outlet through Bikram Yoga, literally save my ass. Still Hot Yoga in Decatur , I “get to” own take classes and teach and to be a part of a community that is incredible til this day.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The most rewarding part is the relationships (not the fake ones) the real ones, working together collaboration with acting or music, & creating something that becomes forever, for better or worse. There is new music coming out soon , and in 2025 Feb , we had a indie film called “5o’clock somewhere” comedy , In a film Festival,(BBR) it’s just an honor to actually see or hear reactions in a theater where people can see your work, and out of 180 films yours gets chosen. My new band Ghost Of You will have an ep soon, we have a couple singles already out videos etc. I am very excited about it, though unlike the older days 2007-2015 RTR , we don’t have any kind of backing or we aren’t touring etc , however we are having fun and we will open for some “names” this coming year (thanks to Scoley entertainment) here and there. It is always only original music, minus maybe one cover tune. Also it is rewarding when your agent reaches out and says you got booked , I did this year , a recent commercial , and I had a tiny part in a Tyler Perry show , and I am a main character in an indie feature film ( a bad guy villain), my fav kind of character. The movie is called Crimson Cove directed by Loyd Bateman, I believe this comes out summer or fall 2025. that is rewarding to get paid and travel, not to mentioned making new real friendships.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
Getting out there , in what was a vibrant scene meeting real human beings and supporting each other.
I have meet so many amazing people in the music world over these years that changed my path or helped us or even got in our way. Acting has been a newer adventure, I got an agent (Stewart talent) and I have even booked a few things , it is a new and fun passion. Finally the thing that is a daily reprieve for me is the Hot yoga , game changer without that , there is no sobriety or creative things.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://solo.to/clevewillis
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clevelandwillis/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clevelandwillis
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CleveWillis
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/still-hot-yoga-decatur
- Other: https://www.stillhotyoga.com
Image Credits
K.L. VOX
Sassy Photography
headshot by Gissette Valentine