We recently connected with Keishawn Blackstone and have shared our conversation below.
Keishawn , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?
I started Play with 150$ on my credit card , the idea of creating a company that can big as big as some of the worlds biggest conglomerates sounded pretty unreal however taking the risk i know with time could be just as big as the vision. Making a solid business plan with a mission that i had to stay true to was step one in the process. The start of Play came shortly after Tak3 One Productions which at the time we were just focused on content and creation in film production . The mission had gotten bigger as time progressed , with the vision ranging into helping the youth, building a division for marketing and talent development and now expansion to global impact , I knew that we were no longer just in the film sector. It took 2 years to get to the idea of launching play , many asked why the name play, well its like we all have our inner child which we all want to let be free, Play is my inner child having fun , creating, innovating , and building up. I had to figure out how to scale which was no easy task even till this day we are learning from our eco system and how we can not only just be a company thats all about money while though its partially important we want to create sustainability which for me it comes down to a defining niech process. While facing hollywood strikes, rejections in jobs and failures in attempts, these are all the things that makes me that much more passionate so deeply about Play. I know the mission and vision is bigger than myself and moreso the world needs a company like Play . From logistics, keeping clients and pushing our name through the radar its a everyday grind. We had to figure out how to sustain and grow as a company. It took revaulation , reassessment and analyzing the data to where we are now to where we were before .
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
My name is Keishawn Blackstone, Founder of Play by tak3 One, Film Director , Global Speaker. My directorial journey has taken me through diverse genres and projects, from documentaries to narratives, that have been featured in Forbes, Exelon, Film New Daily, and more. I am passionate about capturing the human experience and inviting audiences to embark on transformative cinematic adventures. Through Play by Tak3 One, I have built a collaborative and innovative team of visionaries who share my dedication to crafting visually stunning and emotionally compelling films. As a Advisor Partner at One World Global Group, I leverage my expertise in film and finance to bridge the worlds of entertainment and business, creating value and impact for both industries. I got into my field of work through self education, common knowledge and experience in working on several projects in both film and film finance. I value quality film and television production while also building up the next generation of creatives. My services include, film development, film directing, film and television producing and Brand Development/Marketing. Ive became known as a business and film mogul through my voice which amplified many all throughout the world as i am a globals speaker as well. My thrill for constantly assessing self and defining and knocking down barriers which once seemed impossible to many has allowed me to step into the world known as a disruptor. While serving with many global organizations my vision is to ignite the best versions of those around me through my skills and talents as a FIlmmaker and Global speaker. I am most proud of self for taking a risk everyday and not giving up on myself even when times are hard, i am most proud at being able to live my passion and truth everyday and allow it sustain and grow in the world known today .
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
In january 2022 i was at a low point in my career, i have very little business and was strongly considering closing up shop. I applied to 177 jobs in the course of the month , interviewed for 56 and got rejected by the rest. I was known as overqualified, no degree, no background. My whole life all i knew was entrepreneurship, giving my best and accepting what life gave back. I later booked a gig in flordia in september , the gig showed me that self care was really important as i neglected my health mentally and discovered high blood pressure. Upon returning to Los Angeles from florida i sat at my desk and told my friend i don’t know what to do next, i was tired of just barely getting by, barely making a living when i knew i could do the things that would allow me to grow and thrive. My friend then told me “Do what you do best”. Thats when it clicked, i was great at networking , building relationship and people love me because i am genuine. I later that night hopped on linkedin and added everyone from Disney to my network and formally introduced myself. I landed meeting the EVP of Production. On that following Monday We had a zoom call, what was to be 15 min turned out to being 3 hours, we talked about everything, by the end of the zoom i was offered to become a helping supplier company with Disney. I cried , i felt i hit a milestone , no it wasn’t about the money but the sense of i was going in the right direction for years i felt i was just doing things to do them with no direction and with purpose. Later then i worked on some of networks projects met some cool people and found myself talking with some of the pros. Even though that became a thing i still had to look at th eman in the mirror and ask who is Keishawn Blackstone , for a long time i thought he was just a director and business owner , no i discovered he is much more than that, hes a man on a mission bound to change the world. I say this to say never give up on yourself , at your lowest point thats when you know who you are, rejection was the world saying stop trying to fit in with corporate culture and redefine what corporate culture supposed to be.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
The lesson i had to unlearn is in life was, love is the key to it all, accepting everyone, everything , life unconditionally without holding on to regret is the ultimate sauce. I had to unlearn what love was to me and accept what love really meant to me. It took a relationship,losing people who i though were friends, and self reflection to finally understand that were all in this big bubble as one just in different bandwidths and that Social media doesn’t matter, real human connection is the way to life.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.playbytak3one.com
- Instagram: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClDonYX2MhTGMlszNSx712g
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/keishawn.blackstone
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/keishawn-blackstone-97580974
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClDonYX2MhTGMlszNSx712g
Image Credits
Pic Credits: HDJ Media Spotlight @hdjmediaspotlight