Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to D. Lamond. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, D. thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?
I have always been a risk taker, but I have to credit my parents and Grandmother Pearl for teaching me that it’s ok to take risks. They did so without knowing that it would impact my life forever. My grandmother gave me many opportunities as a child that many grandparents would not have done. For example, letting me help her paint her home at the age of twelve or taking me to play bingo when I wasn’t old enough to play. As a pre-teen, my parents always believed in me when it came to business decisions such as finding us a home to purchase or letting me be in charge of things such as picking the right cell phone carrier for us to have. These opportunities and many more instilled a level of confidence in taking small or even big risks. One of the biggest risks I took in life was starting a photography business in Alabama in 2015. I was already traveling back and forth from Atlanta to Alabama doing weddings, family portraits, and parties, so it made my decision much easier. I signed my lease in September and my grand opening was in October. I had no upfront money, camera equipment wasn’t industry standard and I had no business plan. It was the scariest and most exciting thing that I have ever done. Through faith and prayer, I was able to get everything that I needed within a month.
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
I started writing my very first play at fourteen “The Family Everyone Thought Was Perfect”. I have to credit Tyler Perry for starting my career. I was amazed by his work, I would call his toll free number all the time to see if anything new was coming out. I never thought of myself as an actor but I wanted to work with him. I got suspended from school and I was home alone and I came up with the idea that I’ll start writing my play and one day Tyler Perry would see it and would want to work with me. I also wanted to thank him for saving and changing my life. Though I had a great childhood, I suffered from depression and anxiety. Tyler Perry was my first role model, the only person that I felt a connection with. Funny right, I have never met this man but yet he has made a big impact on my life.
I started On The Way Up Entertainment in 2019. On The Way Up Entertainment is a media network where our work is driven by everyday issues that we as a society experience. We view filmmaking as an art form through which we can express our thoughts. We have deep connections with all the work that we showcase, no matter the genre. Our network showcases many different productions through documentaries, reality series, scripted series, etc. I formed this company by accident. In 2018, I started filming a Youtube reality series On The Way Up: Atlanta. Unfortunately, my hard drive crashed and we lost everything that was on the drive. I was devastated, I tried restarting production but things never seemed to work out. So I took the scenes that I had along with other film projects and created a film reel. I thought, what a perfect name “On The Way Up Entertainment”. What “On The Way Up” means to me is that no matter where you are in your life, career, marriage, etc. you are always working toward elevating. Just like Tyler Perry, I take pride in creating real-life content that can impact someone’s life for the better. Projects such as “Traces of my Lippstix” and “Man in the Mirror” are real-life stories that have impacted the lives of people struggling with their weight or struggles with accepting the person that they are. I want people to be able to come to the OTWU Entertainment network and be able to find content that they can relate to. I want people to know that they are not alone and that there’s someone just like you going through the same situation.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
My mission in my creative journey is to create relatable content that can inspire people in all areas of life. Rather it’s music, film, or a reality series, I want to spread the word that you are NOT ALONE.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being a creator is that my content will change the lives of people who I never met just my first role model Tyler Perry.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.otwuentertainment.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onthewayupent
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/onthewayupatl
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/OnTheWayUpAtlanta