Today we’d like to introduce you to Jaye “letta J” Watts
Hi Jaye “letta J”, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Music, gaming and tech…my cross-sections existed in all of these worlds and I was actually searching for ways to coexist with myself. Very rarely are the things that are part of one person’s journey, not in some way, connected to others. I am creative and technical, and I was really tired of choosing which box I was supposed to fit in. Gaming uniquely affects more than 3 billion people across the planet. I knew I wasn’t the only multifaceted, neurodivergent person, yearning for meaningful, significant connections. It was important to me to build a world where others would not have to choose a box or diminish their dopeness. We live in a society where (seemingly) those with many facets are (often) deemed unfocused and don’t always feel like they have a place to belong. I wanted uniqueness to be celebrated so I was compelled to build a world where it could be.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I always say, if you don’t like the world that you live in, it may be because you were meant to build a new one. I was inspired to create Coexist Gaming because I understood the need for inclusion, in yet another white male dominated industry. I also knew how important representation was. If you can’t see it, [you feel like] you can’t be it. It’s not easy to go against the grain, kick doors down [with heels on] and build an empire with everyone watching. I tell myself everyday, nothing worth having is ever easy.
While we are an inclusive brand and have a very diverse community, I wanted to highlight and prioritize the needs of people of color and women specifically by building safe spaces, providing access and creating opportunities for those people. The gaming industry is the largest entertainment industry in the world; bigger than music, film and traditional sports, combined. There was an opportunity for us to tap in, and finally leverage big business not just as consumers, but as the creators of the IP.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Coexist Gaming is a tech and subscription-based company and experiential gamification agency with a community powered economy. Our goal was to serve as the coaxial that would bridge the gaps. We critically analyze the gaming industry from a 360° perspective. As a result, we’ve built an ecosystem that is comprised of programming that facilitates collaboration between creative and technical minds, physical and digital worlds, and ultimately enables the worlds of music, gaming and tech to actually coexist.
I am really excited that we have accomplished some really celebratory feats. We hosted the NBA 2K draft at our flagship location, we have built hundreds of video games, placed music in several games. Several of our members have received million-dollar publishing deals with big publishers, they received jobs with studios and formed their own. We have hosted internships, and provided jobs for 100s of people. Even record deals have been secured because we have had over 5000 thousand artists perform on our stages. We are featured on two Netflix shows, have been in three commercials, been highlighted on major platforms like AdWeek, been nominated for and received awards. On a high-level, our experiential activation & production company, was selected to produce the Genshin Impact Summer Festival at the Oculus Plaza at the World Trade Center, last year. This 2-day event saw over 20,000 people. We were so grateful to have hired hundreds of people and coordinate with the city to pull off this massive undertaking which celebrated gaming, and culture for the number one mobile game in the world. And I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge one of our biggest milestones thus far, which is growing from my Brooklyn duplex where the company started and scaling to three other multi-level residential townhouses and duplexes, all operating simultaneously. One of my biggest undertakings was generating enough revenue to open up our first commercial location. We stepped foot into our current flagship lounge, the Coexist GameHouse located in Midtown NYC, without any outside or investor funding. It was no doubt one of the biggest challenges I had ever faced.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
I believe there must be an interesting, yet challenging balance between relentlessness and empathy. I will never stop until I achieve the goals I have set, yet in my encounters with so many lives and experiences along the way, it is imperative that I never to lose sight of why I am [so] impact driven. I have to remind myself never to get lost in the game of being achieving the lofty and ambitious goals in and of themselves; being tenacious because it’s a part of the winning formula. The why has to be ever-lingering so that I am perpetually mindful of who and why, this challenging and many times difficult work is necessary and why I was uniquely designed to accomplish it.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.coexistgaming.com
- Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/coexistgaming
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/coexistgaming
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jayewatts
- Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/coexistgaminggg
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzyRGoHCuOUcu4O0r8MfYLQ
- Other: http://www.linkedin.com/in/coexistgaming
Image Credits
Kimeth McClelland Photography