We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Toni Junious-Quick, MSA. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Toni below.
Toni, appreciate you joining us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
My idea and grand vision for “ToneTaneMent Productions LLC” is rooted in the Mission Statement I’ve developed for it which reads as followed: “ToneTaneMent Productions LLC is a Multi-Media Content Production (Film, TV, Music, and More!)/Talent Management/Beauty/Fashion enterprise founded on the thought that Entertainment in its different forms, and when executed with good intentions can change the world for the betterment of all its Global Inhabitants now and all future generations that will follow. We all want to be Entertained. ENTERTAINMENT IS LIFE!
“ToneTaneMent Productions LLC” is being founded in the already heavily saturated industries (markets) of Entertainment/Media/Talent Management/Fashion/Beauty and more to offer an additional platform to “People of Color”. Black & Brown talent from underrepresented/marginalized groups/communities with limited access(entry points) into careers in these median(s). Finding & developing talent from low socioeconomic communities where access to opportunities, services, and funds/funding always seem to be limited or nonexistent, and barriers (both intentional & unintentional) hinder options of ways to even attempt to achieve a better life for themselves, and their families. We will not only focus on our “Talents” career, but developing the “Whole Person’s” Mental, Physical, and Emotional Health as well, so they are set up for “SUCCESS” moving forward in all areas of their lives!
What makes “ToneTaneMent Productions LLC” a “WINNING” team “ALREADY”, is the mission we are launching our platform on! To ensuring that DE&I, and diversification, remains a “TOP PRIORITY!” movement, not just the “Hottest Trend” to capitalized off as of right now! Also, the work we plan to do to diminish the Lack of Diversity, Equity, Equality, Justice and Inclusion in the Entertainment industries and beyond!! A couple of ToneTaneMent’s main fundamentals are to utilized our voice and platforms through “CALL TO ACTION” Activism to make sure current trends in DE&I (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) consistently gaining momentum, and to “Disrupt & Diversify” every industry we plan to enter!! We must continue to spearhead these from “Trends” to “Movements” to realizing the Diverse, Equitable, Equal, and Inclusive world we all say we desire it to be!
What about my idea(s)/platform gets me most excited is “ToneTaneMent will “DISRUPT” then “DIVERSIFY”!!!!” and the idea that “ToneTaneMent is a MOVEMENT not just a TREND for the CULTURE!!!!”
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?
Hello! I am Antoinette “Toni” (preferred) Junious-Quick, MSA currently in Las Vegas, NV by way of Washington D.C, and I’m the Founder/CEO/Creative Director of “ToneTaneMent Productions LLC”. I’m on a journey to becoming a “Serial Entrepreneur”, African-American Female “Tril-Lanthropist”(Trillionaire+ Philanthropist = Tril-Lanthropist lol…just a little term I’ve coined!), to do my part in turning this world around, via entertainment, mentoring, providing access, opportunities, and eventually capital to underrepresented and Marginalized groups. But I must also emphasize that more importanly I have a strong commitment to ensuring (Diversity, Equity, Equality, Justice, and Inclusiveness) for us now, and all future generations to come!
“ToneTaneMent Productions LLC” will be the “Parent Company” (“Umbrella”) to a plethora of future Brands/Businesses/Non-Profits that will eventually launch under the “TTMPLLC” brand. What has motivated since my youth, and has renewed me to now “TAKE MY LEAP OF FAITH” to start my business is first the pandemic, which relit the flame, and also the community from which I grew up in SE Washington, D.C’s, Ward 8.
Again, I grew up in the low-income Ward (Ward 8) in SE, Washington, DC. Where I was raised by a single Mom who was at one point married to my younger Brother’s Father, but he became addicted to drugs when they were flooded into urban communities like mine in the 80’s & 90’s, and began ravaging our communities. My Mother (THANK FATHER GOD ABOVE!) did not try or begin using drugs or fall victim to that terrible addiction. After awhile my Mother decided to divorce my stepfather, and raised me and my brother own her own, which of course was extremely hard.
While growing up in these type of environments it can be very hard to try to imagine, reach for or even aspire accomplishing any type of future success. Since it was now just my Mother, Brother, and I, my Mother begun working two jobs to support us. Of course being the eldest child I had to step up in getting my Brother and Myself to school, so I became what is known as a “Latch Key” kid. With this becoming the case I wasn’t afforded the opportunity to take ballet lessons (I wanted to be a Ballerina and a Model when I was growing up) or even thinking about pursuing a career in modeling. On October 31, 1994 (Halloween) when I was 16 years old I was caught up in a drive by shooting in my neighborhood. The bullet went through my right arm, traveling through my lungs (which caused them to collapse) and then stopping short of hitting my spinal cord where it is still lodge in my back til this day. That bullet still being there is a constant daily reminder and motivation of where I’ve been/come from, where I’m at now, where I’m going, and why I’m doing what I’m doing (really quick plug! My book/Memoir and subsequent movie “A Black Girl’s Diary: Why I Decided to Build an Empire with a Bullet in My Back and a Baby on my Hip” is in the works as well!). The doctor explained to my mother it would be too risky of a procedure to try to remove it during surgery, so it now rest about an inch or two from my spinal cord, This event of course was devastating and extremely stressful on my Mother, and family, so before I was discharged from the hospital to go home my mother moved us from the neighborhood. The discharging doctor also told my Mother as doctors’ “We aren’t suppose to say “Blessed” to any patients or their families, but “Lucky” because of different religious and respect reasons. He then said to her, but she is “BLESSED!” first all to still be alive, and even more so not to be paralyzed, and being discharged in a wheelchair.
After that life changing event, I then added to the strains of our already stressful life by becoming pregnant at 18, and having my daughter when I turned 19, but only by Father God’s (Abba) grace and mercy, I began deciding to turning my life around for myself and my daughter. I enrolled in community college when my daughter begun getting older, and then transferring to Howard University, and earned my BS in Communication Science and Disorders (Speech Language Pathology), with a minor in Human Development, and then a little later down the line I enrolled in Trinity Washington University, were I earned my MS in Public Administration (MSA) with a focus in Organizational & Non-Profit Management. Now since my daughter herself has graduated college, I’m on a mission to begin my journey to being a “Serial Entrepreneur”, and accomplishing all the things I had to put on the back burner until now!
“ToneTaneMent Productions LLC” (Parent Company) Brand is a Content Production (Film, TV, Music & More!)/Talent Management/Product & Fashion Brand (“ToneTaneMent Presents” skincare, cosmetics & more) Enterprise, founded by me (Toni Junious-Quick, MSA) in December 2021. It is the parent company to a plethora of other Businesses & Brands that will launch under the “ToneTaneMent Productions LLC” umbrella of brands.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
Being from a (apart of) an underrepresented/marginalized group/community of people builds resiliency all in itself from the start of a person’s life I believe!
Once again as I stated previously, I grew up in the low-income Ward (Ward 8) in SE Washington, DC. I was raised by a single Mom who was at one point married to my younger brother’s father, but he became addicted to drugs when they were flooded into communities like mine in the 80’s & 90’s, and began ravaging our communities. My mother (THANK FATHER GOD ABOVE!) did not try or begin using drugs or fall victim to that terrible addiction. After awhile my mother decided to divorce my stepfather, and raised me and my brother own her own, which of course was extremely hard.
While growing up in these type of environments it can be very hard to try to imagine, reach for or even aspire accomplishing any type of future success. Since it was now just my mother, brother, and I my mother begun working two jobs to support us. Of course being the eldest child I had to step up in getting my brother and myself to school, so I became what is known as a “Latch Key” kid. With this becoming the case I wasn’t afforded the opportunity to take ballet lessons (I wanted to be a Ballerina and a Model when I was growing up) or even thinking about pursuing a career in modeling. On October 31, 1994 (Halloween) when I was 16 years old I was caught up in a drive by shooting in my neighborhood. The bullet went through my right arm, traveling through my lungs (which caused them to collapse), and then stopping short of hitting my spinal cord. The bullet is still in my back, as the doctor explained to my mother it would be too risky of a procedure to try to remove it during surgery, so it now rest about an inch or two from my spinal cord, This event of course was devastating and extremely stressful on my mother, and family, so before I was discharged from the hospital to go home my mother moved us. The discharging doctor told my mother as doctors “We aren’t suppose to say “Blessed” to any patients or their families, but “Lucky” because of religious and respect reasons. He then said to her but she is “Blessed” first all to still be alive, and even more so not to be paralyzed, and being discharged in a wheelchair.
I then added to the strains of our already stressful life by becoming pregnant at 18, and having my daughter when I turned 19, but only by Father God’s (Abba) grace and mercy, I began deciding to turning my life around for myself and my daughter. I enrolled in community college when my daughter begun getting older, and then transferring to Howard University, and earned my BS in Communication Science and Disorders (Speech Language Pathology), with a minor in Human Development, and then a little later down the line I enrolled in Trinity Washington University, were I earned my MS in Public Administration (MSA) with a focus in Organizational & Non-Profit Management. Now since my daughter herself has graduated college, I’m on a mission to begin my journey to being a “Serial Entrepreneur”, and accomplishing all the things I had to put on the back burner until now!
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
I have one daughter who just graduated from college in May 2021, and as I reflect on this question, I would have to say getting pregnant with her at the age of 18 and given birthday to her when I turned 19, was one of the first major life pivot’s I encountered, because of course I had “NO!” plans in becoming a mother at such a young age!!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ppmodelsdd/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PPModelsDD/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinette-toni-junious-quick-msa-03023a9b/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/PPModelsDD
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwpji-7VU9symOh3hFm8qFA
- Other: Inquiries email address: [email protected]
Image Credits
Image Credits: Mikeria Flack and Toni Junious-Quick