We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jay Allen a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Jay, so excited to talk about all sorts of important topics with you today. The first one we want to jump into is about being the only one in the room – for some that’s being the only person of color or the only non-native English speaker or the only non-MBA, etc Can you talk to us about how you have managed to be successful even when you were the only one in the room that looked like you?
There is and always will be only one you. What my peers do hasn’t ever effected my drive to excel. Moving from the east coast to the Midwest has been a challenge for me. It’s been difficult to excel in a community that is stuck in their ways and tends to cling to their own. I moved to KC hoping be the one to help change that mindset. It gets lonely as an outsider but overcoming these obstacles has given me the drive to reach for goals I never would have imagined. I believe that creatives should work together for one cause and that is creating art. Art can be a powerful tool for changing minds and eliminating boundaries.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
My name is Jay Allen, and I moved to Kansas City two years ago with the dream of breaking down boundaries in the KC art community. I own Jayductions, a photography agency here in KC, specializing in mid to high budget short form social media content and marketing management. We use color contrast to capture and convey emotion throughout our productions. We have also recently upgraded to all new equipment to bring you the best possible quality. A picture may be worth a thousand words, but we believe color has no limit.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Never stop networking and marketing yourself. Being an artist in a new city, using social media as a tool was essential in my growth. As a freelance creator, staying motivated and focusing on self discipline was also necessary in growing my company. Have a set schedule for marketing as well as networking and stick to it. Most businesses fail due to lack of structure. Finding the system that works for you will pave your path to success.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
With my main goal being to build the community, I’m always looking for new collaborations and trying to help give people the opportunities that I struggled to receive. We should be focusing on the art and building each other up, not just the money that can come with it. I would love to meet more of you and hear your stories so we can connect. Feel free to contact me at jayductions.com/contact.
Contact Info:
- Website:www.jayductions.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/jayductions
Image Credits
Lexx, Sana Asif, Jordon Delehant, Grace Chegwidden, Shayna Strahm, Gabriel Outen,
