Meet Len Gibson

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Len Gibson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Len, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
My resilience came from watching others fall short in life. I know that I wasn’t born with a silver spoon in my mouth therefore I had and still have to work twice as hard as others. With this in mind I know that failure is not necessarily an option but if I do it’s simply a hurdle not a death sentence. My will to succeed is entrenched in how I was raised.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I’ve been a film and television producer for the past 21 years and it’s the best career path I could have chosen. It definitely has its’ challenges but I wake up excited about what’s next everyday. I’ve been able to work with some of my childhood heroes, I became friends and started businesses with people I admired in the business and so much more. I think it’s essential to do what you love in life. Some of the highlights of my career include working with industry legends such as Spike Lee, Jay-Z, Russell Simmons, Lucas Foster, Dean Hargrove and many more. in 2006 I launched a film festival in Atlanta, GA entitled the Peachtree Village International Film Festival (PVIFF) along with James “Jb” Brown. It was a tall order and still is but I enjoy providing a platform to help filmmakers, screenwriters and other aspiring artists achieve their dreams. I also enjoy honoring artists that sometimes don’t get the recognition they deserve such as the late great actress Mrs. Ruby Dee, actor/producer, Mr. Blair Underwood, actress, Ms. Vivica Fox, actor/comedian, Cedric The Entertainer and many more. As we celebrate our 18th anniversary this year I’m always reminded of everyone we touch and that keeps me going.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
As I look back over my life and career the three qualities and areas of knowledge that were most impactful in my journey would probably be paying close attention to detail, having a strong work ethic and having integrity. Everyone’s journey is different but in general I think in order to truly be successful in your field you have commit yourself practicing and training more than anyone else. This means spending less time hanging out and more time reading, studying, interning, asking for advice etc. I went into the Army National Guard at the age of 17 while in High School and it taught me many valuable lessons but for me one of the most important ones was if you don’t pay close attention to detail you can kill yourself and others around you. I took this lesson to heart and I practice it everyday. I also did 2 apprenticeships and 2 internships in college at High Point University and following college to get my feet in the door and it was well worth my time.

Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?
The impactful thing my parents did for me was give me exposure. I grew up in Manning, SC which is an extremely small town. Although my parents didn’t have much they always encouraged me to travel, meet people and build relationships around the world. As a child I was able to travel many places throughout the U.S. and as I got older around the world. Throughout grade school I spent summers in Tampa, FL, Bangor, ME, Savannah, GA and visited places like New York, Washington, D.C., Miami, Atlanta, GA and many more. As a kid from Manning many of my peers didn’t travel as much therefore I was able to meet some amazing people all of the world and I still have great relationships with many of these people today. My parents showed me that the world was bigger than Manning, SC and I could be anything I wanted to be with hard work, great relationships and faith in God.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
DLS Photography for the photo with myself Comedian/Actor/Producer Pierre Edwards, and Comedian/Actor/Producer, Tommy Ford

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