Today we’d like to introduce you to Zachary Bxllion.
So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I launched my career as a creative entrepreneur in 2009 when I founded the first black-owned skateboarding company and retail space in Buffalo New York. Since then, I’ve branched off into a handful of other industries such as hip hop, education and technology. My latest venture, Attractive Stranger; an adult only immersive street art experience inspired by hip hop, the 80s and 90s, has grown to be a cultural movement for black and brown creatives in LA. I also consider myself an advocate for financial literacy, black ownership, K-5 education, prison reform and mental health in the digital era.
Has it been a smooth road?
The road has been anything but smooth. From the beginning the odds were against me. When I started my first company, I was 18 with no business experience. I had to learn product development, marketing and distribution all by trial and error. I opened my first retail location when I was 19. I think running that store gave me more experience than any classroom. It’s what made me into a business person.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
A have a few businesses, but my favorite project right now is Attractive Stranger. It’s an adult only immersive street art experience inspired by hip hop and the 80s and 90s. We watch movies, play old video games and connect with one another. It’s really just a cool environment for creatives to just disconnect for a while and relax.
In a broader sense, I’m a designer and director. Right now, people are experiencing what’s called content shock. We’re overloaded with information and imagery, making it very hard to hold attention My company Bxllion Brands offers creative services like design and photography to growing brands and hip hop artists. We work with them to help cut through the noise of the digital world and effectively get their message out to the right people. We believe the only way to do this is by creating culture, bringing people together and telling stories.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I think marketing and entertainment will be a lot more experience-based rather than being so focused on social media. We need to get people to look up from their phones to truly get their attention. People want to be taken out of their typical routine. I think hip hop will continue to be a globally dominating force, but I also think we are going to start to see influence from other cultures creep into ours more and more. The afro-beats movement is a prime example of that.
Contact Info:
- Website: zacharybxllion.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: zacharybxllion
Image Credit:
Gaptooth Shorty
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