Rising Stars: Meet Trey Ford

Today we’d like to introduce you to Trey Ford.

Hi Trey, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
In the fall of 2017 my business partner, Aaron Daye, and I were in a budding investment club called Gainesville Black Wall Street. The initial goal was for a group of young professionals spanning across different industries to pool our money, use group economics, to start a business or invest in something we all agreed upon.

The challenge we ran into was that each individual was high achieving in their respective fields and thus, focused and busy with their own individual projects so the meetings began to fizzle out before we all established anything concrete. Around that time, mid-November 2017, the marketing for Marvel’s Black Panther directed by Ryan Coogler began. I remember very distinctly standing in the kitchen of Aaron’s apartment we were discussing some of the business ideas and investment options for Gainesville Black Wall Street and he says, “How do you feel about throwing a private screening for Black Panther?”

My reply was “Let’s”.

Black Films Matter

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Not a smooth road but very very rewarding even with all of the challenges.

For our first screening we pulled out all the stops: we rented a wedding venue for the after party, commissioned an artist to create custom posters for the movie guests, a photo booth, hired African drummers and dancers, a black twin catering team that created “Wakanda of the South” style tapas, a production company to capture reactions, the whole 9, and the end we lost money even in generating almost $10,000.

But I don’t consider it a loss because prior to that I was a solopreneur as the owner of a small community magazine and Aaron was a photographer at University of Florida who did occasional graphic design work in his spare time. Taking the risk propelled us forward in notoriety and brought us opportunities including a call from the Hippodrome Theater, a historic theater in Gainesville, Fl, to host a blaxploitation series.

One of the most character-building events was our “Pop Up Drive-In” for Coming to America 2 in collaboration with Autumn and Luke the owners of 1 Bridge Connect while they were located in the Regency Mall. We placed what we thought was a 50% deposit on our massive LED screen and somehow that bill grew when the exposure to the event grew, and the deposit was non-refundable. After already having collected money from sponsors and patrons we were beyond the point of no return with 3 showings scheduled and performances scheduled in between each for entertainment as cars were parking. And then the weather turned for the worse. “You can plan a pretty (drive-in) but you can’t predict the weather”. In the end, we had to cancel the first 2 showings to protect the equipment and try to combine them into one because the screen company said if they set up and had to break down due to too much wind, that would be it… no refund, no contingency.

Personally, I had to be the one to stay Ten Toes Down and steadfast while the others on our leadership team were considering postponing the event. “It’s now or never”, windows of opportunity are fleeting and there was no movie in queue for later in the spring that would have this level of interest. We lost money but we gained so much more, people mustn’t flee from the opportunity to have their capacity stretched.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I have this “soul style”, kind of like an affirmation but it states: I am an Aligned Media Mogul With Lavish Abundance, Crafting & Facilitating World Changing Stories.

I’m known for being able to find creative solutions regardless of up-front resources. When I am consulting, as I am listening, I perceive potential connections and bridges to help the person get from point A to point M because as a visionary I’m seeing far past the initial objective. I’d say I’m most known for my ability to connect others and share my network.

I’m most proud of the success stories I am seeing in those who I was able to lend a hand to or share an encouraging word with. It’s not always about strategy, sometimes people just need someone to believe in them wholeheartedly, and not keep it a secret but tell them. A time period I was able to do that most consistently was during the creation of the Ten Toes Down Anthology, a compilation book series comprised of over 20 authors across three books, 90% of whom are newly published authors.

As an ultra-extrovert, though my light shines bright I’m most interested in putting that spotlight on others, I believe that’s what sets me apart.

Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
“Create Don’t Wait”, that’s the way they put it at GreenLit ATL, a monthly film industry networking event at the Legacy Center in Atlanta, Georgia.

The time is going to pass no matter what you do with it, so why not use it to pursue your passions. Fail forward, because failure is feedback. It’s the feedback you need to eventually achieve.

I wish I had started sooner, without a doubt.

Pricing:

• $25 per copy of Ten Toes Down
• $135/hr Creative Consulting
• $1500 (45-minute keynote) + travel
• Virtual event (negotiable)
• $5000 (Black Films Matter World Premiere Your Film) + Travel if applicable

Contact Info:

• Website: www.tentoesdownseries.com
• Instagram: www.Instagram.com/TreySolo7
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TreyFordImpresario
• Other: www.calendly.com/treyford

Image Credits
Aaron Daye
News4Jax