Today we’d like to introduce you to Ebony N. Mayo.
Ebony, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’m an actress, indie filmmaker, and entrepreneur. I grew up in a small country town, Danville, Virginia. I studied Psychology in college and became a counselor to aid individuals who struggled with depression and a myriad of other sicknesses and diagnoses due to my own encounter with depression during childhood. I had a speech impediment from birth despite being very intelligent and advanced. One day a miracle literally happened around 11 years old, while praying and accepting Christ into my life. I could finally speak clearly for the first time despite years of speech therapy, trainers, and classes. I knew then I wanted to help people to not feel alone.
After years of counseling, I started acting as my way of detoxing from my stressful and dangerous life as a counselor. You can say I was bit by “the acting bug.” I transitioned all of my clients and relocated to Atlanta to become an actress. After being in Atlanta for a couple of years acting and working in production, I quickly realized I no longer wanted to sit around and wait for an acting opportunity. I wanted to create opportunities for myself and my peers. Thus, Mayo Entertainment Enterprises was born, where I started writing, directing, producing, and starring in my own curated short films. I always knew Atlanta was a stepping stone to Los Angeles for me and thus the embarkment to Hollywood begun.
“It’s going to be very difficult for you in Los Angeles” were the words I heard externally, but internally I heard, “You have everything you need on the inside of you baby girl.” I knew Los Angeles was an expensive city to reside in. I needed to have more streams of income aside from my entertainment company. I’m a lover of cigars and was constantly being invited to smoke cigars, one day it just clicked…create your own cigar company and have them imported from overseas, and hence Mayió Cigars was born.
Great, 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?
The words of Samii totally convey my sentiments: “In the journey of life we have to walk through different roads, some smooth and some rough.”
Some struggles: being broke chasing my dreams, questioning myself and my ideas, being misunderstood and ridiculed, hearing more “nos” than you do “yeses”, loneliness…overall, just trying to figure this thing out…what’s for me and what’s not
Please tell us about Mayo Entertainment Enterprises and Mayió Cigars.
Mayo Entertainment Enterprises: We create curated content putting minorities in lead roles; capturing them in a positive light and/or offering differing perspectives and the psychology behind various characters “whys” that mimic real life. We also utilize our platform to discuss topics that may be a taboo within the community. True stories/life experiences are particularly our niche.
Mayió Cigars: We are a premium cigar brand desiring to merge the world of male and female cigar lovers, cigar aficionados and newcomers. Creating an experience where time does not exist and schedules do not matter, where you can be yourself, free from judgment, where you can “Be in your element…” Within a male-dominant culture, we are most proud to be a new black-owned company ran by a female with internationally imported cigars. We create our own blends and age them overseas.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
The food. I’m from the south so food is an experience for us. It is a time of coming together. Whether it’s with family and friends, strangers, co-workers, you name it, you can guarantee the food is going to taste amazing and a good time will be had. Some of our greatest moments were celebrated over food and we got through some of our most challenging moments coming together over food.
Pricing:
- Medium-Full bodied Cigar- Single $15
- Medium-Full bodied Cigar- 5 ct box $75
Contact Info:
- Website: Coming soon: www.mayiocigars.com
- Phone: 8186726405
- Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
- Instagram: @ebonynmayo & @mayiocigar
- Facebook: @ebonynmayo & @mayiocigars
- Twitter: @ebonynmayo
Image Credit:
Marcus Ingram (2 red carpet photos), Jamall McMillan: (Cigar Logo & Daddy’s Home Flyer), Gifted Talents (TI photo), Casting Network LA (Yellow shirt headshot)
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