Today we’d like to introduce you to JD Bailey.
JD, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
In the past two years, my life has changed drastically after I made the decision to take my health and business more seriously. In 2018, I lost 100 lbs in eight months and created a tour to tell my story along with others, that took my family around the world and back to our home country reuniting generations of Micronesians for the first time ever. I’ve been able to meet some of my biggest influences while helping my mom cure her diabetes after suffering for 13 years with little to no improvements from pharmaceuticals. My company Open Kanvas was the platform to help me tell our story and my poetry was the vessel that helped reach audiences around the country as we fundraised to change lives who seek similar results.
I’ve been producing events for almost five years helping up and coming artists grow their careers through different partnerships, but last year, we found our breakthrough by sharing the stories rarely talked about on stage. My health testimony brought together all industries as we used music, art, and poetry as the vessel to discuss physical and mental health for entrepreneurs everywhere. Young adults around the world suffer from anxiety, obesity, stress and much more as we search to find our purpose in this world while struggling to pay the bills. Our company went out to find the brave souls willing to discuss their trials, by throwing events to highlight artists and bring resources together at the same time, titled “The Journey Thru Tour”.
After starting Open Kanvas with a group of friends, I decided to quit my well paying job selling cars, and pursue entrepreneurship full time. My background in sales, event production, and network marketing has helped me overcome many obstacles, but it has been a slow grind throwing 35-40 events per year for four years straight.
We believe that Art, Music, and Poetry is the difference between a kid being institutionalized and making a hit single, simply because they have a safe outlet to share their feelings. Poetry has helped me overcome a lot of mental blocks as I went through school, and now, as I produce tours for our business. I could only imagine what this platform will do for others as we come together to develop bigger and better events for all ages to enjoy. I believe that artistry should be funded through major institutions again, and its lack of funding has led to these health issues we are seeing on the news today. People used to look to Music, Art & Poetry as an escape, but now we are redefining it as the actual healing process needed to get to our real purpose in life.
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?
Not at all, but I’m grateful for that. I feel like with every adversity, I received a new lesson which brought a concept of something that became business much later. For example, when I decided to go full time at my dreams, I started to work Lyft and Uber on the side to keep paying my bills. I would use that platform to practice my elevator pitch and ended up setting meetings with artists and executives to build up Open Kanvas. This turned into meeting my mentor four years ago, that has helped me see behind the scenes to tours across the globe. I’ve worked festivals, flew overseas and networked with industry leaders from fully utilizing a 10-minute Lyft conversation.
Another struggle that helped me strengthen my mindset was a season last summer where we were doing the “Journey Thru Tour” and I had to manage seven monthly event series with little help and no funding. I was passionate about the process of being an example by losing weight and helping tell the story through our events and content. But the workload and stress caused me anxiety which led to random panic attacks and hyperventilating throughout the days when I had too much on my plate.
These stress issues affected my company which had me seeking new solutions, so I was able to get information from friends that led me to the LA County Mental Health Department. Now I’m leading workshops with them through the African Coalition tying in creative arts as an outlet to cope with traumas and stress. So many other stories have led to where we are now but either way, I’m grateful that every failure has turned into a lesson for the future, defining where I’m at today.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Open Kanvas – what should we know?
What makes us special is our belief system in art being the vessel to create changes in our communities globally. Our goal is to be a platform of resources for up and coming artists, helping grow careers in entertainment through events, partnerships, and sponsorships.
We started by throwing open mics and parties to bring people together, which has evolved into concept tours around the world that has gotten us as far as Guam & Micronesia! We grow our network by creating event series’ with a purpose that highlights dope artists who have a message and fit the concept of our tours.
We are now launching “The Journey Thru Tour,” which opens the conversation about the journeys we all go thru chasing our dreams and provides insights on leaders. Artists and entrepreneurs with successful testimonies in each city along the way. All summer we will be hosting events, booking artists and collaborating with creatives who have work regarding mental health, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship.
This is a seasonal concept tour that merges all industries to foster relationships through Music, Art, and Poetry. We enjoy sharing motivational testimonials of entrepreneurs that overcome everything from Diabetes, Cancer, Citizenship, Mental Health issues and more in the form of a showcase, educational panel or networking event.
Our business helps provide a service through our network of artists, venues, equipment, and promotion to strategically connect all types of artists to each other. If you would like to connect and be a part of “The Journey Thru Tour” as a performer, sponsor or partner, you can reach us directly at [email protected].
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Accountability, Transparency & Execution.
When your success relies on the success of other people, it creates a synergy that has the potential to multiply all results. My ability to collaborate ideas and cross-promote only work when partners are clear with their goals and hold each other accountable. In my experiences over the past five years producing events, the most successful projects came when things were the simple and intentional. Every project should start with the end in mind as we come together to make clear expectations that lead to positive results.
Along the way, other characteristics like honesty, persistence, and clarity play a role in meeting expectations, but number one would be accountability to reach and execute our vision properly.
Pricing:
- Artist Consultations $25 p/hr.
- Artist Bookings 10%
- Equipment Rentals/Venue Bookings 15%
Contact Info:
- Address: 22036 Collins St. Apt 125 Woodland Hills, CA 91367
- Phone: 818-282-3949
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @openkanvas
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/openkanvas
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/openkanvas
Image Credit:
JD Bailey, King Q, Melissa Esquivel, Angela Bailey, Open Kanvas, POWRLA, BVSUALS, Chino
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