Victoria Cooker @ CLRED Media focuses on promoting diversity in the media through a number of initiatives
BASED IN: NEW YORK
CLRED Media, Inc is a entertainment and media tech company. The company focuses on promoting diversity in the media through a number of initatives. CLRED Media is the parent company to three properties: ColoredContent, and Black Web Fest.
What is your background? Did it help you get to where you are today?
I am marketer, I do graphic design, I have a bachelors in Communication Arts. I have always been a creative person so that helped me develop the platform. Marketing and design has helped me do a lot of things in house. I am always thinking of unique ways to reach my audience and doing research to gain market share.
When did you realize you wanted to be self-employed did you go for it or were you cautious? What was the most important step you had to take?
I always wanted to be in business for myself. I can remember selling erasers to classmates in primary school. I always had ideas and I finally felt ready when I noticed seeing my ideas into fruition was the only thing I was truly passionate about. For me incorporating meant my business was “real”.
What aspect of your personality help you the best with being an entrepreneur?
I again have to say my creativity and outside of the box thinking helped me the most. I am always looking for an angle. I live and breathe this thing and look for opportunities to grow it from where it is now. I am excited about seeing what happens next.
Can you tell us what your business stands for? What is the message you want to send to the world?
ClredContent stands for colored content. The platform features videos created by Black media makers, whether it be writers, directors, actors they all are people of color. The platform allows the creatives to share their stories and gain more visibility in media.I want to empower people of color and show diversity in media.
A lot of people say that being an entrepreneur is so “hard”. Is it or is it not to you?
Being an entrepreneur is difficult but if you feel in your heart it’s what you’re meant to do it’s like breathing, you won’t be able to live without it.
How do you manage to put a lot of content out? Is there such thing as putting too much content out?
It took sometime but now I have a schedule and I can’t share all my secrets but I’d say it’s something I am constantly working on. As for it being too much content, I’d have to disagree. It’s quality over quantity but people are craving content that’s why there is so much media being created because people have mobile devices at their fingertips and need to feed the beast at any given minute of boredom.
You mentioned that your family wasn’t understanding about your entrepreneurial venture at first. What helped them understand?
My mother’s side of my family is a traditional Black American family. They see the world as you get a stable income and you work for 40 years and you retire. Nothing is wrong with that but the issue is I yearn for more. I’d never be content with just that. Now to be fair I have shared tons of ideas with them and maybe that was my fault. So at some point it was like when is something going to happen. I had this idea since 2014 and at my birthday this year I gave my family tote bags with my company logo and then they were like “wow this is real”. I believe in pixie dust, unicorns, and fairies --they need to see actual products for them to believe.
What is the most important thing to consider before going on your own?
Do your research and know the competitive landscape. There is always room for competition but know where you will and can be better. People whether they be customers or investors want to know that you are informed about your business, they will question you.
What advice would you give to your younger self? If you knew what you know now would you start your business earlier?
I totally would have started my business early but I was waiting on an idea where I could be innovative and understood what I was doing. I think everything happens for a reason so younger self stay inquisitive and stay hungry.
Do you think that anyone can start their own business? Would you encourage them to try at least once in their life?
I’d say yes anyone can start their own business now will they reach a certain level of success? Starting your own business is not for the faint of heart. It’s not a microwave – it’s a slow cooker. You don’t set it and forget it. You need to be passionate and willing to do what it takes to make it a success. If you want to be an entrepreneur I say try at least once see what it’s about and if it isn’t for you keep trying until you find something that suits you.