We had the good fortune of connecting with Jay Harris and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Jay, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
There are two factors that serve as a foundation for my success. They are authenticity and integrity. Throughout my journey to reach certain benchmarks and goals, I’ve learned that the way to be most effective is to be true to who you are and to always stand firm on your moral beliefs. These two factors work hand and hand and have allowed me to filter every opportunity through them. When striving for success of large magnitude, many struggle with not knowing what decisions to make, what opportunities to oblige, or who to connect with. Processing each event through the filter of: “Am i being myself?, and “Do I feel morally comfortable?” allows one to have a better chance at connecting with the best fit for them and their brand. Its worked for me and it will work for others.
Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am both an Artist/Creative and Business Professional. I’ve had the complex privilege of mastering these two worlds in a way in which they compliment each other in my success. As an artist, music and creativity is something I was born with. Having grown up in a musical family, it was inevitable that I, too, would be bitten with that bug. In addition to my upbringing, I watched my mom run a successful business of her own my entire life. Without intention, I naturally grew to love business and the logistics of building brands. The magic for me begin to happen when i realized that i don’t have to separate the two, in fact, i could use my business savviness to build and grow my career in entertainment and that’s exactly what I did. It was not easy, but i begun to approach my creative career like that of a fortune 500 company. My creativity was and still is the hired talent, and my enterprise knowledge became the CEO and mastermind behind a strategic operation. I spent less time shooting arrows in the dark and began to research, plan, and expand my rolodex of industry leaders. I found myself creating meaningful relationships with the people you never saw out front. I call them the drivers because they are the people that bring everything to life and carry the vision from idea to manifestation.
Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Lets say they Arrived on Sunday- We would hit the gym early morning at Onelife Fitness Perimeter and head to brunch at Ms Iceys afterwards for great food and drinks. We’d then head to Piedmont Park for an evening strong to continue the laughter and fun (while walking off a hardy meal) Monday – We’d head to the aquarium around noon to see the animals and visit one of their water shows. Afterwards, wed grab lunch at Two Urban Licks out on the patio that sits on the beltline. After lunch we’d walk the beltline. Later dinner at Del Friscos Tuesday – We’d head to the Zoo to see some animals. Get lunch and drinks at BQE. Rest up and head to the Effect fitness Tuesday night hip hop class. Wednesday – Breakfast at Commission in grant park. Catch a play at off Broadway Atlanta and later dinner at STK. Thursday- Wed do a spa day for relaxation and recouping at Massage Envy. Grab lunch at Yard house in Atlantic station and shop a bit afterwards. Later wed do Karaoke Thursdays at Harrold’s. Friday- OLG for lunch, head to Buckhead shops for shopping and head over to Cirque for a night of fun, dancing, and drinks. Saturday – We’d head over to Rush Bowl for their hangover recovery smoothie. Later hike stone mountain and grab lunch at 5 Church. We’d visit Traffik night club for dancing.
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I dedicate the success of my creative world to my team. They continuously bring my vision to life with precise execution and quality. Ryan Jumper- Music Engineer and Producer Hassan Richardson and Rari Filmz- Photographer and Creative director Rashad Sattaur & SRP Visuals – Creative director and Film Staff
Instagram: instagram.com/officialjayharris