Meet Ladale Nesmith | CEO of Ground Up Media Productions & Managing Director of TUC Magazine
We had the good fortune of connecting with Ladale Nesmith and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Ladale, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
To be honest with you, my thought process behind starting my own business occurred when I was in a vulnerable state towards the last weekend of 2021.” “I was sick with COVID at the time and could do nothing but lie in my bed and contemplate my life up until that point.” I prayed and told God that if you allow me to recover from this, I will make the rest of my days count on this Earth. “I then thought about my mentor, the late Antonio Godfrey, who was the CEO of a publication that I am still affiliated with to this day called True Urban Culture, aka TUC Magazine.”I had close friends planting seeds in my mind about the idea of starting my own business, and although I always knew that I was capable of being my own boss and a leader of men and women, I just didn’t feel as if the timing was right.” So, I put all my chips in and created my very own production company called Ground Up Media Productions, aka GUM Productions.” The name of the company came instantly to me from God, and it pays homage to my mentor, Antonio Godfrey, who built TUC Magazine from the ground up with his brothers.”
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
The main thing that keeps me busy professionally is my hunger to adapt and evolve. I’ve been privileged to have a lot of mentors over the years and I took bits and pieces from all of them and applied them to my interests. I am someone that is constantly studying the landscape of business and entertainment as most of my work revolves around those two fields. So, to answer your question, I would say that once again it is my need to adapt and evolve as well as my passion to elevating those on my team with me.
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Well, I always say that you must be willing to do things with others that you wouldn’t mind doing by yourself. I’m not the type of guy that you would see out and about in a club on a Friday or Saturday night popping bottles or trying to impress someone who may not truly like me or people that I may not like myself. I never been that way. I am someone who appreciates beauty that comes in all forms whether it’s music, art, or nature itself. So if a friend or friend of mine came down to visit for a week-long trip, we will either go to a speakeasy Jazz club in Harlem because I love discovering new talent for the first time that may not get the spotlight because their music fits within a very niche genre, a paint and sip class because I love to paint, a spoken word poetry night because it’s something about a person bearing their soul on stage that is so empowering to me, and lastly a sporting event because I love sports. To sum it up, I like to be entertained but I also don’t mind partaking in what entertains me as well.
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are so many to name, but I have to start with my family. My mom, Theresca Nesmith, always spoke greatness into my life, and this sentiment extended to my grandmother and uncles as well. Additionally, it’s worth noting that I not only have a background in business management, but I also studied Fashion Merchandising and Marketing.
I remember a moment with a woman named Vincene Collura who took me aside after class and told me, “You are going to be an A student, Ladale.” It felt as if she was speaking directly to my soul that day, and her words proved true—I became an A student not only in her class, but in all of my classes, ultimately graduating with first honors from my school.
Wanda Dooley was another woman in my fashion program who pushed and supported me; she was very nurturing and consistently expressed confidence in my capabilities. An old boss of mine named Laverne Dantzler inspired me before I started studying fashion and embarked on this career and entrepreneurial journey. I probably don’t meet the women that I mentioned previously if it wasn’t for her instilling her wisdom upon me.
One of the most valuable lessons she imparted to me was to work diligently while doing what I love and to not let my current circumstances limit me. Although she’s no longer with us, her words remain impactful. Her blessing played a significant role; otherwise, I might still be a testing coordinator at that job to this day.
I would also be remiss not to mention Dara Sayet and Celebrity Publicist BJ Coleman. Both of them took me under their wings, guiding and shaping me into the individual I am today.
After completing school, I transitioned into the real world, and my journey commenced at Ebony Magazine. There, I had the privilege of being mentored by three influential women who guided me to discover my true passion in the media and entertainment realm. These remarkable women are Jacqueline Yates, Erica Goodman, and Marielle Bobo. I began by introducing this individual earlier, but it’s important not to overlook my friend, mentor, and above all, my elder brother, Antonio Godfrey. Through his consistent display of work ethic and unwavering determination to thrive, he illuminated the path of what it truly means to lead. I understand that this response may be lengthy, but in all honesty, it wasn’t a straightforward question to address. I drew inspiration from the various qualities of each person I mentioned. They all instilled in me the value of paying it forward, and they didn’t hesitate to provide support when I faced challenges. I take great pride in extending the same support to the upcoming generation walking through those doors after me.
Website: https://www.tucmag.net/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/ladalethefashionisto?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
Linkedin: Ladale Nesmith – CEO – Ground Up Media Productions – LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/ladale-nesmith
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@gumproductions5016
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