We had the good fortune of connecting with Paul Maina and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Paul, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?

I was in Cali in 2017 with another business serving the nightlife market. The logo I had created for that business, people kept asking me to make merch with it so they could purchase. As time progressed, I, unfortunately, needed to dismantle that business for various reasons, so I decided to try my hand at creating a brand based on the feedback I was getting for the design I made to serve a bigger market.

With the rebrand to develop what is now known as BLAQK Empire, I wanted to use a universal and all-inclusive name. One night at around 3:AM in January of 2018 as I was designing, the word “black” hit me. When all the colors are mixed, you get the color black. Then I thought to spell it with a “QK” to represent Queens and Kings, hence the mantra, “BLAQK Is Everyone. Everyone is BLAQK” and the slogan “Royal BLAQK Life”.

What is BLAQK Empire?

Our story is simple. BLAQK is a movement created to bring unity to all people to breed an empire of Queens and Kings in this and all future generations to come. We are a royal family whose core values are grounded in Empathy, Gratitude, and Ambition. Leaving this Earth, and the person next to us better than we found them is our purpose. And being a lifestyle brand dedicated to building a platform that is the bridge of empowerment throughout the Alkebulan diaspora is our mission.
We encourage everyone to stay true to themselves. Unapologetically embracing the beauty and power of the royalty that is embedded in them. We are building an Empire that consists of every community and the various talents and skills within them to form an intercontinental conglomerate. We invite you to be a part of Our family as We make a difference in every city, town, and country. Join Us on this journey of leaving a monumental footprint in the sands of time.

Alright, so let’s move on to what keeps you busy professionally, and what have you learned?

Professionally, I have only achieved what I have from studying the game and those who have gone ahead of me to lay down a path for the rest of us to follow. Anything that comes easy doesn’t last, so the fact that I am still going after 4 years tells me that only bigger and better things are on the horizon. Knowing and understanding my end goal of creating an empire for this and future generations is the only thing that has helped me overcome all challenges faced thus far and those that will come.

The main lesson learned through the years is simply persistence. I value it as the key to longevity in anything. If you are doing something you love, how long it takes you to achieve the level of success that you have set for yourself is irrelevant. Your focus changes to value the journey, instead of your “timeline” of when things are supposed to happen. Cause as we all know, life has a funny way of changing and reorganizing time around us.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My shoutout list can be quite long. My family, both immediate and a few relatives, have been there for me since day one. My best friends have seen and supported the vision since I first approached them with what I was doing. And my Queen, who’s been the most significant boost forward personally, mentally, spiritually, and physically.

Website: www.blaqkempire.com

Instagram: @royalblaqklife

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