Meet Tanisha Queen It Shall Be” Hall | Tabletop Game Developer/Entrepreneur”

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tanisha “Queen It Shall Be” Hall and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tanisha “Queen It Shall Be”, putting aside the decision to work for yourself, what other decisions were critical to your success?
I decided, no matter what, to dance every single day and do it live on social media to keep myself accountable. Long time ago, I got a gift from my husband of a plaque that read “Do one thing every day that makes you happy.”  I loved it but didn’t pay much mind you it after a while. When I started my business, I still struggled with depression and wanted to give up on what I started. I sought a mental health professional but the problem was I knew there would be times that I have to go at life alone so I had to have something to keep me safely encouraged. On June 10, 2019, after launching Hillman, and watching “Homecoming” for the 4th time, I took the plaque message to heart and started  dancing every day for up to 20 minutes, and learning the step routine from the Stepping Stones episode of A Different World. It only seemed right to give this mission of mine a name so I called it #KneesUp which came from one of my favorite tv moments (4 words: Debbie, Phylicia, aerobics class). Every day I dance through something different and I show up for myself. This has helped me to keep going in business and in life. I recently turned 43, have danced for over 1,600 consecutive days, and have rec.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
A quote I’d heard from a fellow poet that I always keep in mind is, “Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can.”

I started to wonder what it would be like to play a physical board game inspired by sitcoms, cinema, and original content with relatable stories and characters that looked like me. Since I didn’t know of any, I figured why not create one and start a company that centered around that mission? IAS started with a pep talk, my imagination, foam board, construction paper, glue sticks, and Sharpies left over from my kids’ unused school supplies. Now, my children are in the development stages of their own projects, families and folks love playing Hillman the Game, and IAS has an incredibly fun and growing catalog of products on Black culture tabletop games and stuff. I’m super excited about the recent announcement of Flavor the Game which I created to honor Living Single and The Spades Coach, the game companion designed to teach Black people how to play spades in a hostile-free environment, to which, my husband says I’m doing the Lord’s work. Both are available for preorder on the IAS Games website and I have more tabletop games in development for months and years to come.

Most people are shocked at just how much goes into developing board games, especially, for a specific culture. I personally take into consideration theme, message, easter eggs, gameplay, color scheme, size, design, details, and much, much more in just the drafting stages. There’s a lot of sketching, modeling, and calculating game components. Manufacturing can be expensive so every element of the game has to be scrutinized for necessity. Rules have to be a perfect collab of comfort, challenge, and clarity. And it all takes time… a lot of time. For each game I develop, I think about how people are going to laugh over it or have hilarious debates across the table. It inspires me to make the best games ever. I think about the memories that will be created when people play games that they know were made just for them by someone who loves them for them. I just want to be good to us. We care about our spaces and energies and because I know a lot of Black people don’t let just anyone into their house, I create games and items like it’s a pleasure and an honor to even be invited. Because it is.

My culture has fostered and inspired me to be creative throughout my life, and those who grew up with me in Brooklyn, remember me for being, silly, talented, and always doing something creative. However, being labeled as lazy (due mostly to bland tasks having me completely check out), caused me to develop insecurities that I’m still working through as an adult. Expressing myself artistically has proven  that I produce outstanding works whenI’m free to be creative. Making creativity a career makes 13-year-old me proud. As far as challenges go, hands down my top has got to be the state of mental health in entrepreneurs. Is there a study available? Can I submit my application to be a research participant? Because sheesh! They don’t discuss the guilt of not finishing a project on time or how having 1 day of feeling polarizing anxiety could mean no income for the next 90, and you still can’t move. I sometimes have a hard time celebrating my wins because they look different from those of others. I’ve learned to tell myself the truth. Giving myself permission to celebrate is becoming a more intentional step I take in my wellness journey. Dancing daily for accountability and joy and go live on social media to keep myself accountable reminds me to do one thing every day that makes me happy, that consistency is key, and to keep going. #KneesUp.

Comedy makes me happy and a little chuckle through life can do us some good. I’m always coming up with sayings and slogans that I think are hilarious and would love to see on shirts so I incorporated my casual designer apparel into IAS merchandise. There are collections of tees for smack-talking card players, #KneesUp dance fits, a whole twerk-related sorority, fictional fraternity gear, and, my personal favorite, BIOMB (Blame It On My Borough). Perfect for the special New Yorker in your life.

IAS features a lot of detail which requires a lot of research related to Black/African American history and patterns. My love grows as I continue to learn a great deal about my culture, and always, myself. I care a great deal about us. Because I care what my people consume, I care about what I create and how I feel when I’m creating. At the same time, making games and stuff that everyone wants isn’t on my list for 2 reasons: 1, I can’t do it all, and 2, I don’t want everyone to get it. In All Series-Ness is exclusive and culture-custom made. I want my people to know that I take their enjoyment and the memories they make seriously. I want my legacy to be a contribution to positive Black vibes with IAS and everything I do to be a love letter to us and us on the way.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Oh, this is right up my alley! South Carolina has a lot of hidden gems, I enjoy planning and love to host. Off the top, a full two days will be spent in the Low Country because if they’re not already, I’d have to put them on to She-Crab soup! Omagah! We’ll start at St. Helena Island and visit the Penn Center. I can’t put into words what I felt while visiting the museum and learning about the rich history of our ancestors so I’d have to bring them there to experience it for themselves. Then we’ll drive to Charleston to check into a room to relax a bit before heading out to Club Vibez for some great music and great food! The next day we’ll head back to Columbia to check into their accommodations so they can chill a while from the drive. Lunch at A Peace of Soul is a must! It’s the best vegan restaurant I’ve ever been to and the mac & “cheese” is sooo good! We’ll play it lowkey until we go to Good Vibes Paint & Sip as the last outing for the night. Day four would be pretty laid back until the afternoon when we’d indulge our sweet tooth at The Donut Guy and ease the calories off with a stroll along the Riverwalk before heading back to the house/hotel to enjoy some downtime. Saturday, the last full day of the visit, begins with shopping at Soda City, the outdoor market full of craft items from small businesses including Haiku Coffee 575 for custom artisan blended African coffee beans. For the evening, it’s game time. Rather, Game Night! My husband and I will cook, invite some friends over, and play some board games. By it’s all over, we will have had a dance-off, an open mic, a jam session, new champions of games, and more laughs than we can count. Sunday we’d have brunch at Kiki’s Chicken & Waffles and share our farewells followed immediately by a celebratory twerk until next time.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Shoutout to my husband and children for loving me and allowing me to love them. Shoutout to my family and my communities for having my entire perimeter! The bands I’m apart of are inspiring, engaging, transparent and loving. I mean they come through in so many ways and have been vital in sharing what I do and why I do it. They’re my peer reviewers, emotional backing, clients, customers, comrades and cousins. Black Game Makers, Poets, Dancers, Content Creators, Educators, Blerds, Entrepreneurs, and Sibling Circles have allowed me to be myself and given me the utmost love and support. I do this for us. I’m not crying… you are.

Website: https://www.iasgames.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iasgames/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ias-games-5571b6184/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ias_games

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/inallseriesness/

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@iasgames.?si=ZfciY96VUNkIRaZI

Other: https://www.instagram.com/QueenItShallBe https://www.instagram.com/HillmanTheGame https://twitch.tv/QueenItShallB https://kick.com/QueenItShallBe

Image Credits
Shea Harley Carla Allen Winston Ta-Myia Allen Kevin Staggers