Today we’d like to introduce you to Jalen Simmons.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Jalen. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I started my company before I knew I had one in the making. In 2013, I was at Waycross College, now known as South Georgia State College, a Junior College in South Georgia. I was continuing my basketball career and my brother Kobi Simmons climb to the #1 Player in the State of Georgia and Top 10 in the Nation as a Freshman in High School. I sat in my duplex one day and randomly began messing around with the iMovies software on my MacBook.
I collected any footage I could and made a short trailer about my brother’s journey to #1. I only showed a few people and when I got home for the summer, I would watch all the footage my mother, Sadiqua Stephens, would film on her small handheld Sony camera of my brother’s games since I wasn’t able to watch all of them since I was in College. I sat there on my bed and my brother asked me to try and make a Highlight. I took on the challenge and found joy in doing so. He responded thats a JMixtape, and I added the Productions. I was proud of this video and uploaded it to YouTube and It ended up getting around 3,000 views.
My friend Malik Wood, Owner of E.I.E (Enough Isn’t Enough) later on, made me an Instagram and Twitter and opening up my eyes that this could be something big. After that summer of 2013, I continued my college basketball career at Berea College (KY) and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Technology and Applied Design. In between that time 2013-2016, I was making highlights for fun whenever I wasn’t occupied by basketball and school. In 2017, I trained to play professional basketball where I tried out for two NBA G-League Teams ( Memphis Hustle and Salt Lake City Stars), did a tour in Mexico and also tried out for the Canadian Basketball League (CBL). I played well, making Top 10 in each event and the CBL organization where I would have played slowly came to an end of operations. In 2018, I decided to LLC JMixtape Productions and grow it to be one of the top Production Companies in the Atlanta area and further on.
I have been featured on Bleacher Report, Fox Sports, Puma, and more. I also have had the opportunity to travel and film some of the top talents from High School to the NBA, Including my brother who now plays for the Charlotte Hornets. I have produced a two-part documentary called “True Story” on Amazon Prime on one of the hottest upcoming clothing company OOOG Brand. I have worked with Cervera Real Estate and multiple of other top Real Estate Companies and have done many corporate events such as CBI General Contractors.
I also have worked with Comedians Arnez J, J. Elis, and the upcoming Entertainment brand Laughing Gas. This summer I also will be sponsoring one of the top AAU Basketball Teams in the Nation ( Team Dickerson Celtics), where I will have my logo on their jerseys. I have been truly blessed to have collaborated with so many amazing people and companies. All the support and love I have received and I have so much more I want to accomplish.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I have had multiple obstacles that have only allowed me to learn from my experiences and become better. I have been rejected Media Credentials from multiple events. I have had customers try and take advantage of me cost-wise. I have had unsatisfied customers when first starting from me not being detailed in what they wanted or from a time completion standpoint. I have missed opportunities from being impatient and thinking I’m further along than I am.
I have had people tell me my career isn’t sustainable financially and more. Through all of these things, my passion, drive, persistence and love of the process has allowed me to develop into a company with high-quality production that is continuing to grow and venture into a bigger platform for athletes, companies and more to be known.
JMixtape Productions – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
At JMixtape Productions, we create high-quality production through state-of-the art photography, videography, and film editing. Not only do we provide comprehensive marketing and branding for all types of athletes and companies but also, we provide events with a variety of filming options. I specialize in getting athletes and companies known across the world. I am most proud of how far it came and the memories and relationships I’ve made along the way. From a sports videographer, specifically basketball, what sets me apart is the fact that I’ve played the game and know the game well. It’s easier for me to relate to the athletes and communicate with them about what to improve on and what I see from a coaching perspective.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
So many people deserve credit for me getting to where the company is now. My mother, Sadiqua Stephens, first and for most, her filming while I was in college and providing the content for me to create. My brother, Kobi Simmons, who helped spark an idea and also inspiring me to film through his skills on the court. My father, Demond Stephens, who allowed me to travel with him and his AAU teams to help me build outside of Georgia.
My Mentors, Brian Richey who was the first person to invest in my company and provided me with my first DSL Camera and Keith Smith (Lotto), Owner of OOOG Brand, who allowed me to be his intern for my last summer of college and allowed me to expand outside of sports. J. Ellis who does all my clothing apparel. I also want to give credit to Atlanta Celtics, Georgia Elite Ballers, Champ Barlow, Mike Turner, Malik Wood, Jamiyl Clarke and my entire family who’s helped support me and allow me to persevere and continue to build the brand.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jmixtape.com
- Phone: 404-399-0752
- Email: jmixtapeproductions@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jmixtapeproductions/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jmixtapeproductions/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/jmixtape__?lang=en
Image Credit:
Upward Now Media, Chris Costello, Taylor Marie, Tim Davis, and Karriem Simmons
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