Life and Work with Sadé Askew

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sadé Askew.

Sadé, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I always knew that I’d end up living in Atlanta since my first visit here when I was 12. I fell in love with the atmosphere, the warm weather and the vibe of the people. However, I never expected to be here as an entrepreneur and videographer! I never pictured myself cutting my own checks. Growing up in Detroit, MI, I didn’t have a whole lot of examples of entrepreneurship around me. To be honest, running my own business never even seemed like an option to me. It kind of seemed far-fetched. I knew growing up that I was interested in journalism. I was always a quiet kid and have always been super private, so I would write in my journals. I was also oddly obsessed with shows like 106& Park and Access Granted. I remember being fascinated with how videos were produced but even then I never really knew what that meant for me.

It wasn’t until I attended the illustrious Florida A&M University that I started loving the idea of producing content. While at FAMU, I naturally fell into the news. A lot of our classes were geared toward grooming you for a news career. After graduating with a BS in Broadcast Journalism, I got my first job back home in Detroit at the #1 news station, WDIV. I was an associate producer there for about eight months before desperately needing to leave the cold weather and get back to the south. I got a producing job in Orlando and I did that for about four years. This is where my life got interesting. Whewww. Working in Orlando was challenging for me. I was one of the only black producers in the newsroom and most times the only one during meetings. It got exhausting having to write about “Florida Man” and little black boys being shot by police. It was even more tiring to know that my creativity wasn’t being challenged. I was not my best self.

So, in 2017, I followed my gut, quit my job and moved to Atlanta. News was all I had known since basically high school and here I was quitting a decent paying job. I had no clue what I was going to do even as I packed up my Uhaul and drove it here. But I held on to my faith and the belief that something beyond my wildest dreams was waiting for me. I knew that I wanted to tell stories that mattered to me. I wanted to create content that would have a lasting impact and start meaningful conversations. I wanted to wake up and be in love with what I do. I again had no real clue as to how I was going to do it, but I knew I already had the background and the resources to get the job done. I think I was so scarred from the last job that I made the decision to do things my way and create my own opportunities. There were news jobs here that I turned down because I was confident in trusting that my decision would pay off. When I got here, I started pouring into myself, doing research, reading, teaching myself how to edit and shoot, studying other filmmakers and networking. I saw that there were sooo many people here in need of help to visually telling their brand’s story. That’s when I started Sadé Kay. Creates. This was a way for me to begin to tell dope stories.

Has it been a smooth road?
What’s smooth? What does that word even mean?! ha! Being an entrepreneur or just a creative in general is an emotional rollercoaster. You can go from having super successful weeks and feeling like you’re the Oprah of it all to having a slow week and feeling like you’re not good enough. You’re constantly battling with yourself about your worth. For me, money not being deposited every two weeks from a job was something that I had to get used to. I had to figure out fast how to tap into my inner hustler and MAKE IT HAPPEN. Being an entrepreneur is hard work, especially when you’ve never really had examples of how to be one. Learning how to be a business owner was and still is sometimes overwhelming for me. It’s tough to have to wear all the hats, especially as a creative. The business side of it and dealing with invoices and contracts take away time and energy I could be using to create. Being a woman behind the camera can also be challenging at times. This is a male-dominated industry and sometimes because I’m a woman, my skills are downplayed.

The advice I would give to young women who are just starting out on their journey would be to follow your gut. You know what feels right to you and what doesn’t. Don’t compromise that no matter the dollar amount. There will be jobs or clients that you have to turn down if it isn’t aligned with your goals. Don’t be afraid to do so. Also, there will be times that money is just not flowing like you want or like you’ve been used to. Especially for those providing a service. During those times it’s important to hold your WHY very close to your heart. If you know exactly why you’re in the business and what/who you’re doing it for, it’s not as easy to give up when the money is funny.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Sadé Kay. Creates – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
Sadé Kay. Creates produces high quality and affordable videos for entrepreneurs/organizations. The main goal of the business: tell dope stories. It really began off faith and a need to help other entrepreneurs visually show what their brand/organization was all about. Sadé Kay. Creates specializes in brand videos, promotional videos, event recaps, behind-the-scenes videos, and weddings… and yes, I do travel. I offer editing services and photography as well.

I think I’m most proud of the fact that I only work with brands I believe in and that aligns with my goals as not only a professional but as a woman. A lot of my clients are bringing real change in their communities and it warms my heart to even be part of that. I think that’s part of what sets me apart from others. I genuinely care about their stories and that’s easily visible when you work with me. It’s really not about money for me. I mean, duh, money is great, obviously, but I truly want to see people go after their passions. I love seeing people light up on camera when I ask them why they started their company. It wasn’t too long ago that I was stepping out on faith so when I see other entrepreneurs trying to go after it, I automatically want to see how I can use my gifts to help. I truly enjoy capturing great moments on camera and looking for different ways to tell even the most simple stories. I’m more affordable than most videographers because I want good storytelling to still be an option even for those without the big budget.

What advice would you give to someone at the start of her career?
I would say to that young woman to put in what she expects to get out. I have learned that it will not come easily to you. Reaching your dreams will honestly require intense focus. It’s important, to be honest with yourself about what it is you want and how much work you’re actually willing to do to get it. It’s going to take investing in yourself, whether that’s buying equipment or paying for workshops. It’s going to take staying up late to finish projects or to read that book that’s going to help you reach your next level. Most importantly, though, you are going to have to be self-motivated. You’re going to have to push yourself to get things done, especially when you don’t feel like it. Don’t wait for something or someone to motivate you. Understand that your future depends on the level of motivation that you have right now. Take initiative because if you don’t, nobody else will care to do so either.

Contact Info:

• Website: sadekay.com
• Phone: 404-946-8049
• Email: sadekayprod@gmail.com
• Instagram: @sadekaycreates
• Facebook: Sade Kay Creates

Image Credit:
Tahir Lee, Kierra King, Chris Grube and Dawson Holland

Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.