Today we’d like to introduce you to Indi Tyton.
Indi, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Thanks so much for revisiting my story! So much has happened since 2019! As I have shared previously, I am an International Singer/Songwriter and Filmmaker who creates, produces, and sells music and films. I am also a Business Psychologist who focuses primarily on the Entertainment Business in the areas of leadership/career development and entrepreneurship.
Since our last interview, I completed my doctoral degree, moved back to Los Angeles during the pandemic, stayed for three years, and relocated back to Atlanta in the Summer of 2023. During my time in Los Angeles, I leaned into finishing up a web series, my company, Famous on Purpose, LLC, produced, entitled “Love: The American Way (De La and Abiola’s Story)”. The series was being filmed here in Atlanta early 2020 but the COVID-19 pandemic caused production to end. We eventually made the decision to edit the existing footage and submitted it to film festivals. Thankfully, the project was an Official 2023 Selection of the prestigious Pan African Film + Arts Festival in Los Angeles.
Musically, I decided to put releasing new music on hold during the pandemic to focus more on advocacy and leadership development through my organization, Entertainment Leadership Academy. During a very troubled and uncertain time, I realized that making a difference in the Arts community beyond commerce needed more of my attention. I will definitely be circling back to creating music soon and am excited about the possibilities.
We all face challenges but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Aside from navigating through and surviving the COVID-19 pandemic, One of the most challenging obstacles that I had to overcome since our last interview was actually finishing all of the processes related to earning my Ph.D. Writing my dissertation was not the issue. I am very fortunate to have been trained to write well very early in my academic career. Most people who have survived the dissertation process (the dropout rate is approximately 50%), know that being done with everything does not always mean that you are finished (or PhinisheD)!
That story will be saved for one of the books I write one day. I will say this, if it is something you are considering, enter into it with the understanding that your timing and your committee’s timing can be totally different! I am extremely thankful for my faith, being resilient, and having supportive family and friends.
My dissertation is entitled “Leadership Self-Efficacy of African American Women Corporate Leaders and Entrepreneurs in the Entertainment Industry”. My research examined the leadership self-efficacy of African American women who work in leadership roles in the entertainment industry and how their mentorship experiences may have contributed to their confidence levels as leaders. Initially, my study focused on all women, and I learned a great deal about the plight of all women in both corporate work environments and as entrepreneurs. Over time, I realized that I needed to narrow the scope of my study for the sake of time.
Conducting research on the entertainment industry in an educational setting where no one else was exploring a related topic made it a lonely road at times, yet I am so glad that remained steadfast and completed everything!
Those challenges solidified the approach I wanted to take for Entertainment Leadership Academy moving forward.
We’ve been impressed with Entertainment Leadership Academy, LLC, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Entertainment Leadership Academy, LLC (ELA) is a start-up organization that focuses on Leadership Development for Creatives and Entertainment Professionals. The organization was created because I saw a need for creatives to learn about leadership (which is not the same as management) and how they can apply those lessons to be effective leaders of their own creative businesses. We take a holistic approach, realizing that the interconnection of art, business, and the health and wellness of the community we serve is extremely important in sustaining a long-term career in entertainment.
Our initial classes and group trainings center around the area of Self-Leadership.
These classes will include:
*Leadership Self-Development for Creatives.
*Leading Creatives: For Entertainment Professionals who work with Creatives.
*Leadership and Stress Management in the Entertainment Industry.
*Leadership Self-Development for Teen Creatives
What sets ELA apart from other organizations is that the leadership training we offer, not only comes from a place of experience since the organization is led by an artist/entrepreneur, but the program also takes a research-based, psychological approach to leadership development, specifically for those who work in the industry.
ELA adopted the slogan “It’s Your Art. So, It’s Your Business!” with the goal of motivating creatives to obtain the leadership training they need and deserve in order to create longevity in the entertainment industry.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
When I started out, I wished someone had sat down with me and discussed the business of being an artist. I had fears of being a “broke artist” and those fears took me down several outside career paths, only to find myself missing the music and film industries. I would suggest seeking out mentorship and joining arts organizations that can help you feel a sense of community.
For artists to really be able to sustain themselves, having the proper mindset is vital. You may have to get a 9 to 5 job until you get your business going, yet it does not have to be conventional. You may have to use your other skills and talents to keep your life going until your creative business can financially support you. It is not a fun thought, yet for a lot of people, it is their reality.
There are many creative ways to support yourself with your art as well. There are LOTS of artists supporting themselves this way. The key is to think of yourself and your art as a business and it has to be set up properly. Invest in yourself to arm yourself with the tools to help bring your dreams to fruition! You can do it!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.entertainmentleadership.org
- Instagram: @indityton
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/indiadgaston/
Image Credits
Headshot-Neva Hodges