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

Hi Naima, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking

Taking risks may not have always had the outcome I’d hoped for. But it took me out of my comfort zone & one step closer to my goal.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I guess you can say I grew up in the theater. My father was a playwright, so I was always at rehearsals, shows, etc. But acting never crossed my mind as a career path until about 10 years ago. I realized the 9-5 world I was in, wasn’t for me & I needed a way to channel my creative energy. As a child, I always loved pretending & dressing up. Through the suggestion of a friend, I landed a stage audition one day & I knew; this was what I wanted to do. I think what makes me different is I am genuinely interested in people’s stories. So having the opportunity to become a vessel to portray a character and honestly tell their stories is really important to me. I remember one of my acting coaches saying “this is not a job you should be doing if you don’t absolutely love it”. It’s because it’s not for the weak. And the rewards can be far & few, so you have to actually enjoy the work. I feel I learn a little bit more about myself with each character I take on.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m a big foodie, so we’d have to do a restaurant crawl. There are so many great spots with different cuisines in LA that it’s sometimes hard to choose. But topping my list would probably be The Griddle Cafe for brunch (I’m a sucker for pancakes) & Mother Wolf for dinner. We can’t forget the obligatory hike; I like Griffith Park’s trails. And of course the beach, pick one! There are also great live music events and street fairs happening on any given day. So we’d definitely have to check those out.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Definitely my parents. They have always supported me in whatever endeavor I chose; whether it was leaving corporate America to pursue a creative career or starting a business from scratch. I’m pretty sure that’s where I inherited my free-spirited nature; so I think they fully understood the need to answer your inner calling.

Website: Under construction

Instagram: @nyeema

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