Adam Torres and Kianga Moore discuss FII PRIORITY.
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Show Notes:
Listen to FII PRIORITY coverage. In this episode, Adam Torres and Kianga J. Moore, Founder at ArtLife Holdings and Worlds Edge Media, explore media, culture and FII PRIORITY.
About Kianga J. Moore
Kianga Moore is the visionary founder behind ArtLife Creatives, a Creative Arts Agency fusing innovation and technology to empower individuals and industries through the transformative power of art. Since its establishment in 2018, ArtLife Creatives has supported a diverse range of clients—from seasoned professionals to emerging talents—helping them bring their ideas to life and pushing the boundaries of creative potential.
Driven by the belief that each person is a living universe of expression waiting to be released, Kianga encourages others to tap into their creative side. Through ArtLife, she channels her passion for artistic innovation to not only support creative projects, but to advocate for creativity as a fundamental human right.
About ArtLife Holdings and Worlds Edge Media
ArtLife works across disciplines and sectors, partnering with countless artists and pioneering industries to elevate ideas, shape culture, and promote creative equity on a global scale.
Full Unedited Transcript
Hey, I’d like to welcome you to another episode of Mission Matters. My name is Adam Torres, and if you’d like to apply to be a guest in the show, just head on over to mission matters.com and click on BER guest to apply. All right, today I have Kea Moore on the line, and she’s founder at Art Life Holdings and World’s Edge Media.
Kea, welcome to the show. Thank you for having me. Alright, so we got a lot to talk about today. So I definitely wanna get into what you’re doing at Art Life Holdings and also World Edge Media. But I guess just to get us started here I believe, correct me if I’m off on this, you were at the FII in Miami and I think you’ve attended some other ones, is that right?
Yes. I also attended the FII. Big conference in Riyadh in last October. how did you get like, introduced to, because I’m, I’m a newbie. This is my first year and I’m definitely gonna be attending and doing more. But and I’ve been doing this whole interview series. I’ve literally done, I think over 50 interviews so far from the conference and I’ve just met a ton of amazing people.
How did you originally get introduced? Mm-hmm. To the organization? Well, it happened from my work for my writing on LinkedIn, so mm-hmm. One of the, I guess representatives PR representatives, they said, Hey, I like your work. And they actually pitched me a story. And then from there they invited me to attend the media briefing.
That was in New York in September with Richard at. So I was able to have someone cover that and then that led to being invited to cover and attend Riyad. Mm-hmm. So it was based on my writing. Have you ever been to like Riyadh or anywhere in that, in that area or geography or, I. No, it was my first time.
But what was that like? That’s so amazing. I did research yourself. Mm-hmm. Well, you know, from being from Michigan, we have the largest Arab population. So for me it was very comfortable being in Riyadh. The people were very welcoming, kind. It was very clean. I felt very safe. So I, I love my experience.
I’m actually in React currently. Oh, wow. Shout out. Shout out to all to Dearborn. Right? I’m from Michigan as you’re aware. Right. So I grew, I grew up right next to Dearborn. Shout out to all my friends out in Dearborn. Love it. So that’s great. So what what were some of the things like that as you, obviously you something you know happened as you go to these conferences and it’s made some changes. I don’t wanna speak for you, but it’s made some changes in, growing your global brand and what you’re doing. So you mentioned even that you’re in Riyadh right now. So I mean, talk about this buildup. Like, like, so what’s taken place since?
Well, I, I’ve met some really amazing people. As you said, you’ve, you’ve interviewed some great people, I mean mm-hmm. The people that attend are, to me, are brilliant. Open-minded and looking to connect to, drive the future forward. So I met like-minded people and connected with them and we kept in touch and I actually ended up, doing business with a couple of the individuals I had met and actually.
Met with one of the individuals from October, so that’s who I’m, I met with now. And so they introduced me to a couple of business owners here in Riyadh that are on the creative scene. So there’s a lot of networking that happened. I met some great individuals such as the owner of Unicorn or Orco, I’m sorry, it’s a cryptocurrency company.
I ended up interviewing this first Latin woman that brought her brand to Unicorn status. So. And she even talked about how the networking at FII is just amazing. She’s like, it’s just the best. So it’s been great let’s switch it up a bit here. Talk a little bit more about what you’re doing at art Life Holdings and also World Edge Media.
Where do you wanna start this? Well, just to start Art Life Holdings is actually the parent company for my other brand. So I decided to create a brand a whole new company to she all my, brands and creative businesses. So part of Art Life Holdings is art life creatives. And so that’s where it’s a creative agency and cultural brokerage forms firms.
And so we focus on building bridges and connecting creative talent. Cultural experiences and business opportunities across global markets. So I just saw how creativity, culture, and economic development, you know, are intertwined. And that’s something that I’ve been focusing on since 2017. Hmm. And so through that, I also mm-hmm.
No, go ahead, please. Well, to continue on, I worked with Broadway as well. So my, my goal is to bring that type of experience to this region of the Middle East. Hmm. so where do you see the opportunity out there like that? Since you’ve been out there, you’re learning, you’re, you’re traveling, like where do you see the opportunity?
Well, it’s, you know, being a Riyadh I’ve been all over the world. I’ve, I’ve been in Africa as well. I’ve lived in Bene Republic for some months. So when you go to these countries that are developing it’s always like a new energy. So, with Riyad mm-hmm. They have such a specific, you know, vision, you know, as you, I know you’re familiar with 2030, that’s their vision.
And they’re really pushing their, culture and their society, into the future. And so they’re. taking a hold to creativity and, and entertainment and, expressing themselves which is something that they haven’t done before. So that’s where I see the opportunity as a creative person, even though they’re embracing technology, AI as well.
It’s still something that’s appreciated. Here is creativity and that’s something that’s being built. Hmm. What kind of advice would you give to, founders or creatives in general that like, and because I think it’s super interesting that you go out there and, and seek out these these different opportunities that, to the point to going to live other places and meeting and like, you’re definitely traveling and you’re, you’re on the cutting edge of this stuff.
I would say based on what I know. What kind of advice would you give to others creatives and you know, producers that are looking to explore new markets like you’re doing very consistently? I would say first define your core mission clearly. And just. See everything that happens as intentional, like even if it’s a pivot or if it’s a setback, look at it as a way to grow from it and then define what you want to do.
Second, I would say definitely staying solutions oriented and solving, you know, real world problems. And just building genuine relationships are also very important. I think that’s my strong suit. It’s just building relationships and connecting with people, you know, on an individual level.
And I think that’s also, that, that’s something that you could take everywhere with you and it crosses cultures and industry. So that’s another thing, just being genuine when you’re building relationships. Hmm. Now let’s take it a little bit more specifically to doing business maybe in Saudi or just, you know is any nuances there or things that you, I know you’re, you’re, you are already worldly before this particular experience, but any, nuances or tips or things, you know what I mean, on doing business in Saudi or even making it out there?
Well, I’m new to this region, but I would definitely say I’ve observed is you know, just being genuine, like I mentioned, and also just getting to know people and what they’re looking for. Not forcing your vision onto them, allowing them to tell you, this is what I’m looking to do. This is what I see for, you know, my, business, my brand, and just being more of a collaborator instead of someone that.
Saying, Hey, this is what you’re supposed to do. And because this creativity and developing this space and this region is so new, you have to allow people to also learn, but then also develop their own skillset. Mm-hmm. So giving people the tools that they need to succeed is also important, I would say, when you come to Saudi Arabia.
So, you know, you can be the expert, but you also have to pass on your knowledge and, and allow them as well to be independent and create their own lane. Hmm. And now as a journalist what drives your, creative fire, if you will, or what, what gets you going as a journalist? I love exploring new places.
I just, I love new places. I’m just like, I probably wanna move here ’cause it’s new for me, so. Mm-hmm. I lived all over the country, I mean, in the US but I lived in New York. I lived in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, all the, you know, epic centers, epicenters of the us. But being here, I just I’m just driven by.
People stories. I’m just curious about human beings. I’m curious about what makes them work. And I like to just get to know, you know, what they experience and then highlight that. Hmm. As a, as a, as a business owner, specifically as a media business owner. Like, where do you see the opportunity out there?
Like where do you see like, oh wow, this is, this could be a long term, you know, could be some for some long term partnerships or there’s, there’s like, you know, the opportunity. Oh yeah, I definitely you know, today I had a meeting that was that went really well and I just, you know, after that I left and, and, was thinking like, this is definitely something that’s long term and something that you, you can’t just like come here just overnight and like expect to take over because you’re literally building a whole new industry, a whole new culture.
So it’s gonna take patience, you know, and it’s gonna take persistence. So I would definitely I, I’d definitely say just being patient and persistent is something that’s needed with developing new, new ideas, new pathways in business. What’s one of your favorite? It could be stories, it could be pieces of content, but, you know, since you’ve been kind of on this journey, any like highlights, like, or, or works or things that you wanna talk about that you’ve, that you’ve done or are working on?
Let’s see. I, let’s see. Well, it’s something that I was really proud of. I was able to, I just interviewed Denzel Washington and wow. Congratulations. Brian’s absolutely amazing. Go ahead. Thank you so much. It was for, it was for the play Broadway play that’s out now Othello and how that happens.
Why I say relationship building is so important because I used to work as a Broadway press agent and Wow. ’cause of my relationships with. There I was able to still keep in touch, you know, with one of the, the individuals, one of my old colleagues. So she branched out on her own and, we kept in touch and I, and I freelanced and I contribute to other outlets.
And so it just ended up you know, hey, we would love for you to interview him and I, interviewed in since Washington. I was very persistent and was able to. And get that interview. So that was, something I was proud of because it took a lot of persistence and just patience and kindness and it worked out, man, that’s great.
That I’d like to hear Miss Gander’s doing it like that. That’s what I’m talking about. That’s amazing. I love it. This is great. Yeah, A smile to my face on that one. That’s for Michigan right there. I love it. Well, Kea, I mean, this has been a great, have you on the show today learning more about your work and I’m so proud just to hear and I love that, you know, spreading that message out there and getting that Michigan name, that Detroit name all the way around the world.
Like I said, there’s Detroiters everywhere, so, appreciate you coming on the show today. Mm-hmm. What if somebody’s listening or watching this and they want to follow up or learn more about your work or follow you on social or anything else how do they connect? Oh, I’m, I’m on LinkedIn. You can find me at Keon j Moore.
I just keep it simple. Amazing. And for everybody watching, just so you know, we’ll definitely put the links in the show notes so that you can just click on it and head right on over. And speaking to the audience, if this is your first time with Mission Matters and you haven’t done it yet, hit that subscribe or follow button.
This is a daily show. Each and every day we’re bringing you new content, new ideas, and hopefully new inspiration to help you along the way on your journey as well. So again, hit that subscribe or follow button. And Kea, thanks again for coming on the show. Thank you so much for having me. It was a pleasure.
