MY WORKPLAYCE: LEKEITH TAYLOR
Name: LeKeith Taylor
Location: Brooklyn by way of Chicago.
Occupation: Idea Engineer and Visual Architect (or at least that’s what I like to call myself)
Affiliation: Nike, Dime Magazine, 94×50
Background: LeKeith is a brand strategist, upon many things. One thing about him is that his story is very unique. One that you hear about in movies, and one that you can appreciate. Born and raised in Chicago, LeKeith and came to NYC in 2005 without a job, without an apartment, 2 bags of clothes and a one-way ticket. Since then, he’s landed gig’s at Nike, 94×50 and Dime Magazine. Recently, LeKeith has branched off to do his own thing as a freelance consultant; providing everything from graphic design to marketing strategy and development. Upon his success in New York, LeKeith holds other unique credentials; he’s played in the NCAA basketball tournament, featured in MTV’s True Life Documentary, captain of my 1st place NRF basketball team, and one hell of a daydreamer. And I forgot to mention, he too is a world traveler. Enjoy.
What’s on his desk:
1. Blackberry: You know that saying you never truly miss something until its gone? I can’t go anywhere without it – meetings, gym, club, you name it. My dependency on it is a little sickening to be honest.
2. The Richest Man in Babylon: Good book to reference chapters. Helps me focus in on what my financial goals should be, something we can lose sight of pretty quickly as young adults.
3. Monocle: Best. Magazine. Ever. If you don’t know, get familiar.
4. Diesel Watch: I copped it back in 04 on my first visit to NY. A true conversation piece to this day because of its unique and mesmerizing design. If you know me, you know that I have a gazillion watches. Timepieces are my vice. Love ‘em like sliced bread.
5. Designer’s Color Manual: Helps me get through those pesky design challenges. Had no idea color theory really existed.
6. Obsessive Branding Disorder: A solid book dissecting the illusion of branding – what it really means and what it doesn’t. Nice compliment to Marty Neumeier’s “The Brand Gap”.
7. Basketball: My first and only true love in life – now second to my son. I’ll play basketball until there’s no more breath in my lungs.
8. Mario De Janeiro Testino by Mario Testino: Amazing photography book I found at this small coffeeshop/bookstore in Ipanema. As an aspiring photographer and world traveler, this book soothes my fix for both. Sound boring right? Well, the shots of Giselle before she was Giselle aren’t. And yes, that’s her on the cover.
9. iPod: My affinity for music goes back to mom cranking tunes all around the house when I was a kid. There’s 9,000+ songs on there.
10. Action Stickers: I’m a huge sucker for great stationery. And the Behance brand of Action Stickers, Action Tab and Dot Grid book are some of my favorites. I use ‘em every day.
11. The World’s Coolest Hotel Rooms: Looking for some design inspiration? Chic, modern hotels are always a great source as they usually commission some of the most talented designers and architects from across the globe. There’s so many great designers outside the US as this book illustrates.
12. Small Business Guide: As a budding entrepreneur, I’m always looking for additional resources. Great ideas are meaningless without great execution
Q. What do you do now? Are you still @ the NIKE ID Studio?
LT: Still doing marketing and design, but rocking solo these days. There was great synergy with the Nike Studio but I’ve branched out to focus on a few freelance projects and establish my personal brand. Sometimes you gotta take a step back to get two steps ahead.
Q. So you’re trying to tell me you only had 2 bags of clothes? I never see you wearing the same thing twice… What pieces of clothing did you pack?
LT: Haha, yeah man true story. Two bags of clothes. Kind of amazing in hindsight because I’ve acquired such a massive collection of random ish in my apartment. LOL. But when I came I packed a suit, jeans, some shirts, my Jordan IVs and a pair of dunks in one bag. And a bunch of random documents in the other bag. After about two weeks of wearing the same clothes, I had my mom pack a huge box and ship it to me. And the rest is history.
Q. What made you leave the Chi for NYC? What aspirations did you have for the big apple?
LT: Chicago will forever be home but I’ve always aspired to live somewhere else. I felt it was both important and necessary to broaden my horizons and live outside of my comfort zone. Once I came to NY to visit a buddy, it was a wrap. I was actually in grad school at time going into my second year and dropped out immediately. The city had my name written all over it and I knew moving here would reap experiences I wouldn’t have gotten otherwise. 5 years later, best decision I’ve ever made. Hands down.
Plus there was a challenge attached to it as well – I knew if I could make it and be successful here, I could make it and be successful anywhere.
Q. Other than Yao Ming, you must admit, I’m the nastiest Asian you’ve ever seen grace the Court. How has basketball shaped the way you are today?
LT: I’m forever indebted to the game of basketball. The game and everything that surrounds it has afforded me some pretty amazing opportunities in my life and career – from playing in the NCAA tourney to being featured on a MTV: True Life doc to meeting the Dime Magazine crew and getting my first sports-focused gig. I feel like basketball is really a snapshot of life. It teaches you fundamentals, discipline, toughness, joy, pain – all things you experience in life, so in a way it kind of prepares you for the challenges out there. I think LeBron’s “More Than A Game” movie translated that message well. Of course being good at basketball helps also. If I were a bum on the court, I don’t think you would’ve asked me this question.
Q. There are definitely some books I’m going to ask to borrow, what kinds of books or magazines do you enjoy reading/collecting? Any quick tips for me to be “The Richest Man in Babylon Brooklyn”?
LT: Well I subscribe to Monocle, GQ and Fast Company. But I read Wired, Surface, Complex and a few others as well. Books are my weakness though. I could spend hours in the bookstore. There’s so many gems in there.
As far as being The Richest Man in Brooklyn? I’d say don’t focus solely on money. Focus on being passionate about life and the things you do, and that energy you send out will attract financial compensation at some point. A wise man once said, wealth is of the heart and the mind. Not the pocket.
Q. I love the wide array of product and inspiration. What kind of design do you do, or like to do? (Graphic design? Photography? Paint?) Where do you like to pull inspiration from?
LT: I do mostly traditional graphic design – logo/collateral packages, print ads, digital banners but I’ve since graduated more on helping individuals and brand with not only design needs but integrated marketing strategies, development plans etc. Design is only one piece of the puzzle.
Q. How many stamps do you have in your passport? and I know you have a crazy story or 2 in there. Do tell.
LT: I have 7 stamps but I’ve been to 9 countries (Argentina, Brazil, Trinidad, Netherlands, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Canada and Mexico).
I think one of the craziest stories had to be Puerto Rico – it was my first international trip so I was a virgin to the travel game. Long story short, I spent the first couple days in Rincon and on my drive back to San Juan I went looking for some hidden caves I’d heard about. Boom! I get lost in the middle of PR and eventually find my way back to San Juan about 3 hours later. Once arriving at the hotel they tell me they don’t have my reservation on file. Meanwhile my rental car was past due, so I leave the hotel go drop off the rental car and had to take public transportation back to the hotel….through the PROJECTS! Finally get back after getting off at the wrong stop and walking another 3 miles. The hotel finally gives me a shitty room and charges my card. AGAIN.
Later that night management upgraded me to a penthouse suite with full ocean view. I’ve never slept better in my life.
Q. What places are still left for you to conquer?
LT: Morocco, Portugul, Easter Island, Italy, Thailand, the list goes on.
Sometimes I catch myself daydreaming about cruising the Amalfi Coast on a Viking Sport cruiser with French models. We’re sipping champagne mojitos, I got my Ray-Bans on and Sperry’s kicked up listening to Biggie’s Victory. LOUDLY.
Now that’s a hell of a daydream
Q. What the hell are action stickers? and what do you use them for?
LT: Haha, action stickers are little to-do stickers you can peel apart and stick on anything like magazines, notebooks, project proposals, etc. Do I need them? No. But they’re a cool little accessory.
Q. What are your top 5 Favorite brands? and why.
LT: Well there’s a lot of brands out there that I enjoy but these five are incorporated into my staple with a collection of other pieces I have.
NIKE – I don’t think can even convey my love for this brand. Growing up in Chicago, seeing the greatest basketball player become a global icon with the greatest line of footwear EVER…right there in your city, on your television every night, winning championship after championship…..its indescribable. I was in heaven and Nike could do no wrong in my eyes. I drank the kool-aid.
RRL/Rugby – Ralph Lauren is really on to something with these two. RRL’s collection of vintage pieces and accessories are top notch and Rugby just kills the game with their lineups. Rugby has become a little more mainstream and slightly trendy but If I had to choose one designer to wear the rest of my life – it would be the Ralph Lauren umbrella – Purple Label, Rugby, RRL, Polo. I’m good.
Uniqlo – They have an amazing mix of style, comfort, fit and affordability like I’ve never seen before. Sure there’s brands out there that does each one of those elements better but not as a collective. I love Uniqlo. Someone’s doing their job over there.
Levi’s – Classic. Timeless. Versatile. You can never go wrong with a pair of Levi’s. They have a range of silhouettes for all body types and great product assortment. At 6’4″ I need that.
Alfani – Their pima cotton crews and v-neck tees are HEAVEN. They wash well and maintain the same fit and color afterwards. I feel like people don’t put enough emphasis on undergarments. Its the closest thing to my body most of the day, so there’s a lot of value in buying a premium product. Hanes just doesn’t do it for me.
Q. What’s the one thing you learned from your color theory book that you didn’t know about before? RED=Bloods, Blue=Crips right?
LT: Haha, I think the biggest thing I’ve learned is how individuals interpret color differently. For example, you may see the color blue and it reminds you of the blanket you had as a kid or I may see blue and think about a disgusting pair of blue Patrick Ewing shoes my mom bought me. But generally speaking most people digest color with a similar visual system, but its those subtle differences you have to be keen to. Things like analogous and progressive colors. Sounds weird but its kinda cool.
Q. By the looks of things, you’ll be redesigning the world one city at a time, where do you see yourself in 5 years?
LT: Getting paid handsomely for my opinion.
Q. I noticed you dot com’d yourself… what can we expect to see on your website? Anywhere else we can find your works?
LT: The site will be a focal point for my personal brand – integrating relevant content about LeKeith and the work I’ve done, along with a blog to serve as my creative voice and outlet. I’m not reinventing the wheel, just trying to shine it up a bit. As we’ve entered a tremendous shift of digital evolution, the manner in which we communicate and engage each other has changed radically. I felt there was a lot of value in branding myself and creating additional awareness.
Branding = identity. Identity = Perception. Perception = value.
Q. For those trying to make the same leap you did from one city to another, what advice would you give them? and only 2 bags?? REALLY???? LOL
LT: Dont’ be afraid. Just focus on your vision and forget a Plan B. Know in your mind that Plan A is going to work and there’s no other
