159: T. Moore (Doer House)

T. Moore on Innovation City

If I can come and leave the world a little better than I left it, than when I was here, then my job is done. – T. Moore

Welcome to Season 3 of Innovation City, a podcast featuring innovators, creators, and disruptors to discover how business is changing in the modern world.

Created and produced by SLAM! Agency in cooperation with Venture Cafe St. Louis and Venture Cafe Miami, Innovation City gives you an inside look at how rapidly business and culture are changing thanks to increasing diversity and inclusion, heightened creativity, and a stronger and better-connected business community. Venture Cafe is the largest combined gathering of entrepreneurs and innovators anywhere in the world. Events are held every Thursday in St. Louis, Miami, and other leading innovation cities around the globe.

Today’s guest is T. Moore, Creative Director at Doer House. Doer House is a brick-and-mortar concept and retail space for Black creatives. T. Moore is an entrepreneur and artist, who specializes in experiential design. In this episode, T. Moore sits down with the team to discuss the Black creative movement, offline vs. online presence, his advice for young entrepreneurs, and much more!

They discuss:

• Changing the narrative around Black culture, and how it fuels his work
  • Impact and access are a main focus
• Being a super dad
• African American fashion in St. Louis
  • Identified a void in the field of Black designers
  • Produced Sweet Seven Fashion Show featuring models and designers of color
  • Starting small, and stick with it – minimal growth keeps you humble
• Being inclusive, not exclusive
• Doer House
  • Challenges of the Black creative movement
  • Making the space a reality for people, for retail and for concept
  • Provides access to those who didn’t have options before
• COVID-19 put the plans on hold for opening Doer House
• Marrying offline and online
  • People get caught up by perspective
  • Offline primary, social secondary
  • You need to have an offline presence
  • Can you remain authentic and consistent?
• How the pandemic and quarantine has made people long for real interaction
• Designing experiences to enhance connectivity
  • Multi-functional, multi-sensory content
  • Attacking people who don’t always get it
• Advice for young entrepreneurs
  • Be responsible, be honest
  • You might have to keep your day job to fund your hustle
• Connect with Doer House at www.doerhouse.com and on all social media @doerhouse
• Contact T. Moore at www.tmooremedia.com and on all social media @tmooremedia

Lightning Round:

1. What is something new you recently tried and loved?
   • A kangaroo burger, although I actually didn’t like it. But it was new.
2. What makes you lose track of time?
   • Being behind the camera, and editing video.
3. What makes you feel loved?
   • My kids.
4. What is a defining moment in your life, and how did it impact you?
   • An internship my senior year of college, which led to another opportunity the following year.
5. What did you learn from your biggest regret?
   • You have to be able to live with your choices.
6. Who is your hero?
   • My mom. Her passion for support.