Rising Stars: Meet Leia Avery

Today we’d like to introduce you to Leia Avery.

Hi Leia, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I was very shy growing up and playing board games helped me overcome my shyness. I always had a passion for fun experiences, when I was a little girl at the age of seven, my dad made a swing in the backyard using a tire and hung it from a tree. That made me decide to create a carnival, I charged my neighbors .50 to play games such “throw the ball in the bucket” similar to the Bozo Show.

My dad’s side of the family was full of entrepreneurs, I knew that’s what I wanted for myself, I had a number of different entrepreneurial endeavors which started during my sophomore year in college. It wasn’t until 2009 when I found that my purpose was in games and entertainment. One of my favorite card games was Taboo, I found a way to recreate the game using words from the hip hop culture and adding trivia to give it an urban twist. I had test plays at work and everyone loved it! My first card game was titled “Catch My Drift” I attended toy/game expos to learn how to get the game manufactured and ordered 1,000 copies from China. I sold the games at a kiosk I rented at two local malls in my hometown of Chicago. I sold 10,000 copies in less than 16 months. We were featured at the New York Toy Fair and Chicago Toy and Game Expo where it was awarded as one of the “Top 10 Boredom Busters” by Mom’s Choice.

I saw a need to host game nights since people would tell me they never found the time to play the game purchased. I realized that adults are so busy with life and responsibilities that they don’t take time out for fun. I feel that fun is as necessary as water is to live! We solved that problem by launching “Just Play Entertainment” in 2013. The feeling I get when I see people enjoying themselves is priceless. This is not your average game night, not only did we feature Catch My Drift, but also a variety of games that brings back nostalgic fun, such as; The Feud, Giant Jenga, Jumbo Uno, Musical chairs, etc. It was an adult playground!

I rebranded Catch My Drift to Hip Hop Charades in 2016 and incorporated Just Play Entertainment. We now have a game and event production company providing a product and a service. We create card games for retail and host fun-filled events to provide an experience to remember!

I decided to build a team and we started hosting corporate team building events to help improve employee productivity for companies such as McDonald’s, AT&T, Deloitte, Abbott and much more. Just Play also facilitates personality assessments and team-building activities to boost employee morale and help increase a corporation’s bottom line.

I decided to scale the business to more locations and moved back to Nashville (I graduated from Tennessee State University) since I knew I had a support system here. My ultimate goal was to host events in Atlanta as well, which we have successfully!

By 2020, I was rocking and rolling with hosting monthly game nights, private birthday celebrations and team build in three cities.

I was also getting booked to host Hip Hop Charades as an icebreaker on stage at the Essence Fest, Cincinnati Fest, Ski Weekends, etc. Hip Hop Charades was featured on WCIU’s The Jam TV Show, VH1’s Black Ink Crew Chicago and social media platforms such as Baller Alert, Rolling Out Magazine and HBCU Lifestyle.

We are excited about the new additions to our business model. We recently launched a consulting firm to help inspired game inventors design and produce their own games under the Just Play brand. We’ve also launched Just Play Travel for group travel vacay getaways. The launch that we are most excited about is the Hip Hop Charades Remix card game and app crowdfunding campaign starting in August 2021! Keep updated on our current events and game releases via FB, IG and Tiktok @justplayentertainment @hiphopcharades www.justplayentertainment.com

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Covid-19 came at a time we were planning to expand our reach to Alabama and Memphis. Business slowed down dramatically and actually came to a halt. I thought that my business was over and that I would have to work a 9 to 5…until a customer reached out to see if we could host baby shower games. This was our sign, we took full advantage and pivoted to hosting virtual events and even produced Escape Rooms and games for Teens. We’ve hosted virtual events for Jack and Jill of America chapters from all over the world. Just Play was recognized by “The Look Chicago” as one of the top 10 companies to celebrate special occasions during the pandemic. “Chicago Magazine” featured Just Play Entertainment as the best substitute for pub trivia. Just Play’s virtual games are a great idea to help celebrate special occasions, keeping families and friends close during the pandemic. People were bored in the house, so game sales increased! I decided to go live weekly via FB and IG to play Battle of the Sexes Hip Hop Charades, this also helped to lighten the mood and has brought out a fun competitive energy during quarantine!

The pandemic has given us an additional stream of income and has taught me to look outside the box! The income received from virtual events kept us afloat, however we still have a reduction in over 30% of our income since we haven’t started back hosting in person events at 100% yet and the virtual events are decreasing since people are back outside. The transitional time is a bit stressful, however we are looking at the bigger picture and maintaining partnerships so that we maximize our business model. We were blessed to receive over 10K in grant money from Mielle Organics and Coalition to Back Black Businesses.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m most proud of my creativity and ability to adapt towards trends. I’m known for creating fun experiences and inspiring others to be the best version of themselves. My personality is what sets me apart from others since I am not only a game creator but I am an entertainer! I’m constantly challenging myself and learning new ways to show my creativity thru technology.

Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
1. To this day, I am still shy… but you can’t tell since I push myself to shine. I never let my fears stop me from taking a chance. If more people would confront their fears, it might lead them to their passion and purpose.

2. My first entrepreneurial endeavor: I sold mixed CD’s (compilation of Hip Hop & RnB songs) from local DJ’s in Hickory Hollow Mall during sophomore year in 2001. I was so successful it upset the competition, Sam Goody reported me to the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) and my lease was terminated. This was right before the Napster era when downloading music was illegal under certain restrictions.

Pricing:

• Virtual “B” Day Games starts at $150 Includes Happy Birthday Serenade, Toast, Invite, Virtual Background and Prizes
• Contact us for pricing on corporate and personal events.
• Hip Hop Charades digital games starts at $10.00
• Hip Hop Charades Entanglement and Stay Woke Expansion card decks starts at $24.95

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.JustPlayEntertainment.com
• Instagram: @justplayentertainment
• Facebook: @justplayentertainment
• Twitter: @justplayent
• Youtube: @justplayentertainment
• Yelp: https://biz.yelp.com/home/f0kBY-UY3uThWdcOwSRxsw/?utm_campaign=claim-flow-y4bweb&utm_content=login-cta-header-btn&utm_medium=y4bweb&utm_source=y4bweb-header