Today we’d like to introduce you to Ante Smith.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
The journey for me started at a young age. Having roots from the inner city of East San Diego to Southeast San Diego, I have always been influenced by the culture. From the Music to the Fashion to Hustling. Being the younger brother always gave me something to look up to & strive for, but also being taught to think for myself gave me the confidence to step out of those shadows and become independent-minded.
In 2004 I purchased my first set of Turntables from a friend & immediately got to work with them. I mainly did house parties & private events, but that quickly led to spinning at some of the biggest clubs & concerts around the city. This really helped me build a name for myself and fuel the hustler in me. Entrepreneurship came to me naturally because I was always taught to go for what I wanted & make a way out of no way. So starting off as just a Dj put me in a position to work with many recording artists, radio shows & even release some collaborative projects. Being that as a DJ, you’re always in the limelight, so you want to always stay on point with fashion. That also brought a small obstacle because my brother and I were/are bigger guys and we didn’t want to settle for the “basic” fashion that was readily available at the time. This fueled our desire to create a fashion brand that also catered to plus-size men. In 2006 my brand Reign Supreme Clothing was created. Some of the designs were outsourced, but my “do it all” mentality drove me to learn the design programs and start bringing my own visions to life.
I’ve never been one to run from a challenge, so when it comes to putting my mind to something, I always give me my all. By this time, I’ve already been involved in many different forms of artistic expression, but the need for visuals became very important as well. I picked up the camera in 2014-15 and have been shooting ever since. Another learning curve that was somewhat of a struggle, but after staying consistent and staying focused, I’ve made a big name for myself behind the lens. It also led to working for some amazing companies as their creative director designer, amongst other titles.
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?
I quickly learned that every road has its ups and downs and entrepreneurship is probably one of the toughest roads to take on. Everyone wants to be their own boss and work for themselves, but not too many understand the amount of work that is needed. I am self-taught with everything that I have started, so when you have no basic knowledge of the business that you’re entering, it’s so much more of a struggle that you have to overcome. Understanding that one day you will get the hang of whatever it is, but the journey of now building that business is still going to be an obstacle.
I’ve mostly chose careers where your own artistic expression is what shows the most, so there isn’t an exact mold to follow, but presenting it professionally and making it appeal to your target market is where the struggle can arise. You want to sell, but you don’t want to “sell out” in order to do it.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Aside from the many hats that I wear and all of the jobs/ talents that I’ve set out to do, I believe I am most known for just being an all-around dope creator. From DJ’ing and interacting with diverse crowds all around my city to know being called “one of San Diego’s top photographers” in my industry, it shows that my work is being received in the way that I meant for it to be.
I’m most proud of my family and my upbringing. Without any of that, I wouldn’t have the motivation and drive that I have today. My kids are what really gives me purpose in life to never give up. Not to mention how they constantly keep me on my toes when it comes to fashion, music and what the world considers cool from their eyes. Overall, I’m just proud to be able to do what I love and be a motivation to others who are possibly looking to do similar things. I didn’t much help or really any for that matter when starting out, so I am always willing to give advice to others. One of my favorite saying is “experience is the best teacher” because you can go to school listen to success/ unsuccessful stories, but you never really know what it takes until you’re in the seat yourself. You’ll never if you can fly unless you take that leap of faith. Logical thinking, planning and not being someone who easily gives up is that sets me apart from a lot of people. Entrepreneurship is one of the biggest challenges you will face, so you can definitely be ready for a roller coaster.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
The best advice I would give is to surround yourself with like-minded individuals. Put yourself in a creative space or allow your ideas to run wild, but be realistic at the same time. A major plus is that we now have so many online avenues for research that you can see what has worked or not worked for others. Not to discourage you or fully make your mind up, but to give you real insight on how you can do things differently. Going with my gut feelings, as well as knowing my target market has helped me tremendously. As I said before, I am a product of my upbringing and I for sure like to incorporate certain things into my work.
Contact Info:
- Email: shotbykali@gmail.com
- Website: www.ReignSupremeClothing.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/weReignSupreme
- Other: instagram.com/shotbykali
