We had the good fortune of connecting with Kaleisha Walker and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kaleisha, career-wise, where do you want to be in the end?
Success.

That tends to be the end goal for a majority of people. But, what does success mean to you? What does it look like for you? First and foremost, it’s incumbent on you to identify and determine what success means and looks like to you before you can achieve it. Otherwise, you may spend your entire life trying to attain this noun called “success” without ever achieving it.

Success is subjective. What success looks like for one person may look completely different to the next. For some, success comes in terms of amassing wealth or breaking generational curses. For others, it may mean graduating college or landing their dream job. For many, it may mean having the freedom to do what they want and when they want. For a few, success may look like something as simple – yet difficult – as a smile. Simple? Because a smile usually comes easily and naturally for most people. Difficult? Because the kind of smile I’m referring to is a different kind of smile: a plastic smile. Those individuals have to muster up the strength every day to force that plastic smile upon their face just to power through the pain and weary-laden days. They smile knowing it’s all a counterfeit facade, yet they have “chosen to continue on.” The concept of the semicolon tattoo. Although they may not physically have it tattooed on them, they have mentally inked the semicolon tattoo on their hearts and minds. And for those souls, not only is their intentional choosing a success, but it’s also a blessing, testimony and praise report.

The moral of the story is, success comes in many forms and looks differently for everyone.

Sure, success is something I want to attain, but there are far greater things I want to achieve. There are many goals I want to accomplish in my lifetime; I have accomplished some, but there are so many more I want to fulfill before I leave this earth.

My ultimate end goal, spiritually, is for God to say to me well-done, thy good and faithful servant, (Matthew 25:21) and to spend eternity in Heaven.

Professionally, my end goal is to leave a positive impact on people, this world and be a light. I want people to say, because of Kaleisha, I dared to dream, or I was inspired to accomplish my goals and dreams, or I changed my life for the better because of Kaleisha, etc. I also want to inspire them, encourage them, and be a blessing to them. When people tell me that I made a difference in their lives, inspired them, etc., that’s what matters most. Over the years, I’ve had the honor and joy to experience this. I’ve received countless messages from family, friends, acquaintances and even strangers expressing kind, touching, uplifting messages with me. I recall some recent heartfelt messages shared with me.

– “You are so motivating and inspiring …”
– “I am blessed to know you …”
– “I love your energy. We need people like you around us …”
– “You are the kindest and best director I’ve ever worked with …”
– “You are the real MVP of this show …”
– “You make the sets much more fun …”
– “You are so kind, Kaleisha. It has been a joy to work with you …”
– “You’re the most amazing person I know, and to have a front row seat, seeing all of your dreams come true …”
– “You’ve been such a blessing to me and my family …”

That! That’s what success looks like to me.

Also, recently, I had a friend share an inspirational video with me that touched my core. The video was of a woman saying how you are someone’s walking mood boards, how you’re someone’s inspo, their Pinterest, their aesthetic. As I watched the video, tears immediately surfaced. I sat there and reflected on those powerful, profound, inspirational words and how my friend felt that way about me. It blessed me and uplifted me. I even thought, how could little ole me have that type of impact on someone?! I was deeply moved, inspired, encouraged, blessed, etc. This meant everything to me. Again, just another form of what success looks like for this soul.

There are many more life-giving messages and examples, but those are just a few recent ones I recall.

I measure success on the lingering feeling/impact I leave on people. I measure it by how I made someone feel. As the great and legendary Maya Angelou perfectly stated, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But people will never forget how you made them feel.”

In marketing, KPMs (or KPIs) refer to key performance metrics/indicators. According to Google, “a key performance indicator (KPI) is a metric that measures how well a business is performing in a specific area.” It “measures a company’s success vs. a set of targets, objectives, or industry peers.” And a company must “view” and analyze their results to determine if they’ve achieved success. Now, I would like to view this from a different perspective – from a human perspective.

V. I. E. W. K. P. M.

Now, you may be wondering what this acronym stands for?! It’s something I’ve coined. The “V” stands for value. The “I” stands for impact. The “E” stands for experience. The “W” stands for wisdom. The “K” stands for knowledge. The “P” stands for prove. And the “M” stands for mentor. These are just some of the additional things I want to bring to people and how I want to be remembered. I want to bring value to people. I want to leave a positive impact on people, as well as inspire them. I want to share my experience, wisdom and knowledge with others. I want to help people realize that you can prove anything to yourself and others; you can prove that you have what it takes to accomplish whatever you put your heart and mind to. And I want to be a quintessential mentor/example/role model to people.

The “P” in K. P. M. can also be exchanged for “people”: key people metric. Because I strongly believe that surrounding yourself with good people is key. And how you make them feel is also key. The impact they leave on your life – and vice versa – is the metric.

As a casting director, it’s not just about casting the right actor or actress for a role. Sure, that’s crucial. But, for me, it’s much deeper. It’s about helping people make their dreams come to fruition. I’ve had the honor and privilege to work with a myriad of actors and actresses during my tenure here in Tennessee. And many of them have expressed to me – on multiple accounts – how grateful and thankful they are that I gave them an opportunity to help their dreams come true by being a part of our projects. I’ve even had actors and actresses tell me how being on set is their happy place, how it helps them cope with their PTSD and mental health issues. That’s deep and powerful. Knowing that being on set is healing for them, that it’s therapeutic for them and their mental well-being, and that I played a small pivotal role, that brings me such joy, peace, solace, and happiness. That’s impact! This is a huge success for me and blesses me.

The work that I do is meaningful and matters. I don’t necessarily consider myself a status quo casting director. I strive to use my career, my role, as a platform to help others from all states and in various “states.” In the Nashville, Tennessee, area alone, there are thousands – perhaps millions – who have dreams to be an actor and/or actress. And by me having that unique, life-changing opportunity to play a small instrumental role in helping their dreams come true is something I do not take for granted or lightly. I truly take it to heart; it’s deeply meaningful for me. This is something I will eternally cherish and value. I am humbled and humbly grateful for my role and the souls I get to help on a daily basis. This is another form of what success and impact look like to me.

I want to be able to use my professional career as a platform to help bring others up, help them to accomplish their dreams and goals, and show them that they, too, can do this. I want to inspire others that they can do anything they want to; anything is truly possible. Matthew 19:26. At the end of my professional career, if my impact continues to linger and help people, that’s what success and impact would look like for me and mean to me.

Whatever success looks like to you, however it is clothed, I pray that you accomplish it and your end goal. Your goal can also help others in the end.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m a casting director and location scout for a Nashville-based media company. I’m responsible for casting talent for our films, as well as securing the locations. I also serve in other roles, such as production assistant and coordinator, wardrobe, craft services and more. And I even handle negotiating deals. As a casting director, I don’t consider myself a status quo casting director. I try to use my professional career as a platform to be a blessing to others, to help pave the way for others, and help them accomplish their dreams in this acting industry. Although a U.S.P (unique selling proposition) tends to refer to a business, an entity, I feel that it can also refer to an individual, because you are factually communicating what makes you unique and how you stand apart from others. So, as a casting director, I feel like my “U.S.P.” is my approach in building intentional relationships. I lead with compassion, kindness and positivity. I take the time to send thoughtful, encouraging and positive emails/responses. I treat everyone with respect and make them feel seen.

One thing I am most proud of is how I’ve been able to use my platform to help others achieve their dreams. It has been a blessing, so rewarding and fulfilling.

I didn’t get where I am today on my own. Just like it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a tribe to help you in this life. Sure, I had to put in a lot of work and effort, but there are others who helped me along the way, then there is the One (God) who made it all possible. First and foremost, God opened the doors, presented the opportunities, etc. Along my journey, I met this person, then that person connected me to this person, then that person connected me to another person, and so on and so forth. The power of connection. The power of people is powerful. Networking is so powerful, and I encourage you to strategically network. The people I’ve encountered on my journey helped me get to where I am. I firmly believe that God strategically and intentionally plants people in your life for a purpose.

I wouldn’t say it was hard, per se, to get to where I am today, but I will say that it required a lot of hard work, dedication, determination, patience and prayers.

A lesson I’ve learned along the way is to be patient. Patience is a virtue. As humans, it’s natural for us to want things to happen on our time. But how many of you know that God is always on time? He is! And God’s timing is impeccable. Many of us (including me) come from a popcorn generation where we tend to want things in an instant. But we need to understand the value of time and that any good thing is worth waiting for. Time is a blessing. Time is a protection. Whatever it is that we may want or pray for now, just know that God is working it out, constantly preparing you and equipping you. He wants to ensure you’re ready for it when it is the right and proper time. Many times, we want and ask for things prematurely despite us thinking we are fully ready. I feel that’s one reason why things don’t happen on our time. God knows when we’re fully mature. You can compare patience with the diamonds and pressure metaphor. Psalms 37:7, James 1:3-4, and Romans 5:4-6 are great Bible verses that perfectly demonstrate the value of patience.

One thing I want the world to know about me is that I’m just a vessel. I am on a mission to continue to seek the Lord and His purpose for my life and fulfill it. I am also a God-fearing, unapologetic Christian and lover of God, who is on a mission to help other souls. Being a helper is one of my spiritual gifts. I find delight, joy, passion and purpose in helping others. So, if I can help you along your journey, I encourage you to let me know. I am delighted to do so. God bless you.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If one of my best friends came to visit me, I’d put together a fun-filled itinerary for us. We’d explore so many of the unique, lovely places that Nashville has to offer. First, we’d need some sustenance to start and power our day. So, we’d have a nice, wholesome breakfast at a place like First Watch. Next, we’d do a nice helicopter tour over the beautiful vast city of Nashville, Tennessee. Then that would be followed by a good ole lunch and music on the marina. So, we’d go to a place like Papa Turney’s Old Fashion BBQ. Next, we’d need a little retail therapy. So, we’d do some shopping at the Opry Mills Mall. Plus, shopping after lunch would afford us an opportunity to walk off some of those calories from lunch. Next, we’d need some rest and relaxation, and what better way to do that than to visit a spa?! So, we’d visit a place like Salt and Soles. From there, it’s time for a thrilling adventure, such as ziplining, or, although I don’t drink alcohol, Cruisin’ Tikis Nashville. Or we may go for more of a chill vibe, and visit one of the beautiful and peaceful waterfalls that Nashville has to offer. Concluding that, we’d have a nice dinner, perhaps some Thai or Japanese food. So, we’d dine at a place like Koi or Eating Thai. Lastly, we’d finish the fun-filled day by attending a fun concert at the historic and iconic Ryman Auditorium or Grand Ole Opry, or go to a comedy show at the City Winery Nashville. Although I haven’t been to some of those respective places, it would be a great opportunity for me to check them out – especially with one of my best friends. That would make it an even more exciting, fun and memorable experience.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Shoutout 1: God. Without Him, I know empathetically that I would not be who I am, what I am, where I am, have what I have, or accomplished what I have. Because, in complete transparency, I didn’t even think I would be where I am today or who I am. And it’s all because of God’s goodness, grace, mercy, love, etc. that I am. And that’s something I am eternally grateful and thankful for. Praise will eternally be in my mouth. God is my Waymaker, Provider, Mind Regulator, Peace, Strength, Sufficiency, Refuge, Everything. He is all-encompassing. All the praise, honor and glory belongs to Him. I routinely reflect on the blessings God has blessed me with, the heartfelt prayers He’s answered, and I am overwhelmed with immense tears of joy and gratitude. There are an infinite number of prayers and blessings I thank God for. I attribute God for literally everything and my entire being. I wholeheartedly and humbly thank You, Lord, for Your blessings, prayers, provision, just for simply loving me, and so much more.

Shoutout 2: My mom. My mother has always been my rock, my hero, my strength, my everything. She’s the absolute strongest person I know. She helped to mold me into the strong, independent woman I am today. I attribute you for so much in my life, Mom. I know I can never repay you for what you’ve done for me, how you’ve molded me, what you’ve blessed me with, and so much more. But I pray that I can repay you at least a fraction in the form of my gratitude. I pray that you always see how grateful and thankful I am for it and you. And I pray that I am proving this to you on a daily basis. Because what you’ve done for me, Mother, is absolutely priceless – what I like to call priceless blessings. Thank you from the depths of my heart and soul, Mom, for being my mom, for your unconditional love, unwavering support, and so much more. I love you beyond measure, Mother. I wholeheartedly thank God for you.

Shoutout 3: Family and loved ones. You all mean so much to me and have contributed to my success, accomplishments, etc. in some way, shape, form, capacity or manner. And I do not take that for granted. Your family and loved ones are your core people, help to keep you grounded, and more. I’m incredibly grateful for my strong, loving family unit. Family is a blessing. I appreciate each of you and thank you for your unconditional love and unwavering support. I love you immensely. I truly thank God for you.

Shoutout 4: Friends and mentors. I am grateful for my friends and mentors. I firmly believe surrounding yourself with good, positive, successful people, friends, mentors is vital for your success, goals, dreams, career, and your entire being. I strongly encourage you to always surround yourself with people who support you, who want to see you succeed, and who have the same goals. Being around like-minded souls can help contribute to your success, and those are the types of people you can attribute to your success.

I’m a firm believer that every person you encounter is intended to teach you something; they serve as a “teacher” in a sense. That person can teach you either good or bad. For example, if you meet someone who owns an incredibly successful business, and you aspire to become a successful entrepreneur, then that individual can serve as a mentor to you. He or she can teach you lessons in entrepreneurship. This is someone you certainly want to surround yourself with. On the flip side, if you meet someone who is constantly in and out of trouble and on the wrong path, then the lesson there is it may be best to distance yourself from that person. And it’s incumbent on you to discern the two, the difference, the lessons. People are in your life either for a reason or a season.

As Jim Rohn said, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” So, it’s critical that you’re surrounded with people who are a benefit to you – not a detriment – who are going to make a positive difference in your life and help guide you on the right path.

I strongly urge you to surround yourself with like-minded individuals. Rally behind your people. Good, positive, successful people can truly change the trajectory of your life, and this is something I can personally attest to. To all of my friends, positive influences, and mentors, thank you for your encouragement, guidance, and support. I am forever grateful for you. And I sincerely thank God for you.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaleishaw/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaleishawalker

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kaleisha.walker/

Image Credits
Photo credits: John Ross Foy and Kaleisha Walker.

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutTennessee is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.