In the latest installment of our Columbus Creatives: A Day in the Life series, we talk with Keya Crenshaw, a Columbus native who balances her time between being a CEO and writer, as well as an actor and creative consultant. We admire the variety of creativity in her life, and dedication to make it all happen!
Hello everyone. I’m Keya Crenshaw, the thirty…something CEO of Black Chick Media, LLC, a local creative agency that educates, empowers and advocates for creatives. I was born in Columbus proper, but have called Reynoldsburg home since high school. I attended The Ohio State University (Go Bucks!), and am currently looking at graduate schools in New York and London. To know me is to understand that I have many creative outlets including writing (I currently have a play in the works), acting, and pretending to be a comedienne.
Morning
I hate alarm clocks, and endeavor never to have to use one. Of course, that’s not realistic. To get up and get going, I generally rock out to my Apple Music account with some Childish Gambino, Solange, or Kendrick Lamar (catch me in concert in my car!). Then, it’s time to navigate the endlessly backed up 70 West like a boss and head downtown. As with most creatives, I feel like I never live the same way twice. My mornings can vary whether I’m meeting with local creatives and grabbing a New Orleans iced coffee and egg sandwich (oh, go on then throw in a cinnamon roll too!) at Fox in the Snow, or heading over to Roosevelt Coffeehouse to set up shop and blog for the day.
Afternoon
I’m at my very best in the afternoons. If I’m not enjoying a nice cuppa (tea, that is), and macaroons at Pistacia Vera, I’m having lunch at Katzinger’s or First Watch. Then, I’ll most certainly have a meeting with a client, spend hours on social media chatting with far away friends, scoping out and promoting programming, and planning my next travel adventure. Yes, definitely planning my next trip, which is usually some glorious mix of business and pleasure. Is it almost 5pm? Oops, definitely time to head back East to avoid the horrific rush hour traffic (when oh when will Columbus figure out the traffic situation?).
Evening
So, if I started my day downtown, chances are I didn’t make it out by 5pm. Whew! To avoid said traffic, I’ll hop over to Marcella’s Short North for happy hour, or Bakersfield for the mahi tacos. If it’s time for some self-care (and let’s be honest, when isn’t it?) you can catch me at the W Nail Bar getting a mani/pedi, practicing yoga at Replenish: The Spa Co-Op, or getting fancy fresh at Nicole Revish Salon. Most of the time it’s theatre season for me, so I’ll probably be at rehearsals with PAST Productions Columbus or at home, practicing lines and writing my play with a glass of Watershed Four Peel gin in hand.
