- 9 hours ago
Category
🛠️
LifestyleTranscript
00:00What up, though? It is Leisha B, and we are back with Detroit Culture Shifters.
00:04And this one, this one feels, dare I say, should have been the first one.
00:08Because when you think of Detroit and you are a transplant like me,
00:13there's a few things that you do.
00:14Either you Google search to your ends meet,
00:18or you search on Instagram like the smart person would.
00:21And you've probably come across a little page, you know, called Detroit Fines 313.
00:26Period.
00:26And we've got the lady behind all of the greatness.
00:32We've got...
00:35Inkem.
00:35Inkem.
00:37We've got Inkem with us today.
00:40How are you?
00:41I'm great. Thank you so much for having me.
00:43I'm excited because, like I said, your page was the literal first page that I found.
00:47Period.
00:48And I was like, oh, so us black girls can have fun.
00:51Absolutely.
00:52And we can have fun and be business ladies.
00:54Because on top of that, you've had like a full transition in the past year.
00:59So I want to just talk about the beginnings of it all.
01:03So what made you start Detroit Fines 313?
01:06So back in 2019, 2020, before the world exploded, a lot of people were leaving.
01:12I was in that phase where I graduated college.
01:15A lot of my friends were leaving Detroit to like start their new lives in different states
01:19and different cities.
01:20And I was here.
01:21I was like, I really didn't really feel the need to leave.
01:24Like, why am I leaving?
01:25Unless if something was pushing me to leave, I didn't really have a reason to leave.
01:28Right.
01:28So for me, I'm always like, make the best of what I got.
01:31So a lot of people were saying like, oh, there's nothing to do in Detroit.
01:35Detroit is dead.
01:36But like, for me, there's always something to do.
01:40We just got to go ahead and look for it, you know?
01:42And that's where Detroit Fines came from.
01:44Like, there is things to do in Detroit, but you just got to find it.
01:47And I feel like that's always been a common thread that I've been hearing from people
01:52who are from here, where everyone outside of the city or outside of the state are like,
01:57Detroit sucks.
01:58Like, what's going on?
01:59There ain't nothing to do here.
02:00And then I get here and it's popping.
02:02Especially now.
02:03Why do you think that that's the case?
02:07People aren't looking.
02:09People aren't looking.
02:10I feel like in cities like Atlanta, Houston, it's easier to find the things to do because
02:15it's out there.
02:16It's in your face.
02:17Detroit, maybe we need to do better with social media or just like word of mouth.
02:21But like, it's out there.
02:23If you don't want to find it, that's why I created my page.
02:25So it's a resource for you to just like go ahead and just, it's easier to find.
02:30Well, you have plenty of people who have found you as a resource.
02:33Over a hundred thousand people, girl.
02:36I'm surprised myself.
02:38What do you mean?
02:39Your content is amazing.
02:40It's amazing.
02:41I didn't create it to go viral.
02:43I never would have expected for me to be in the rooms or for me to be in the spaces
02:48that
02:48I've been just from just having fun and showing my, my, my viewers what I was doing, you know,
02:54because I'm a nurse, like I'm, I'm a registered nurse.
02:57So like, um, on my off days, I would like, just like go out and do something fun and like
03:02showcase it to the world and then it will go viral.
03:04Right.
03:04So like, I never, I never, like when I started Detroit Fines, it was never to go viral.
03:08It was never to get to this point, but I'm thankful.
03:11I feel like you just kind of tiptoed over something period RN registered nurse.
03:16Hello.
03:17Yes.
03:17How are you able to balance such a time consuming and very, very serious job with a time consuming
03:23and kind of unserious, but very serious at the same time business that you created at
03:28the same time?
03:29Yeah.
03:29So I would say time management.
03:31Um, like when I was working, um, like three days a week, 12 hour shifts, um, on my off days,
03:37I made it a point, like I'm waking up cause like I worked midnights, so yeah, that's, that's
03:43one thing too.
03:43Cause like, by the time you wake up, the entire day is gone.
03:45Right.
03:46So, um, work midnights will come home at like eight, 8 AM, um, make it a point to wake up
03:52at 1 PM so I can go to like a restaurant or a fun, fun little outing.
03:56I didn't record, make sure that the next day is edited and it's posted.
03:59So I feel like me continuing to do that, um, for the, I made it a point, I made it
04:04a goal
04:04for me to post for three months, three days a week consistently.
04:09And that's when, um, eventually it became Detroit Fines.
04:12I know that's right.
04:13Given discipline, discipline, time management.
04:16And I think that that's such a crazy skill to have because once you have discipline, I
04:20feel like a lot of things open the doors for you because again, the fact that you went
04:24to work at midnight and did not get off until eight and still were able to make consistent
04:28content three times a week for three months.
04:30Yeah.
04:30That's a lot of work and I, it makes me really upset when people downplay content creation.
04:36So I also wanted to ask you, what is your process when it comes to deciding what you're going
04:42to do from like pitching or conceptualizing to when we actually see the video go up?
04:48Like, what is the process for you?
04:50Um, for me, um, well, before I start, um, I wanted, I kept on looking like, oh, I want,
04:56why isn't there a page where like, I can find cool experiences or restaurants.
05:00And I was like, okay, let me just create my page.
05:03So I've, I'm in a mindset of like, what would the, what would someone coming into Detroit
05:09want to do?
05:09You know?
05:10So for me, I think of like fun activities.
05:13I think of like cool aesthetic restaurants.
05:16Um, once I find a place, I go there, record, shoot, edit, and then post.
05:22Do you typically like tell people who you are?
05:25Cause I know sometimes people will go in blindly and not have like the corporations or the restaurants
05:31know it's them.
05:32Yeah.
05:32Do you explicitly say that it's you when you're walking in?
05:36So when I first started, it was me just going into restaurants or going to new, um, cool
05:40places that I thought it was cool and just recording and, um, posting.
05:44But now I get a lot of more inbounds.
05:46Like people are coming to me for collaborations.
05:48So, um, obviously if you're coming to me, you know who I am.
05:51Right.
05:52Right.
05:53But if it's like a place that I want to go to, usually I just like, I, I don't tell.
05:57Just pull up.
05:57Yeah.
05:58I just pull up.
05:58I know.
05:59That's right.
05:59Yeah.
05:59So because you are the Detroit queen, you know, what's up?
06:03You need to tell me what is like one of those discoveries, one of those food spots or one
06:08of those gyms that surprised you the most where you're like, Oh wait, no, I got to keep
06:12this in the Rolodex for me to keep doing.
06:14Okay.
06:15Um, I would say Afro future.
06:18Did you, did you get, did you get to go to Afro future?
06:20I didn't this year, but I'm absolutely going this upcoming year for sure.
06:24Afro future, Afro nation.
06:25We have never had anything like that in Detroit.
06:27Like, especially as like a Nigerian American, like coming, like living in Metro Detroit.
06:33Like we never had anything like that come here at most African artists.
06:37They always go to like Chicago to go to Houston.
06:39They go to Atlanta.
06:40There wasn't really a reason for them to come to Detroit.
06:43So the fact that they had it too, it's a tooth or three consecutive years of them coming here.
06:47That's huge.
06:48And it was packed.
06:49So that's the one thing that really like opened my eyes.
06:53Like, wow.
06:54I feel like that's also like a running thing where when experiences do come here, they end
07:00up being lit.
07:01Lit.
07:02And it's like, why don't you see that?
07:04Yeah.
07:04And just continue to make more experiences like that?
07:07Because I didn't even know that Afro future got here until it was in my face.
07:11And I said, wait, I didn't get a ticket.
07:13Yeah.
07:13What's happening?
07:14All my friends are outside.
07:16What's going on?
07:17Yeah.
07:18No, it was definitely an experience.
07:19So, yeah.
07:20So between being a full-time creative and now operating solely on Detroit Finds 313 now,
07:27what's one lesson that you've learned while you've been building this community support
07:31and trying to be visible?
07:34Being consistent as well as having systems in place.
07:38For me, I just kind of go with the flow.
07:40Like, oh, I'll reach out to this person.
07:41I'll reach out to this company.
07:42I feel like now I'm being more consistent with, like, coming up with a schedule, coming
07:49up with a time for me to pitch or hiring or bringing somebody in to help me outsource
07:54all that jobs so I don't have to do it.
07:57Right.
07:57All that work so I don't have to do it.
07:59So it's more so, like, creating systems, bringing people in, and being more organized.
08:04And has that been hard for you?
08:05Because I feel like as someone who wants their hands on everything, having to, like, delegate
08:11things to other people, it's like, that's my baby.
08:14Don't mess it up, please.
08:15I know.
08:15Yeah.
08:16That was me initially.
08:17Like, I was like, okay, I can do this all by myself.
08:19Right.
08:20And, like, I can't.
08:22It's becoming too much.
08:24So, yeah, just being more inconsistent with that.
08:27And, like, yeah.
08:30You've already hit some major goals for yourself, but are there goals that you're looking to
08:35accomplish in 2026 with Detroit Finds 303?
08:38Yes.
08:39So my community of experienced seekers, I just created that.
08:43And I love it.
08:44I love it because I'm an experienced seeker.
08:46I love it.
08:48So those are a group of individuals who love experiences, love getting out there, doing
08:52new things, new and cool things.
08:54I'm now going to be transitioning that into a series of events that I'll be hosting.
08:59So that's what I'm working on for 2026.
09:02I know that's right, because you did one, forget her name, but you did a vision board
09:06event recently.
09:08Yes.
09:08I did that with Detroit Bloggers Collective and Do Dream On.
09:11So we typically collaborate on events to bring influencers in to these businesses and just
09:16kind of just, like, get together, fellowship, and then also put out content.
09:20I love that.
09:21I love that something that you necessarily weren't expecting to create is now starting
09:27to be, like, even more tangible.
09:28Yeah.
09:29Because besides just social media, you can actually see your experienced seekers in person,
09:33and they'll be able to go on the journey essentially with you.
09:37Yes.
09:38How incredible is that?
09:39I'm so excited.
09:41Okay.
09:41So do you have any advice for people who are trying to get into content creation, specifically
09:47when it comes to making Detroit highlightable?
09:50Like, what are you, what would you share to these people?
09:53Yeah.
09:54I would say pick a niche and stick to it, because, like, social media doesn't really like
09:58when you have a whole bunch of everything everywhere.
10:01One video is going to go viral, and people are going to want to consistently see that
10:04same sort of videos on your page.
10:06So I would say pick a niche and stick to it.
10:08Be consistent, because I feel like a lot of people start social media or content creation,
10:13and then they stop.
10:14They get discouraged by the views.
10:16They get discouraged by the engagement.
10:18They get discouraged by, like, the vanity metrics that we place upon ourselves, because
10:21obviously we want to be successful.
10:23Right.
10:23But, yeah, just be consistent.
10:26Don't worry about the views, just post, because you love social media or content creating.
10:31And, yeah, be consistent, pick a niche, go for it.
10:35So with you having such a major platform, and I'm going to assume your metrics are eating
10:40down, how do you maintain, obviously still wanting those great metrics, but also still
10:47catering to, no, this is what I want to do with my page.
10:50How do you balance the two?
10:52It's definitely hard.
10:53Because I feel like my follower count has been at one number for months.
11:00But, like, I go on threads, and people are complaining about the same thing.
11:03So maybe it's just a thing that Instagram is just, like, cutting down on the spam followers
11:08and accounts and whatnot.
11:10But it definitely gets hard.
11:12Sometimes I'll create, like, fire content.
11:14I'm like, this is going to go viral.
11:16And I'll get, like, five views, which is crazy.
11:20I'll get five views.
11:21But I feel like if you love the art, you're going to put it out regardless of, like, how
11:28it looks like.
11:30Sometimes content doesn't take off until, like, months later.
11:33Right.
11:33You know?
11:34So just don't be discouraged.
11:35And that's one thing I've been trying to tell myself.
11:38Like, just put out the content.
11:39The right people are going to see it, and they're going to love it, and they're going to share
11:42it.
11:42And that's all that matters.
11:44And I, again, as someone who has used your page multiple times, I can tell you that you're
11:50killing it.
11:51I appreciate it.
11:51I watch it, girl.
11:52Yeah.
11:52I've been saving because there are some places that I absolutely will be going because of
11:57your recommendation.
11:58Because most of the time when I'm like, oh, it's on this page, T, it's great.
12:02Yes.
12:03And I think that you've created a community of experienced seekers who not only identify
12:09with you, but also feel like you identify with them.
12:13Yes.
12:13And I think that that's why you are different from other, I guess, platforms, because you
12:21don't just feel like someone who's just pushing content out to me.
12:25It feels like you're one of, like, I could go to an event with you and feel like it's
12:29fine.
12:29Yes.
12:30And I feel like you wouldn't lie to us either, because I feel like a lot of people might,
12:34you know, dibble and dabble in that lane.
12:37Yeah.
12:37And a lot of people will be like, oh, you're lying.
12:39Like, sometimes I'll, like, post a food review.
12:41They'll be like, oh, I went there, and it sucked.
12:43I'm like, well, I liked it.
12:45Right.
12:45When I went there, it was fun.
12:46It was great.
12:47I loved the food.
12:48So I feel like, yeah, a lot of people are like, oh, you're just lying.
12:53You're getting paid.
12:53Da, da, da.
12:54I'm like, no.
12:54Never that.
12:55She's true to it.
12:56I'm true to it.
12:57And because you were nominated as a Detroit culture shifter, I want to know who you are
13:03passing the flowers on to.
13:04Who do you think are some Detroit culture shifters?
13:07So I have three.
13:08Okay.
13:08So the first one is Justice Oshio Yee.
13:10He is the founder of Detroit.
13:12It's a magazine that supports.
13:15Oh, wait.
13:16I think I follow them.
13:17Yeah.
13:18So him, I would say D'Andra Brown from Nursing from the D.
13:23Obviously, I'm a nurse, too.
13:25So that's a part of an organization that she founded.
13:28And also Umelo Oyenjiaka.
13:31He is the founder of DevOps Detroit.
13:34So it's a tech group.
13:36Yeah.
13:38They're doing great things.
13:40I'm not going to lie.
13:40I've heard of all these people.
13:42Yes.
13:42You're tapped in.
13:44We're all doing great things.
13:45I love it.
13:46Well, I want to thank you for being here.
13:49I want to thank you for what you have created.
13:50I'm very excited for it.
13:52The Experience Seekers IRL.
13:54Yes.
13:54And is there anything that's coming up that you want to share with our listeners?
14:00Yes.
14:01So I would like for all you guys to just follow me on Detroit Fines 313 on Instagram, TikTok,
14:06Facebook, threads.
14:09And just be on the lookout for my Experience Seekers events.
14:12It's going to be a lot of fun.
14:14Well, thank you so much for being here.
14:16And again, follow her at Detroit Fines 313.
14:18Detroit Fines 313.
Comments