Voyage Atlanta 2024

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jan Levie.

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?

Business for Good People

Handy Entertainment creates and produces experiential activations for leaders and innovators.

How I got to be the way I am

Disclaimer: Most of this is based on contemporary American (US) unspoken rules of comportment. I’ve had the opportunity to work in many different fields, with all kinds of businesses, and people. The reason I do things differently is probably because I’ve been granted the grace and space and time to try things out.

My Background

I did theater. When you have a theater habit, you learn many skills and take on lots of jobs that help you support yourself.
Here are just a few of them:
Nanny, Cook, Secretary, Translator, Interpreter, Journalist, Writer, Proofreader, Copywriter, Director, Stage Hand, Editor, Designer, Carpenter (NOT a good fit!), House Painter, Industrial Cleaner, Waiter, Bartender, Hotel Maid, Receptionist, Tutor, Tour Guide, Model, Development, and Sales
Some of the kinds of companies I’ve worked for:
Finance, Banks, Government Entities, Big Law, the Military, Music Industry, Production, Festivals, Film, Education, Language Academies, Retail, Not-for-Profit.

Why it matters

Why mention it? Working in systems gives you exposure to different ways of doing things. The same thing goes for working in different cultures.

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?

Challenges

We find, train, and hire people with physical, emotional, and intellectual abilities and pay them well. What that means is that it is still legal in many states for people with disabilities to be paid less than minimum wage. It is called Sub-Minimum wage. The rate of compensation is not contingent on workers’ abilities or their production. Although legislation to change this on both state and federal levels has been proposed, it is still legal.

Contact Info:

• Web: https://handyentertainment.xyz
• IG: https://www.instagram.com/handyentertainmentatl
• FB: https://www.facebook.com/handyentertainment.xyz
• LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janlevie
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@handyentertainment5746
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/handy-entertainment-atlanta

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?

We produce unique, interactive event entertainment for social and corporate events and source all relevant auxiliary event needs from our trusted partners, drawing primarily from vetted and diverse businesses.

Interactive Entertainment

Interactive entertainment provides measurable ROI for branding, launches, and promotions. Capture attendee data and information, create active engagement with B2B, B2C activations.

How it Helps

Draw attendees to your event, special occasion, booth or business, increase spend, brand awareness end segmented communications.

Specialties include cross-cultural, multi-generational events. Build diversity, brand loyalty, celebrate differences. Technology can be embedded in attendee take-aways. We create customized interactive entertainment that can simultaneously educate your guests about your organization’s achievements and capabilities and increase your visibility and reach.

Accommodations

We are able to produce entertainment that is perfectly suited for people with sensory issues and other forms of neurodiversity.

Multi-cultural competency is important. Everyone we work with is trained to recognize and positively address cultural differences in a way that makes all guests feel respected and welcome.

Language and Handy Entertainment

Our very first event that was cancelled due to the pandemic was our Zoltar Fortune Teller activation scheduled at Ponce City Market for event professionals. We had engaged an American Sign Language translator to work with Zoltar to demonstrate ways to address inclusion around silent disabilities.

Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?

Be true to yourself. There is always going to be a moment where you have to decide if you are going to go along with everyone else, or if you need to step up and speak up.
Trust me on this—the stakes will always get higher.

Values

You have to know what’s most important to you and what you will not tolerate.

Know your live and die by. There’s a reason people set their guiding principles. Know yours. Check in with yourself—do you live them or do you just mouth them?
Keep those who inspire you close.

Inspiration is rare. Do the work.
Always give credit to those who help you.

People don’t do what you tell them to do they do; they do what they see you doing.

Always show up. Someone dies. People do that, you know. Show up for the bereaved. It’s the least you can do. If you don’t know what to say, then say that.

Writing cards is good for you, no matter how shitty your handwriting is. My handwriting is not good. So what?

Thank you is the most important sentence. You don’t have time to journal, keep a gratitude list, or any of that other stuff they tell you to do. Say thank you.

It’s all in. If you are in a play and you belch, that belch is there. If your pants split, it’s real. Acknowledge reality. Work with it.

Be generous with ideas. Yes, people will want to “pick your brain.” Picking my brain is not an option. We can have a discussion.