Blackfunnel:  Tell us what was your motivation behind the formation of Inner City Entertainment (ICE) Theaters and why did you choose to invest in the community? Alisa Starks:  I aspired to be an entrepreneur early in life, initially wanting to fulfill my grandmother’s dream of owning a family restaurant. She was an excellent cook, but I wasn’t. So I spent some time pursuing the possibility of opening a fast food franchise as my career as an advertising executive continued to grow. While managing African American marketing campaigns for numerous clients, I became very knowledgeable about black purchasing habits and other trends in the black community. Going to the movies was, and still is, a major activity of this consumer group. In the early 1990s there was only one first-run movie theater located in a black community – the Baldwin Theater in Los Angeles. This insight attracted me and later, my husband to the idea of developing a chain of movie theaters in other black communities. Our entrepreneurial vision was always driven by the desire to provide financial independence for us personally, but more importantly, to spur economic development in black communities. And, the development of movie theaters was consistent with that vision. Blackfunnel: Coming from Corporate America, what advice would you give young entrepreneurs trying to start their own business? Alisa Starks: My experience is in is marketing, and Donzell’s background is in investment banking. Both disciplines provided us with all the tools for launching our business. Taking a cue from the 4P’s of Marketing 101, I penned the 4P’s of starting your own business – Passion, Preparation, Persistence, and Prayer. Any aspiring entrepreneur must have a passion for the business they pursue and be willing to make many sacrifices. The must use all of their resources to fully prepare for the business, starting with the development of a comprehensive, well-researched business plan. They must persist in their efforts to execute and finance their plan, in spite of the obstacles and negative feedback from naysayers. And, when all else fails, pray for guidance and support. Blackfunnel: I know there is confusion sometimes with your ICE Theaters brand and ICEE Records. How do you set your brand apart in the Market Place? Alisa Starks:  ICE Theaters hopes to set itself apart from other cinema circuits and other businesses via its relationship with the communities it serves. Our marketing strategy is neighborhood-focused, customer-based, and entertainment-driven. We look for ways to establish close relationships with moviegoers that live within a 3-4 mile radius of our sites. It’s less about mirroring national trends and more about what makes sense for the key market areas we promise to serve. Blackfunnel: This is an old school question, how about them Aquinas sets in the day! (Aquinas was an all girls Catholic H.S. near 72nd and Jeffrey) Alisa Starks:  Those days at Aquinas Dominican H.S. were great and I had a lot of fun at the Hales Franciscan, too! Donzell and I were high school sweethearts, and he attended Hales Franciscan H.S., an all-boys school. Blackfunnel: You and Donzell (Her partner and husband) went up against Magic Johnson to win support to build ICE Theaters. You must have had a lot of faith to go up against such a well entrenched personality and business person such as Magic Johnson. Tell us about you and Donzell’s hopes and fears during this time? Alisa Starks:  The development of the Inner City Entertainment Theaters concept initiated prior to that of Magic Theatres. However, Magic Johnson solidified his relationship with Sony/Loews (now Loews Theatres Corporation) and opened his first site in Los Angeles before we inked a deal with Cineplex Odeon Corporation in 1996. The opening and success of Magic’s first theater actually benefited us by providing additional support for building movie theaters in other black communities outside of Los Angeles. Hence, when we opened three theaters at once in November 1997, ICE Theaters became the first chain of theaters to open in black neighborhoods nationwide. Our strategy for theater development has changed overtime and is different than that of Magic Johnson. Our focus is a local/regional concentration of theaters versus the national emphasis of Magic Theatres. Blackfunnel: There are a growing number of independent film makers here in “Chi-Town” that needs a viable outlet to feature their films. What are your thoughts on this area and how could ICE Theaters help? Alisa Starks:  ICE Theaters has already exhibited several independent films by local filmmakers and other independents, and remains committed to giving such films a chance on the “big screen” via four wall rentals or shared revenue agreements. In fact, on April 1, 2004, ICE Theaters screened “Hostage” directed and produced by a local Chicago filmmaker, and on April 8, 2004, ICE Theaters will host the Chicago premiere of “Emotional Backgammon,” a black British film distributed by Tim Reid’s Millennium Studios, followed by a limited engagement run starting April 16. back to blackfunnel