LIghts. camera.
Social Enterprise
by Matt Jackson
Many times great ideas strike when least expected. In Thomas Q. Jones’ case, inspiration came while relaxing on his couch at his home in Miami, Florida. Two years and one coastal move later, Jones is CEO of Castar (pronounced, “cast-er”), the app that looks to change the way the entertainment industry works.
It’s like Tinder for creatives,” says Jones, who now calls Hollywood his home.
According to its website, Castar serves as “an app-based community for creatives, talent, artists, entrepreneurs, and anyone inbetween.” Artists build portfolios that feature their best work--whether it be acting reels, artwork, or writing samples. On the other side, agents, casting directors, or anyone looking to hire talent can use the app’s incredibly intuitive platform to find the perfect fit for their creative needs.
ABOUT THOMAS Q. JONES
Thomas Q. Jones was drafted seventh overall in the 2000 NFL draft and played 12 highly successful seasons as one of the NFL’s most dominant running backs. Now Jones has turned his attention to the entertainment industry as an actor, producer, and entrepreneur. In Miami, Jones added a film division to his music production company and began acting and producing his own television show. Jones saw the need for a more seamless and artist-driven way to connect creative types, and through that Castar was born. Launched in March of this year, it currently has over 2,000 users.
HOW IT ALL HAPPENED
Jones didn’t develop the idea for Castar alone. True to what one would expect from an elite NFL athlete, Jones speaks exponentially more of his team’s contribution to the project than his own. Of Joel Robinson, president of the company, and Sky Powell, COO, Jones relays that “they’re like my little brothers; they’re super smart and the backbone of the business. We’re like family. They’re brilliant.” Long nights of brainstorming ensued in 2014 as Jones, Robinson, and Powell spent countless hours in Jones’ Miami home writing out wireframes and putting together the details that would later become Castar. “We didn’t leave the house for a week and a half. We set a camcorder up and recorded everything. Someday that tape will be worth something,” he says.
Once the deck was set, Jones presented it to SDSol, a Coral Gables, Florida-based company of designers and programmers who immediately jumped at the chance to develop the app. “They understood what we wanted to do,” Jones says. SDSol has a strong pedigree in video game development, and that’s one of the things that stood out to Jones. “Once they added their video game expertise, the way it moved and functioned was incredible. Most apps are work. When you go to Castar, it’s fun.” Not that it’s all play and no work--the overall design is to put the artist’s best foot forward and connect people who are ready to work together. Castar’s CTO Azam Malik still resides in Coral Gables, and Jones says their working interaction on the app continues to be seamless regardless of it being bi-coastal.
Jones and his team have moved into a fund-raising phase in order to improve the app with what he refers to as “game changers.” Up to this point, Jones has personally funded the entirety of this venture’s bankroll, and it’s clear that this is more than just a business- -it’s personal.
“I want people’s dreams to come true,” he says through a beaming smile. Jones continues, “I want Castar to be a legitimate tool for creatives. It’s not a social network- it’s a social enterprise.”
"It's like Tinder for creatives"
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"Social Enterprise"
"It's like Tinder for creatives"
"It's like Tinder for creatives"
APP
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