Brilliant Or BS? was created by Kimelia Weathers, youngest daughter of legendary film star Carl Weathers, better known as “Apollo Creed.”
Ok, that was BS. Kimelia is actually a TV challenge producer who turned her joy for hosting game nights for her friends into a career developing challenges for reality competition shows.
Now, she has her own trivia game that proves that it’s not what you know, it’s what others think you know! We caught up with her to find out more about her business and entrepreneurial journey.
What inspired you to start your business?
One of my absolute favorite things to do when I’m with my friends or family is to break out the board games for some friendly competition. I’ve always appreciated how games can bring us together and help us forget about the troubles of the world, even for an hour.
I began hosting regular game nights but got tired of playing the same old games every week. It wasn’t until I saw the success of an independent card game like Black Card Revoked, that I realized I had all the skills to create my very own classic game too!
With the support of friends, family, and an online community of generous supporters, I was able to bring the game to life through a Kickstarter campaign in 2019.
How did your background working with TV game shows help you develop this product?
As a producer on TV game shows, I’ve learned which elements make a game not only fun to play but also fun to watch. My job is to constantly come up with new ways to challenge contestants, so I set out to develop a game I knew my friends and I could have fun playing for hours.
I made an early version of “Brilliant or BS?” using notecards and tested it with a few different groups and coworkers. The initial response was amazing and since then I’ve seen that people of all backgrounds enjoy the game because it appeals to our basic human nature.
What differentiates your product from the other games that exist?
Brilliant or BS? is a party game unlike any other. It’s the only trivia game where you don’t need to know anything to win. Once a question is read, each player secretly inputs an answer then explains to the group how or why she knows her answer is correct.
Players earn points by predicting who actually knew an answer and who was just pretending to know. The fun comes in being creative and trying to trick your friends while also avoiding being fooled yourself.
Where do you see the business in 5 years?
In 5 years I see the game being a global sensation with various international editions and expansion packs available. Beyond what’s sold in stores, there’ll also be a TV show or digital series featuring celebrities playing the game in front of a studio audience.
My dream is to watch my favorite funny people (Kevin Hart, Tiffany Haddish, Regina Hall, etc.) play Brilliant or BS? and try to fool one another by making up crazy stories.
What is the most challenging and the most rewarding thing about being an entrepreneur?
The gift and the curse of being a first-time entrepreneur in a new field is that there is no blueprint to follow. On one hand, you can chart your own path, but on the other, there’s no step-by-step manual for success. There are definitely growing pains that come with starting something for the ground up.
I launched the business with only the help of my husband, so it’s just the two of us handling everything from product design to marketing to fulfillment. Luckily, we’ve been able to turn every loss into a lesson and utilize what we’ve learned to grow the business every day.
They say “build your own dream, or someone will hire you to build theirs.” The most rewarding thing is going to bed every night knowing I invested in myself and making my dream come true.
What advice do you have for aspiring entrepreneurs?
Ignore the voice in your head that tells you it’s not possible just because you’ve never done it before. We’re all put here to fulfill our purpose. Focus your energy on something that you love to do that also helps others. If you have an idea that won’t go away like an annoying itch, keep scratching!
That’s usually the universe telling you you’re on the right path. Also, learn to swallow your pride and ask your friends to help. When you have a dream, you’d be surprised how many friends and complete strangers want to help you succeed. You just can’t be afraid to speak your dreams into existence and accept help along the way.
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