Making Movies with Faith and Hustle: The Tri Destined Story with Trey Haley | S06 E09
Trey's story begins in Arlington, Texas, an only child raised by parents who were high school sweethearts. His father became a criminal defense attorney, his mother worked in sales, and Trey grew up with deep Texas roots and big dreams. He attended Lamar High School, played the trombone, taught himself keyboards, and knew early on that entertainment was his calling. When it came time for college, Morehouse felt like destiny. He had the stickers on his car, the shirts, the vision. But Morehouse was the one school that rejected him. Frustrated, he tried Southern University, then DeVry in Atlanta, and eventually landed at the University of North Texas studying radio, television, and film. But one year before graduation, Trey made a bold decision. He left college and drove to Los Angeles with his father, a U-Haul truck, and $700.
In this episode, Trey shares what it was like navigating LA with a nine-to-five job he hated, missing work to chase opportunities on set, and finally getting fired after totaling his car. He was doing background work, trying to stay connected, when everything shifted at craft service on a music video set. A conversation with director Darren Grant about breaking into the industry led to mentorship, connections, and Trey never working outside the entertainment industry again. Four months into LA, he met his future business partner Andi Brown at a networking event in Leimert Park, and together they built Tri Destined, a faith-based production company rooted in the belief that you create your own destiny through action. With the financial backing of Andi's parents who believed in their vision, they started making films, grinding through editing gigs, background work, and small projects until the consistency paid off.
Trey's story shows why success is not a key, it is a combination. You have to unlock the right mix of faith, hustle, relationships, and timing. From their first film Room for Seven made for $25,000 to The Man in 3B with Carl Weber, which marked their theatrical breakthrough, Tri Destined never stopped working. Now, with six seasons of The Family Business on BET and spinoffs like Family Business: New Orleans and The Black Hamptons, Trey reminds us that sometimes detours are divine interventions. Tune in as we witness how one man turned a car accident, a chance conversation at craft service, and unwavering faith into a production company that creates jobs, tells Black stories, and builds a legacy rooted in purpose.
Connect with Trey Haley
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/treyhaleytds/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/treyhaleytds/
Website: https://tridestined.com/
Connect with Curtis:
Website: https://www.uncoveredlegacy.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncovered_legacy_podcast/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/curtis.burke.1088
More About Uncovered Legacy Podcast:
The Uncovered Legacy Podcast is where storytelling is not just left at the kitchen table. Many of us walk through life leaving a silent legacy, but we're here to change that by keeping those stories alive. Each tale will allow us to learn, discover, listen, and remember.
Join your host, Curtis Burke, for a trip around the world, through the smallest towns, biggest cities, oldest communities, and overlooked cultures. Because no matter where you're from, your part of history deserves to be heard.
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