Industry veteran Taye Diggs has come a long way in the entertainment industry.

In an email interview with AFROTECH™, “The Best Man” actor reminisced on his early career, sharing how he spent his first paycheck as an actor. With three decades in the industry, his first role was “Carousel” in 1994, with his big break coming four years later in “How Stella Got Her Groove Back.”

“I remember I bought a tailored suit from the then fashion icon, Barney’s. It took me a while to switch my mindset from so-called immediate needs and wants to having more of a ‘full picture’ perspective that takes the future into consideration,” he recalled.

Portfolio

He acknowledges that financial management is an ongoing learning journey. However, his strengthened understanding of long-term planning has paved the way for him to step confidently into investing.

“I’ll be the first person to admit I’m still learning when it comes to managing money. I’m excited to extend my finances into the real estate space. It makes sense to me and seems to be an investment that keeps its stability,” he commented.

Diggs is also expanding his portfolio into the spirits industry with the launch of Sable Bourbon, joined by his “Best Man” castmates Morris Chestnut, Harold Perrineau, and the film’s writer and director, Malcolm D. Lee, Essence reports.

The drink contains notes of mocha, dark chocolate, and oak-forward medium spice, according to its website.

“Creating Sable has been a journey and celebration of our long-lasting friendship, each bottle tells a story, and we can’t wait for people to share in those stories as they enjoy our bourbon,” Diggs said.

Power Of Social Media

Beyond his budding business moves, Diggs has also cemented himself in the social media space with 3.4 million followers collectively on Instagram and TikTok, where he has also generated 12.5 million likes.

While it has allowed fans to get an inside look at Digg’s playful personality, it also serves as a platform to amplify his various projects and partnerships which recently includes Lysol.

“I love that I can just be silly and show people another side of myself that maybe they don’t know. As a recovering control freak, it’s so great to just have something in my head, do it and then see it. There’s a sense of gratification there,” he explained. “I’ve also found that I can show fans a closer look on what I’m working on and partnerships that I care about. Through my partnership with Lysol, I created the Germ Zone Essentials Packs, which help fans enjoy at-home game days while stocking up on the essentials to protect their home. Fans can receive their own Germ Zone Essentials Pack this college football season by commenting #LysolGermZoneSweeps on content posted by @Lysol on Instagram.”