SOULER Stories

Broderick Hunter – The One-Shot Journey of a Supermodel: Deep, Thoughtful, and Driven

If you know anything about Broderick Hunter, you’d think “supermodel who’s expanding into acting”. And with more than a quarter million Instagram followers, you would think influencer as well.

You might not guess he grew up riding bulls and had a pet pig.

Or that he studied to be an EMT, and had a promising athletic career ahead of him, only to be cut short by an injury just when things were finally getting good.

Most of all, you may not know how deep, thoughtful, and driven a human being Broderick is.

Broderick (@broderickhunter) shares his story with George Manley (CEO & Co-Founder of SOULER), along with special guest host Christopher Holland, an intimate conversation recorded a few miles outside Austin Texas during SXSW. We sat near a lake “campfire style.” If you listen closely, you may hear the coyotes howling in the background. Presented by SOULER.

In this story:

• A career of fashion 7 years, braced into acting,
• Being open now, peeling off old skin, trying something new
• Having two parents with different ways of loving and showing love
• Not identifying with black friends as much and being seen as a loser, and how he got along with a lot of people but wasn’t popular, just existed, not super deep friendships—yet most popular people peaked in high school
• How Broderick only started getting a better understanding of himself in recent years
• Lessons he learned from playing ball, and studying to be an EMT
• Broderick’s brief college athletic career – not getting recruited by schools he wanted to be seen by because he was overshadowed by coaching decisions,  and how he ultimately didn’t end up withs schools he wanted to go to
• Getting hurt in a athletic camp that finally was where he wanted to be recruited, and having to ultimately to attend Jr. College
• A year of finding himself, and a depression
• Growing up in Houston, riding bulls and a pet pig
• Those three free-throws that made him realize he. didn’t want to play basketball anymore
• Getting recruited as a model
• The initial photos as a model that moved well across the Internet
• Why his dad didn’t want to support him,   when Broderick got his first magazine cover, and how his parents were hurt he left them out of his journey
• Deciding he needed agency, how Christopher Holland came into the scene
• His. early stages of becoming a supermodel, and how Broderick’s original manager died of cancer
• Promoting how he starts from the inside out, expanding on who he is as a person
• Being objectified instead of a person while trying to make a good impression
• Having one shot to make it
• Coming into the business before social media and having two work harder
• Being sexually approached in a job situation , and why people will surrender
• Know yourself, be honest with yourself
• What the #METOO movement did
• Always mindful that he possibly doesn’t have as many opportunities as a black man, doesn’t want to do anything to mess that up
• How influence has translated into Broderick’s success
• Authenticity and how that connects with Twitter following and his desire for showing different layers off himself

Obi Nwankwo – Good Energy and No “Plan B”

When it comes to actor Obi Nwankwo, it makes sense that the word “actor” comes from the Latin equivalent of “doer”.  His personal philosophy revolves round putting as much positive energy into the world, and his focus on how our focus becomes your reality—and the law of attraction.

Obi shares his story with George Manley (CEO & Co-Founder of SOULER) in the MouthMedia Network studios. Presented by SOULER. 

 

In this story:

• How athletics helped Obi overcome his introverted tendencies
• Obi’s early side hustles in college running an entertainment company
• Why Obi decided to set out to LA and pursue a career in entertainment and modeling
• The prominence of social media platforms as the primary way people interact
• The trial and error approach to building a following on social media
• Obi’s colorful approach to branding
• How Obi built a following of 40,000 users in 18 months
• Ways to use, but not abuse, hashtags and searches in Instagram to gain visibility
• The company Obi runs with his sister
• The socially-conscious upcoming films Obie is set to appear in
• How Obi found the confidence that’s led to his recent film roles
• The role faith plays in Obi’s life
• Obi’s life philosophy of putting as much positive energy into the world, and why conversely some people who only put out negative energy still manage to be successful
• How his father’s departure impacted Obi’s life trajectory starting at age 11
• The shift in how faith and organized religion are perceived in light of the current social and political climate in America

Betsy Pearce – Her Own Path

Betsy Pearce is a high-flying “legal eagle” in the fashion industry, and has been called one of Some of her notable work involves big names you likely know. But to know Betsy herself —  she may not may not fit squarely in a box as a”stereotypical” lawyer. She’s much, much more. Fashion’s 50 Most Powerful.

Betsy Pearce shares her story with George Manley (CEO & Co-Founder of SOULER) in the MouthMedia Network studios. Presented by SOULER.

 

In this story:

• Why Betsy is a proud Minnesotan and why values are important to her
• Growing up during the Nixon administration compared to living through the Trump administration
• Community versus Tribalism
• What Betsy believes is her best quality and what that has to do with her successes as a lawyer
• The struggle to find a career path that is challenging and rewarding
• Betsy’s early work in entertainment law and doing consultant work
• How Betsy came to practice transactional law for some of the biggest fashion brands in the world almost by chance
• The challenges of being a lawyer tasked with keeping a famously rebellious designer and artist to agree to a deal
• Betsy’s perceptions of Alexander McQueen and Kate Spade professionally and as people
• Mental health and the lack of proper attention it is paid, culturally
• The effect social media has for people who operate as figureheads, especially those who battle depression
• A dramatic story where Betsy gets lost on a mountain in Telluride 

Klarity – Acting with Influence

Some people seek influence and succeed. And some stumble upon it, and wield it mightily. Greg Davis Jr. —— known widely as Klarity—(with a K)—never set out to become a global special media heavyweight. But this spoken word artist, actor and comedian has built a powerful following, and true influence, both on Instagram and in entertainment.

Klarity shares his story with George Manley (CEO & Co-Founder of SOULER) and special guest host Christopher Holland in the MouthMedia Network studios. Presented by SOULER.

In this story:

• How a crush on Twitter led to Klarity discovering Vine
• The backstory behind Klarity’s artist name
• How a hiatus and a need to stretch his creative muscles again led Klarity to using Vine as an exercise
• The trend of social networks losing their way when their founders step away
• The differences between race and cultural background, and how that affects someone’s potential in the entertainment industry
• The Parallels between Spike Lee and Woody Allen
• The apparent limits on the number of prominent black actors in Hollywood at any one time
• The issues of accountability and prejudice, and when the wrong people seem to get away with everything
• Klarity’s childhood in Orlando and how a drug deal gone wrong changed his life trajectory
• The way the American Dream is marketed and how it affects those who grew up in poverty
• How people grow through having to live through resistance and adversity
• Cultural appropriation and how companies attempt to brand people selectively
• The issues Klarity and his partners, all POC, have faced in trying to raise money starting their fitness/tech company, Novo Fitness Innovations
• Novo Fitness’ goal to bring EMS equipment to consumers who ordinarily would be unable to afford such equipment
• The cultural tendency to denigrate the classes or races of people who represent the hardest working communities
• How Klarity’s own influences have shaped him into someone who has a platform to influence others
• How the social movements to take down industry heads who break the social contract is a sign of a deeper societal change

Haley Findlay – Woman of Influence

A consultant who helps small brands build, how her very early connections with social media players led to a successful business, and why with 100k followers within reach, and despite looking and acting like an influencer, she doesn’t see herself as one…

Haley Findlay, Travel Entrepreneur, Co-Founder at Exclusively Social, and Founder at Findlay Client Services, shares her story with George Manley (CEO & Co-Founder of SOULER) in the MouthMedia Network studios. Presented by SOULER.

In this story:

• The narrow needs and wants of brands from influencers
• How do you add impactful followers to your niche
• Blending physical and digital influence
• Her background in event planning and its impact on her current endeavours
• The secret sauce to building your follower base
• How she does not consider herself an influence but a woman of influence
• Her custom men’s apparel business and her original dream of schooling in NY for fashion design
• Her women’s empowerment initiatives and its root in her close group of friends
• How the loneliness of entrepreneurship lead her to start Exclusively Social
• Men vs Women, who’s easier to work FOR, who’s easier to work WITH
• The major differences between Gen Y and Z, and how that will impact brands and influencers
• How Gen Z is looking to connect with brands and each other in a collective manner
• Gen Z’s desire to be a part of change
• The rise of micro and nano influencers: a brand’s cautionary tale – what power do you have to control the message?
• How and what is genuinely authentic?
• Her use of her platform to uplift, empower and inspire
• Shifting her niche away from travel and into business
• Calling out Spencer at Super Charge
• Leveraging personal contacts and personal social media to create unique opportunities
• The Death of the Influencer?

Marigay McKee – Influencers in Retail

How traditional retail thinking about influencers in the social commerce space, how retail is evolving from brick and mortar into commerce and the future of retail is digital but the future of brand is physical, and how transitioning into advisory and philanthropic roles has provided additional insights…

Marigay McKee, CEO and Founder at MM Luxe Consulting, and former President of Saks Fifth Avenue, and Former CMO of Harrods, shares her story with George Manley (CEO & Co-Founder of SOULER) in the MouthMedia Network studios. Presented by SOULER.

In this story:

• The modern transition from brick and mortar stores to online, and the collapse of iconic retailers such as Sears
• The future of retail is digital but the future of brand is physical, and preparing for the consumers of tomorrow
• The 3 E’s; Experience, Environment, and Emotion, the 3 H’s; Hard work, Humility, and Humour
• Marigay on running her two companies, MM Luxe Consulting and Fernbrook
• Being lost in translation, British humour
• Mohamed Al-Fayed belief that Theater and Activation of retail is what makes the magic happen
• The death of the old department store model
• The U.S. has the highest per capita density of Department Store in the world
• How do you merchandise 2,500 brands in a meaningful way.
• Department stores and their future, competing with Amazon
• China’s 500M millennials and the differences between US and international millennials
• America’s youth looking towards non branded goods, gift bags, saving the environment, wearing vintage, street wear: How do brands reinvent themselves for a younger consumer?
• The age gap between average department store consumers vs online
• Marigay’s vision for luxury retail in the future, catering to best in class, world class experiences. If you’re not focused on service, why bother?
• Inclusivity is the new exclusivity
• A mix of humanity and technology is the right equation for the future of the retail experience
• Showcasing the back of house, behind the scenes, and building a brand’s story, you should fall in love with the story and in doing so love the brand.
• Buying less while buying better
• Peter Marino and Michael Burke’s argument over experiential environments
• Charm and charisma, the two most underutilized instruments in business
• Marigay’s philanthropic work, and her marriage to an American and what he’s taught her about philanthropy
• Europe’s inverted philanthropy vs America’s external philanthropy
• The impact of The Gates Foundation, The Soros Foundation, and The Ford Foundation.
• The Rockefeller University and its place as a leader in medical research and roster of nobel laureates
• The Highline and opening The Shed, a new cultural institute which has raised $550 million privately
• Her role as a consultant for The Hudson Yards Project
• Investing in brands: what is it going to take to scale, what’s the wow factor, what’s the point of difference, what’s going to help that brand generate more revenue?
• What does experiential mean?
• Infrastructure, a way to prepare for the future. China has built 67 new international airports vs US’s 1 in the past 20 years
• Eyeing the Big 4: Amazon, Facebook, Google, Microsoft – their role in the future of consumerism
• The need for bipartisanship in dealing with prison reform, healthcare, the environment, and infrastructure
• Marigay’s father’s efforts to improve the lives of his constituents in his later years
• From tea to coffee, and Marigay’s love for America
• Getting out of your bubble and making a difference: how do you effect change?
• The power of dialogue, the need for proper civil discourse

Spencer Kohn of Supercharge – Image and Influence

Building an international creative agency producing branded content and travel production with influence…

Spencer Kohn, Co-founder and Creative Director of Supercharge (an integrated community of content creators, producers, and influencers, utilizing their talents to create unique branded experiences), shares his story with George Manley (CEO & Co-Founder of SOULER) in the MouthMedia Network studios. Presented by SOULER.

In this story:

• How Spencer started Supercharge with him and a business partner two years ago
• Spencer was coming off a stint as creative director of magazine, looking for something new to explore
• Multi brands sharing the cost of a campaign, and international trips
• First trip to Nicaragua
• Brands paying influencers to travel for free, campaign with imagery and video, and influencers agree to post
• Campaigns have brought him to St. Lucia, Morocco, Cuba, Mexico, Bali, Finland, Croatia
• Looking forward to traveling for fun for the first time in a few years
• Recruiting more influencers
• Larger scale projects, waiting for brands to come to them, and brands becoming exclusive with those influencers
• Justifying that the images and assets that come from the trips will generate ROI for brands
• Requiring brands to hire content and marketing teams alongside Supercharge’s work
• Influencer have a large following that cares what what that person is saying, like modern day celebrities
• WinkyLux as a success example
• Instagram very valuable but changing, influencers very curated and very focused are getting it done
• How Spencer got into photography, inspired by mother, being working as photographer since 15, but entrepreneurial since 12
• Always understood value of money
• How skateboarding knowledge got him a photo gig
• When Spencer bought his first pro camera because another camera broke
• Creating a collective of fashion people and other creative people
• Having a small portfolio of NY models while on West coast
• Building a meaningful portfolio
• Spencer known for surreal photo scheme, with special effects all done in-camera
• All the people Spencer’s been with in past dozen years — still with them and still good friends
• Shooting for major labels, major celebrities, his work in major magazines – -all before age 26
• Spencer never had a bad experience with a celebrity—only with people who think they will be celebrities
• Finding what peaks your own creative interest
• When an unsolicited email from Instagram changed everything and made Spencer go viral, and why he  didn’t take as much advantage of that as he should – online fame but few jobs through Instagram
• Spencer’s friends are his greatest cheerleaders, never had to formally market himself
• Loving photography, what makes Spencer pull his camera out – personality
• Musicians are awesome to work with, and why Spencer is inspired by writers
• And —  the birth of a possible collaboration

Christopher Holland – The Essence of a Successful Walking Brand

Brand management and consulting for talent, actors, models, professional athlete models…

Christopher Holland, J.D, Founder of Duck Holland, LLC (legal and marketing package (one-stop shop) for persons and businesses needing assistance with Brand Growth and Brand Registration and Protection), shares his story with George Manley (CEO & Co-Founder of SOULER) in the MouthMedia Network studios. Presented by SOULER.

In this story:

• The push explore what it takes to create heightened visibility for 2 years
• Tailoring work based on a client’s ambitions and a view of their personal brand and image
• Creating brand registration, marks, logos
• Best practices to turn into a modern day creative – looking at what that creative is passionate about
• The need to figure out who you are targeting with your talents and brand, who you want to be like or similar to, what career field, marketing, who to put them in the room with
• Seeking a brand that’s an extension of one’s personal brand
• The three tiers of work that Christopher provides
• Graduating with a law degree, then pivoting to something that’s a best fit
• Physically making introductions, dragging the client to functions and opportunities to connect
• The necessity to be building relationships and brand simultaneously
• Talent is great, but if no one knows or there isn’t visibility, you can’t maximize full potential
• How Christopher takes on “one-of-a-kinds” and can mix them well in certain environments/atmospheres that can have the right people in the world
• Having a gift, being able to feel and spot that “something” or “essence” in someone, then trying to get other people to see it
• Seeking that someone is remarkable in a unique way that’s not common
• Christopher’s process has no template, it is not “add water and stir”
• Play in your lane, and evolve if needed, but “do you”
• Morehouse College
• People who represented a standard for African Americans
• Building a family of influencer creators likable, sweet, collaborative, and very real people
• Is Christopher one of them?
• Christopher on playing cello, being well traveled, med school and law school
• A diversity of talents is a common ground he has with his clients.
• Why Christopher doesn’t have to be famous and doesn’t want to
• He likes being in the background, parental, helping, teaching, promoting
• How Quincy Jones gave big stars a push that mattered
• Christopher on being a vessel that’s being used within the master plan for a greater purpose, hoping what he does bring is something that reveals to people who they are in the grand scheme of the master plan
• Getting clients to underscore what is actually important
• Being light — or the absence of light
• In consideration of skin color
• And a new dream client he’d love to bring on, cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason