An auspicious beginning
November marked the beginning of a long and beautiful journey that is currently being shared by 24 young, ambitious and hardworking entrepreneurs. Below is a diary of weekend No. 1 with many more to follow. Please check back here once a month to see how the IHHE students are learning and developing their skills. And remember: don’t be afraid to #craftyourhustle
Friday, Opening Party
A casual evening of drinks and music welcomed the students and invited them to interact with each other before the real work started. But to many of the participants, the work started the second they showed up. The students immediately fell into easy conversations with each other and IHHE staff. They introduced themselves, shared personal stories and forged alliances we didn’t see coming. Excitement was in the air as students were encouraged to get a good night’s sleep before coming back Saturday morning.
Saturday – Day One
It was a late night Friday for many of us on the IHHE team. Aside from celebrating and welcoming the students, we were also busy filling binders, folding complementary IHHE T-shirts and making gift bags for each student. So when Saturday morning rolled around, we were shocked to find that several students arrived at Pipeline before the 9 a.m. call time. These early arrivals sat patiently in the downstairs lobby, eagerly awaiting whatever came next. From that first moment, we knew the day would be a success.
The day kicked off with a light breakfast that gave students time to settle in and feel comfortable with their surroundings. Facilitators, Professor Bruce Campbell Jr. and Erica Hawthorne-Manor, took the stage to introduce IHHE and explain what was expected of the student.
The facilitators dived into the lesson plans by initiating the day’s first mic check. The call and response is to engage with students and make sure they’re paying attention. Eventually, an organic call and response developed between the facilitators and students. When the students heard something they liked, or when one shared a personal triumph, their classmates would yell “Heeeeey! Hustle!” to show their approval. We hoped this level of camaraderie would develop over time, but we never imagined it would happen naturally the first day.
Philadelphia native Yusef Muhammad, successful talent buyer and A3C curator was our first guest. He drew parallels between his own achievements and theme of the opening weekend – value proposition. He advised the students to hold the people around them accountable and not to take things or the word no too personally. The students were then provided the opportunity to ask questions directly and learn from someone who’s been there, done that.
A group activity followed during which the students showed their interest in community engagement and improvement under the context of value proposition. This transitioned seamlessly to the next speaker – Bahamadia, the reigning queen of hip hop. As soon as she began to speak, you could hear a pin drop. Her quiet voice resonated with conviction and passion. She spoke about protecting yourself and your best interest in business and in art. She stressed the importance not wasting time and energy on projects that aren’t working out. After all, this is your livelihood you don’t have to compromise on certain things. She finished by echoing Yusef’s advice on how to navigate professional roadblocks while launching a new business.
The biggest take away from the IHHE staff was amazement at the level of cooperation, enthusiasm and kindness that the students had for each other. As the sessions went on, the willingness to talk and work and share with each other increased. You could feel a sense of trust building throughout the day – they are truly in this together. They acted as a team, cheered each other on and encouraged during sharing personal success stories. They were very respectful and grateful to the staff for everything from food and transportation to all the work that went into programming. Needless to say, it was a wonderful first day.
Sunday – Day Two
The theme of the day centered around recognizing opportunities. It was a perfect chance for students to meet with surprise guest Dawn White – founder of YouAndMe, Inc, an artist representation agency (including Questlove) and Philly native. She talked about becoming a fulltime artist and events manager in LA even after experiencing sexual discrimination along the way. To this end, she encouraged the women students to support each other and not do things to hold each other down. She made a point of discussing roadblocks she encountered – such as being told she was too aggressive – and overcoming them with sheer grit and determination. Lack of ambition is not an option for true entrepreneurs. No simply means try harder or try something else. It does not mean give up.
Next, Brian Coleman, hip hop writer and publicist, talked about music from a journalistic perspective. He emphasized the need to identify and seize opportunities at the right moments. Later in the day, he interviewed Joe the Butcher, who produced seminal albums by Cypress Hill, The Fugees and Kris Kross. As it happens, Brian brought a crate of records that Joe the Butcher produced or engineered over the years. The students lit up every time a new album was pulled, giving the talk a behind-the-scenes feel. Together, Brian and Joe talked about a dozen or so records and what it took to make each one happen. Joe’s biggest advice to the students is to make something unique and different. “The world already has a Beyonce,” he said. Instead, figure out what people want or need and focus on that. Also, don’t be afraid to take financial risks. Sometimes a business investment takes time to pay off. Be patient and wait.
The fruitful weekend ended with a guided meditation incorporating mindful breathing and movement led by Sarah Lomax-Reese, president and CEO of Wurd Radio in Philadelphia. A practice to underscore the holistic relationship of mind and body for stressed out entrepreneurs.
Meet some of the students crafting their hustle at the Institute of Hip Hop Entreprenuership: