Brandon Williams is the CEO/Founder of Brand Strategy and Design Multicultural Agency, 55 Media Group. Brandon has worked in several facets of the industry in marketing and advertising and specializing in ad sales, brand development, experiential, and brand partnerships with over 10 years of combined experience.

55 Media Group’s past and current clientele include Own Networks Black Love, Wu-Tang Clan, Microsoft, Moods of Norway, Afro-Punk Festivals, Will.i.am, insomniac Events, Zmbizi.com, Soho HOUSE, etc. We've grossed 100k in our first year and over 8 team members within our organization.

First question: Do you consider yourself a freelancer or a founder?

Founder.

You've had an impressive career to date. Can you tell us more about it?

I am CEO/Founder of Brand Strategy and Design Multicultural Agency, 55 Media Group. I have worked in several facets of the industry in marketing and advertising and specializing in ad sales, brand development, experiential, and brand partnerships with over 10 years of combined experience. I was known as a musical artist " Dame 55." Credits have included working with EDM producer Boyz Noise, choreography for Bloc Talent Agency, and touring stateside with my famous creative collective called The Dorks! Brandon graduated from FIDM in 2009 and Art Institute of North Hollywood in 2011. After college, I ventured into the music industry, working alongside The Insomniac Festival for EDC 2010-2011 as talent and also consulting in content strategy and marketing. In 2012 as an account executive, helping scale the programmatic division of Engage BDR, leading to the company's IPO in 2017. Soon after my first introduction to experiential and partnerships came while working at Beautycon in 2015, coordinating festivals in Los Angeles, New York, and London, working with several different influencers and brands as a sales manager. In my final stop at corporate America, I worked with a Ukrainian native ad company, MGID bringing the company over 5 million dollars in agency business to date. In 2019. I Started 55 Media Group bringing over 100k in its first year of business. 55 Media Group’s past and current clientele include Own Networks Black Love, Wu-Tang Clan, Microsoft, Moods of Norway, Afro-Punk Festivals, Will.i.am, insomniac Events, Zmbizi.com, Soho HOUSE, etc. We've grossed 100k in our first year and over 8 team members within our organization.

Having worked in so many areas of advertising and marketing. What is the best piece of advice you can give to creatives just starting out in those fields?

Stay open. Be able to learn new things never be scared to learn.

Can you tell us more about being the founder and CEO of your own agency?

It's tough. I think being a P.O.C in advertising is something that you have to navigate. It's not something that you can really prepare for. But it has been an extremely rewarding experience to be able to hire people who I believe in to do projects that impact the world. Being lucky has a lot to do with it.

You’ve worked with so many great clients to date. What’s one project that really inspired you?

Our most inspiring project would have to be the work we've done with Black Love. They have now grown into what they are now. We had countless strategy meetings and talks around brand positioning and comms strategy. Black Love really helped us define our agency's strengths and weaknesses. We helped do the entire marketing & PR for the return of Season 3-4 of Black Love. I also think anytime we get to mentor as well and provide an opportunity for young and upcoming creatives.

"Be able to learn new things never be scared to learn." – Brandon Williams

What's the best part of being your own boss? The worst?

The great part is you make your own schedule. The worst part is you're always responsible for what happens to the client or the team. Even if you aren't (lol!)

Where do you find inspiration when you are stuck creatively on a new project?

I am a huge reader, skateboarder, & cinema buff. I am reading this book called Alchemy by Rory Sutherland, Vice-Chairman of Ogilvy & Mather Group. It has really helped me rethink approaches to media, creative briefs, client break-out sessions. Sometimes I just go out and skate. I've been skating since I was 10. It has always been a hobby of mine since watching Spike Jonze girl videos. As far as movies/ shows I love watching Love Craft Country. Shows or movies that truly challenge the viewer to think deeper.

What advice do you have for creative people who want to pursue their passion as a career?

Be ok if it doesn't all work out the way you think it will. Because 9 out of 10 it won't.