We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Benjamin Moody a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Benjamin thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. One deeply underappreciated facet of entrepreneurship is the kind of crazy stuff we have to deal with as business owners. Sometimes it’s crazy positive sometimes it’s crazy negative, but crazy experiences unite entrepreneurs regardless of industry. Can you share a crazy story with our readers?
I was interning at a Queens-based media outlet named Stress Magazine, but I had always wanted to write for The Source which was the number one hip-hop magazine at the time. I used to fax them my resume and send emails multiple times a week, all going unanswered.
Though we have never met in person, all of the writers of era were familiar with each other’s by-lines as we were more than just journalist. We were hip-hop enthusiasts.
On a random morning, I received a call asking if I was available to interview Ludacris. The assigned writer was unavailable at the time. Since then, I have written for several leading outlets including XXL, King, Vibe, Yahoo! Music, Allhiphop, and many overseas publications. Years later, I was able to leverage the relationships I forged to launch my own brand, Urban Magazine.
Benjamin, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
After a lengthy career writing for leading media outlets, I decided to launch my own, Urban Magazine. One of the key reasons is that ownership has privileges. I could highlight the people that I felt deserved it and give them the support they needed to elevate. Over the years, I can proudly say that I have given numerous artists, executives, and athletes their first magazine covers. I am very proud of being able to contribute to culture in such a way.
Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.
I became a single father around 2010. Raising a child alone is an incredibly difficult task that so many women have endured throughout the years. I had to figure out a way to provide for my son while keeping the business operating smoothly. I was working part-time at Best Buy, but the job was hindering me from taking advantage of more lucrative creative opportunities that arose. I stepped out and bet on myself, and I have been completely independent ever since.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
I was able to build a great reputation for two primary reasons. First, I was very dependable. The editors knew how much the opportunities meant to me. Secondly, the publicists and talent knew I was trustworthy. I never look to create a moment at their expense for click-bait. They could trust me to be honest and fair while respecting their collective humanity throughout the process. In media, your reputation is as important at whatever talent you bring to the table.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.urbanmag-online.com
- Instagram: @benoriginal
- Twitter: @benoriginal
