We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Anthony Winfield a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Anthony, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.

I would think one of the biggest RISKS I’ve made in my professional life was starting my own company. I created a artist developmental management company in March of 2011. During that year, I was already about 3 years plus into working within the music industry and in a major way with Grammy artist Lupe Fiasco and with some of the greatest artists ever. I started the company from all the experiences and relationships I was creating during my travels. I wanted to use my contacts to help spear those moments for upcoming artists from my own backyard of Chicago. A couple years would go by and then pow I found a local artist. Then I began using my contacts and relationships and thats when I met my one of my partners (B). Together with her PR company and my management we set out and got a independent distribution deal with a Universal Record Label for a local artist. We put out 1 song and video with the artist and then the relationship fizzed out due to the artist personal circumstances. After some years I close the door on that artist and then opened a new one. I had experienced some weird times so I just fell back and focused on MYSELF. So I changed my focus a little to bring more of a business minded man and created my logistics company Born Leaders Inc.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

Well, my family has been in the music industry since early 90’s. I was blessed to see so many things happen early in the music game. One of my uncles a music executive and label owner brung the taste for music to my mind.During those times as kids we just listened and learned. So that what I did!!! The spark for music happen at the young age of 7/8 for me. Fast forward I get a career shot in the music industry around the age of 23/24 and it’s with a hit Grammy winning artist. I would spend about 10/11 years with this artist over the road and day to day. I learned so much from the experience which aided me into starting my own music label. I use the resources and tools I had to make myself a brand. After trying to working for artists and with artists I decided to focus more on myself and started a logistics company. The logistics company started from the ideal of having something for the family to always have something to fall back on and longevity. I also partnered up with friend of mines and we began working on his label and the two artists he was producing. I ended up only working day to day with one of the artists and her name is Lajè. She’s very talented! I’m proud of everything that I experienced because it help set me out on a path that nothing in the world can replace! What make me different from others is my main vision is of what a team can do together versus me alone!

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

The advice I would give anyone who’s in the position of leadership is to always and I mean always consider your team before self! Never be afraid to hear the ideals of the other players on the team. I never like the ball to be left in my hands so I try to complete all tasks that come my way. The best way I see to keep the team and myself morale high is to remember that we’re our own bosses and to reward the hustler. Plus, if we each do our part then we can’t lose!

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

A lesson that I had to unlearn was relationship building. I was in my early years of being in the music business when I would come across soooo many different people that all claimed that they did something around the industry I worked in. When I first started out I mean I would be annoyed by others trying to swap contacts or link up for meetings/just to eat lol. Some of this probably due to the fact I was fresh from Chicago west side hood and living in the valley of LA. Two different worlds but I needed to build as many contacts and relationships in the music business as possible and I’m sooooo mf glad I did! Omg I have some of music biggest artists, executive’s, managers, A&R’s etc. No cap, the rolodex is bussing!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://bornleadersinc.com/
• Instagram: Chitown_ant
• Twitter: Chitown_ant
• Other: https://linktr.ee/lajeofficialmusic (Lajè) @lupefiasco (Lupe Fiasco)