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

Zachary, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

STC – Shift The Culture

The origin of my company started with the intention to redefine the stereotype of artist management, artist relations, and label relations. Currently, everyone operates like Suge Knight, ready to take advantage of you in any capacity. My approach to changing the management stereotype involved working for free and accepting backend percentages over the years.

In the present day, despite not coming from a troubled upbringing other than having divorced parents and the accompanying trauma, I fully embrace shifting the culture. I refer to my associates as “My Grease” and my braids make me stand out.

About five years ago, I entered the social media industry with a company called Offseason Social. During my time there, I held the position of Social Media Manager from May 2020 to September 2020, for a period of five months. Offseason Social was formerly known as Athletes’ Guide (@OffseasonSocial on social media).

During my tenure, I achieved the following:

Streamlined the digital content marketing plan, resulting in increased followers on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Researched the latest social trends and audience insights, presenting process improvement ideas to management.
Surveyed client data to enhance customer engagement and brand awareness.
Afterwards, I transitioned to other social media pages within the sports niche, such as @RTNBA, managed by Moe Ayache, who was not only an exceptional content creator but also an outstanding individual. I reached out to him with hundreds of pre-crafted content pieces for his basketball niche page. Subsequently, I took charge of running @RTNBAgifs on Twitter, which attracted follows from numerous high-profile celebrities and athletes.

During my time at RTNBA, I focused on:

Creating aesthetically pleasing social media posts, influential digital marketing copy, and media materials for a sports account with 186k followers on Instagram.
My journey then led me to an account that I admired, @dunk, across all platforms. Here’s some information about Dunk and my role there:

Position: Operations Team
Company: Dunk
Employment: Full-time
Duration: November 2020 to January 2021, a span of three months
Dunk Media LLC. is owned by Eliot Robinson and Gary Vaynerchuk.
Dunk has a network of accounts with over 10+ million followers across all social platforms.
During my time at Dunk, I oversaw day-to-day operations and fulfilled the following positions:

Relationship Manager
Marketing Coordinator
Campaign Manager (worked with 300 Ent., Warner Music, Interscope, and more)
Social Media Manager (managed a social account with 2.5 million followers), serving as a strategist and specialist
Community Manager
At Dunk, I had the opportunity to connect with prominent figures in the industry, including discussions with the NBA, major record labels, Nike, Jordan, Steve Francis, and many others. I possessed a unique ability to establish connections with ease, thanks to my understanding of the ecosystem in which these personalities reside. They desire appreciation while also being treated like an average person on the street. One of my favorite memories was releasing Sheck Wes’ NBA Draft day video for the song “Been Ballin” while celebrating my birthday at a dinner with my former girlfriend. It was a remarkable experience to work with top-tier artists at the age of 21 while studying Information Communication Technology with a Minor in General Business at the University of Kentucky, where I achieved honor roll recognition for four out of eight semesters.

After my stint at Dunk, I moved on from previous companies for personal and professional reasons. However, I will forever be grateful to Eliot Robinson and Akinyele Dairo for granting me the opportunity to experience career-altering moments at a young age. I would also like to acknowledge my colleagues Joseph Shafaq, who started in social media with me and is now a HofH Social Programmer, Nathan Pechar, who also progressed to House of Highlights, and Moe, who has also achieved significant milestones.

Subsequently, I transitioned further into the music and entertainment niche. I was introduced to Kelvin Joseph, also known as YKDV Bossmanfat, who is currently on the roster with the Dallas Cowboys. Kelvin connected me with a well-known music executive, Web-3 pioneer, and more, named Adrian Swish.

Adrian Swish holds the following roles:

Web 3 & NIL Advisor
Founder/CEO at Digital Currensy Inc.
CEO of Mirror Image Network
Adrian provided me with exposure to various operations, expanding my knowledge of the industry, including managing relationships and emotions. I continue to be a business partner with Adrian, and he has an extensive history working with major label artists such as Kt Foreign, RMR, Icewear Vezzo, NHale, as well as a long list of producers like the NikeBoyz, ItsRappa, Jay Icy, and others.

During our time together, Adrian and I often contemplated the idea of me becoming an artist, considering my knowledge and capabilities in the back office.

Simultaneously, I joined RapTV as part of their Business Development team. Here are the details of my role and achievements:

Position: Business Development
Company: RapTV
Employment: Full-time
Duration: April 2021 to August 2021, spanning five months
Remote work
RapTV is a network of accounts totaling over 25+ million followers across Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, TikTok, and more.
During my time at RapTV, I performed outbound sales and established multiple short and long-term partnerships with entities such as the NBA, SXSW, 740 Projects, and more.
I laid the foundation for the sales team, developing templates, processes, and partnership avenues.
Additionally, I served as a content specialist for @Rap on Instagram, which boasts 8.6 million followers, and as a business operations specialist.
I initiated the Rap x SXSW Showcase for Spring 22′.
Working with the RapTV team, including Founder Dan Snow, David Kantanka, Griffin Frum, Logan Stout, Jordan Morandini, Eddie Franzoni, Eduardo Sanchez, Jordan Hopes, and ThatKidCM, was a fantastic experience.

My musical talents originated at a young age, beginning with weekly piano lessons and guitar lessons with my father. Although I veered away from playing instruments, my passion for music persisted. I initially leaked music, such as Travis Scott’s “Higher in the Room” from a Kylie Jenner makeup ad before its official release, garnering 500k views. Eventually, I acquired the knowledge and skills to create my own music, leading to the establishment of Pak Pak as my stage name. The future will witness the widespread dissemination of my work, regardless of personal preferences. I possess unwavering confidence in my abilities and the discipline that could have propelled me to a professional sports career. However, as we all reach college, we are faced with two options. I chose to join Delta Sigma Phi at the University of Kentucky, an experience that provided valuable lessons.

The most significant lesson I have learned through breakups, relationships, and other life experiences is that things seldom go as planned. However, I have come to realize that God always has a plan for each of us. If we haven’t achieved our goals, it is because He is molding us towards them. If we haven’t found the love of our lives, He knows they are out there, aligning the timing for us.

While many will emphasize the challenges and difficulties one encounters along the way, few highlight the ease with which success can manifest. I am a walking case study of this principle. When I eventually find myself at the Super Bowl, those who doubted will experience a resounding “I told you so” moment.

Don’t forget this –

Software Developer
General Motors · Full-time
Jun 2021 – Present · 2 years 1 month
Remote

At General Motors, an automotive company, I hold the position of Software Developer. Here are some key responsibilities and accomplishments during my tenure:

Head Performance Testing Engineer for the Shop Click Drive Division.
Established and led the Performance Testing Team for the Shop Click Drive Division.
Developed efficient processes for the Performance Testing Team.
Contributed to generating over $16 million in additional revenue through my efforts.

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.

Following my departure from RapTV due to personal and professional reasons, I realized that my vision would only come to fruition if I took action. Consequently, I secured a position as a Software Developer for General Motors while simultaneously managing the legendary track “Snap Backs & Tattoos” by Driicky Graham and other artists like BandoPop, who collaborated with Quando Rondo and Lil Baby. The release of “Flights” by BandoPop ft. Lil Baby was a direct result of my efforts. Some may question the song’s age, as it was recorded five years prior but only released last year. However, the numbers speak for themselves.

I also worked with NFOGEE, an artist from Charleston, SC, and various artists from other genres.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

While I haven’t yet achieved the level of success I envision for Shift the Culture, I have encountered the challenge of finding genuine help, both financially and personally, in a business setting. However, when such help is given, it is cherished and utilized effectively until vulnerability arises and conflicting agendas come into play. This often occurs due to a lack of experience with authenticity in our sometimes cruel world. Despite these challenges, I am a team player who genuinely wants to see others succeed. However, I was unable to produce content or work at the speed I desired, which led to the birth of Pak Pak.

Approximately a year ago, I released my first song, and since then, I have accumulated over 600 songs in my catalog. Recently, I have produced 270 songs in just two months through my new distributor and business partner, Digital Currensy Inc. I have also created approximately 50 music videos and lyric videos, amassing over 700k views and 1.72k subscribers in a year.

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

Fostering relationships is one of the most important aspects of the professional realm. Without actively nurturing these connections, progress and success can be limited, regardless of the extent of your network. I maintain numerous contacts whom I reach out to only when I have something valuable to offer, as well as those with whom I consistently engage in ongoing conversations to strategize and collaborate. It is essential to approach these interactions with a personal touch and treat everyone as individuals, distinguishing oneself from those who merely operate on a surface level. Demonstrating support through social media posts, commenting on others’ work, and sending well wishes on special occasions, such as birthdays, can have a significant impact. In today’s fast-paced world, where everyone is consumed with their own pursuits, effective communication may be restricted to those actively involved in their respective fields. Therefore, offering support and displaying genuine care and interest can create a deeper connection that transcends mere monetary transactions. It is not uncommon for individuals to be approached solely for financial reasons, without any genuine concern for their well-being. By periodically checking in, even if it is once a year or once a month, one can cultivate meaningful connections. Consistent and thoughtful communication, no matter how infrequent, is far more valuable than complete silence.      

Contact Info:

• Website: shifttheculture.media
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zachpampu/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zachpampu
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/zachpampu
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/zachpampu
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4wlwJJZ3D4HxGt3uvNjm5g
• Other: pakpak.world for artist merch (Over 30 designs) https://www.instagram.com/simple.pak/ for artist page

Image Credits
Instagrams: @ChinoChase @RobbieTheBandit