We were lucky to catch up with Chadwick Phillips recently and have shared our conversation below.

Chadwick, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?

I always had an affinity for music. From the time I was a kid, music has always been my biggest passion. That passion turned into a curiosity to see if I can do it myself as an artist. So I started to write rhymes and choruses as a teen. Now I am a Hip-Hop artist. I entered rap battles and talent shows and won many of them which showed me that I can do this professionally. When I moved to NYC after college I worked for BET, CBS, NYC Fashion Week (2008) and I won a talent search put on by HOT 97 Radio Station and released a single on major label KOCH Records as a result of it.

During those times I was inspired by all of the prestige that was surrounding me. I came across many legends and entrepreneurs in the music business. As much as I was an artist, I was motivated to become more. I moved to the Twin Cities with an endeavor to build my profile and start a path that leads to my destiny. I started out hosting an open mic called “The Poet’s Groove” in Minneapolis. There I met some amazing artists. After two years of hosting the open mic it was time to start my own business. I named it The Avant Garde.

From there I opened up an LLC account, got my logo created and started to contact venues because I was ready to present my launch party. The launch party was sold out and the rest is history. From there I won grants, presented events for the top fortune 500 companies in Minnesota, released my album under the business and have grown the business in so many ways. When I look back I say that perseverance, not giving up and focusing on improvement is what made my business a success.

Chadwick, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Chadwick “Niles” Phillips. I am an artist, educator and entrepreneur. I got into my industry by having an idea and believing in it. When you run your own business, the fuel that keeps it going is always provided by you. You have to change your way of thinking and how you value time. I had to become much more disciplined. The better I got with how I utilized my 24 hours, the more I saw my business grow. The name of my company is The Avant Garde. We provide event production concerts, themed curations, music production and artist consulting.

The problems that we solve for clients is a broad array. For the artist consulting there is multiple services that we provide from enhancing marketing, advertisement and promotion for projects to strategizing how an artists brand can expand, What sets me apart from others is I try to be as original as possible with what I present. I believe that the more original you are, the more valuable you become. I am most proud of how my business has grown and became successful because it literally started from an idea in my mind so to see it grow wings and fly and become an entity is something I hold to my heart. The main things I want my potential clients followers and fans to know about me and my brand is it is an honest brand that I would like for you to stay connected to. I feel like music and the arts is very important to the healing of humanity. The Avant Garde is a culture that celebrates life so it is an honor when anyone supports the brand.

Do you have multiple revenue streams – if so, can you talk to us about those streams and how your developed them?

I believe that it is very important to have multiple revenue streams within your business. When I started the avant-garde it was primarily an event in concert production business. But as time went on I expanded it into different avenues that have to do with my artistic nuances. The streams of revenue expanded into different lanes from providing consulting for artists to partnering with cities to provide services that connect with their initiative. I believe in utilizing all of your talents in order to grow your business and those talents can definitely prove streams of revenue.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

My life story is a story of resilience. I come from a background that wasn’t the most stable. From experiencing homelessness as a child to having to dodge the traps that can take you down from being in an environment that is under- privileged. But I stayed focused, stayed out of trouble and kept my grades up. As a result, I went to Michigan State University and ultimately graduated with a BA in communications.

That story is for any youth that is going through similar things that I have gone through. I feel that education is very powerful and is one of the main keys to success. My life is a testimony that anyone can get inspiration from. This is about providing healing and direction for the people who need it. I use the business as a tool to bring motivation to the people.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.theavantgardeis.com
• Instagram: @nilesgotyou
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheAvantGardeIs/
• Twitter: @Avantgardeis
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0wxhW70tyEZvFNAevO0CFw

Image Credits
TP Studio Corban Lundborg Mallory Ferguson Urbane Aperture Taylor Seaberg