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

Mwanje , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Going back to the beginning – how did you come up with the idea in the first place?

Music and audio production has been something that I have loved doing since high school. In college at MSOE, some of my classmates who wanted to record songs or spoken word would come to my dorm and have me produce for them. During that time, I wanted to start a record label, Optimistic Soundz, where I would help create music that didn’t sound like what was on the radio. I would record records and make beats for local artists here and there, but it wasn’t until two years after college that I found a podcasting passion. In August 2016, my friends and I started a podcast show called Young Black and Opinionated or YBO Podcast.

Later that year, I decided to add podcast production to Optimistic Soundz, and two other friends let me record a podcast for them for free. They gave me so much grace and allowed me to make all the mistakes I needed, which has allowed me to become the podcast producer that I am today. After my two friend’s show ended, other people wanted to start a podcast. I heavily invested in audio equipment. I bought the same microphones as The Breakfast Club Radio Show. I purchased audio interfaces, sound mixers, and digital audio software to ensure that the recorded sound quality is pristine.

In 2021, I wanted to find more ways to have an impact on the community I live in. I created a program called Brilliant Voices that teaches youth how to create a podcast and earn money. My first cohort was in the summer of 2021 and I partnered with local community members to help students learn how to interview and record a show.

In 2022, I started to learn more about Web 3 technology, and this new technology will give power back to the creators. I started doing business as Audio Moguls Media instead of Optimistic Soundz. With me learning about Web 3 technology and NFTs, I wanted to give more audio creators the power to control their narrative and make money from their narrative by using Web 3 technology. Now I have 6 dedicated podcasts under my network Audio Moguls and we look to continue to provide unique content to our listeners.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I became a business owner because I wanted to build generational wealth for my family. I am the first to attend college and graduate and now I am the first to own a business. I come from a traditional family that told me to go to college, get a good job, and start a family. I did the first part, but I am still working on the other two. Becoming a business owner has been rewarding because my family now sees the benefits of owning a business despite its challenges. They see how hard I work on my business along with having a full-time job as a middle school and high school teacher. Everything I do now aligns with what my business is all about.

Audio Moguls Media is a podcast network and production company out of Milwaukee WI dedicated to empowering Black and Brown creators to own their audio IP through Web 3 tech and other avenues. We also provide podcast production for executives looking to start a podcast and want to share their knowledge with either their company or clients. We also create NFT campaigns and web3 spaces to help build a community for our clients. We know that the best way to build a brand is creating a community that will support it through and through.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

My goal is to help everyone, especially those from underrepresented communities, find their voice, amplify their voice, and create generational wealth from their stories. Far too often, stories of underrepresented communities are not told by the community itself because they lack the resources and tools to do so. People who tell the stories of underrepresented communities do not get the money generated from their own stories and they are stripped of their narrative and stripped of their opportunity to create wealth. I want to be the one to give them a microphone and let them tell their stories and reap the rewards from it.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist or creative is seeing someone enjoying your work. When I create, I create to make someone feel. If I can get the viewer or user of my work to feel something then, I know I have created something successful. The ultimate reward however is inspiring someone. If my work can get someone motivated to do something positive or beneficial to society, then I am truly happy.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.audiomogulsmedia.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/audiomoguls/?hl=en
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mwanje/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/audiomogulsm
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRzF0Rnynxzinsdr_AjfD5Q