Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ogechi Harry. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Ogechi, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?

March 2020, as cities (including Chicago) slipped into ‘lockdown mode’ and the world started to realize that we were potentially in the midst of one of the deadliest plagues of our lifetime, I decided to leave my big law firm job. Of course, at the time, I, like the rest of the world, had no idea what that would mean. I had been focusing on infrastructure and other large complex projects for almost a decade and wanted a change.
The new role would entail legal components but also include managing several aspects of the organization’s operations in which I had limited experience. Working with senior leadership as they tried to navigate a global pandemic in one of the largest US cities (when the world was upside down) taught me many valuable lessons that continue to impact my career.
I took a big risk and tried something new. Here is what I learned:
– It is important to learn from leaders that are curious and want to teach. I studied how they asked questions and operated under pressure. As I thought about the day when I would be in a leadership role, I observed aspects of their management styles and made notes to myself about what traits I wanted to emulate as well as those that I did not.
– Take risks while you can. They teach you important lessons about yourself and that in the face of adversity, you are indeed stronger and smarter than you think.
– Life is a journey of learning. Staying committed to the spirit of curiosity and learning new subject matters will help you rethink how the world works. Even if you decide to go back to working in a familiar space, you will come back with a new perspective and an elevated way of thinking.

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

I have over 10 years of experience working as an attorney in infrastructure finance and strategy. After working in leading international institutions for most of my career, I decided that since I am a multi-hyphenate, I should combine my love for the arts with my legal experience in the built environment. So, I decided to leave big law. As legal counsel, I currently advise architects and designers at a large architecture and design firm. As a budding designer and curator, by night, I advocate for the elevation of black stories in art and design.

As a creative entrepreneur and lawyer that has been in a variety of commercial spaces, I saw a need for more diverse story telling. To help close this art equity gap, I created Gold Our Collective. I curate stories that highlight culturally diverse black experiences through art and design. Golden Our Collective is an art agency working to reimagine today’s creative cultural landscape.

My vision is to help invested companies and collectors unlock their understanding of culturally diverse artistic opportunities while ensuring that black creatives gain economic access. I work with a variety of art enthusiasts who value sophisticated art and design with a perspective.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

The Go Giver, Bob Burg, John David Mann
This book, recommended to me by a mentor, helped me re-think the way we define service and understand that successful business leaders prioritize service to others.

Obsessed: Building a Brand People Love from Day One, by Emily Heyward
This book does a nice job of walking new business owners through the importance of being intentional about their brand values and identity.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

Connecting with art enthusiasts in person at art shows and events, capturing their emails, and sharing our journey with them via newsletters.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://goldenourcollective.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/golden.our.collective/

Image Credits

Courtesy of Golden Our Collective, FOCUS Art Fair May 2024 Exhibition (middle), Guest Curator at Artist Replete April 2024 (left and right)