We were lucky to catch up with Rashod Mckay Jr recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Rashod , thanks for joining us today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

I took a risk with this company because I positioned myself for this to be my career after college. There have been many rough patches, but I just took the “no’s” with a grain of salt and moved on. I am still learning from the no’s. I recently sat in rooms with many other CEOs, Founders, and Venture Capitalists—people who are paying themselves more than I could’ve ever imagined—because I had limited myself due to the rooms I had been dealt before I even started my business. It’s really easy to lose sight of what’s important when things don’t go the way you want them to. I am so thankful for my friends. They truly feel like a community because all of them are dreammakers. They have goals, they have visions, and being around them is so inspiring. Seeing them shine encourages me to shine and work harder. The only person I ever want to compete with is myself because I only get better when I practice my skills, practice my body language, and work with people who can see the growth in how I change.

Rashod , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

LaFynk is a PR and Entertainment company. I got into this business because I am passionate about helping artists give their all by placing them in positions and branding opportunities that elevate them and break the cultural norms of what it means to be a pop star.

I grew up admiring the greats—Beyoncé, Stevie Wonder, Brandy, Prince—all innovators of music, who crafted their brands to fit an aesthetic that was uniquely theirs. It’s important for me now to recognize that the only brand I can draw from is my own. My business came to life because I felt that many people didn’t truly understand their own brands. They knew the names of the people they wanted to emulate but didn’t know how to get there or didn’t have the funding to hire the top PR professionals to succeed.

When you work with LaFynk, you’re getting someone who is dedicated to helping you become the best version of yourself—not the next Beyoncé, Prince, or Brandy, but the next you.

Right now, LaFynk offers Crisis Management & Response and Talent Management & Development. I predominantly work with artists who are just starting out because it’s important to me that they have someone who understands how hard it can be. I just make sure they can pay for the services, too. HA!

Any advice for managing a team?

Be nice to people and be realistic with goals.

Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.

I feel like I was forced to shift my businesses into my main source of income because of the lack of opportunities in this world. Many Black people and POC have to start their own ventures to gain the representation and compensation they deserve. I was thrown into this industry with only drive and dedication behind me. Throughout this year, I’ve scaled up and down, making mistakes that have placed me in uncomfortable positions and conversations. My milestones have been showing up for myself, getting to do amazing interviews, and being able to impact so many lives. Things may not always go right, but I show up with everything I have when stepping into the role of Founder, CEO, and Publicist of my company.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lafynk.com
• Instagram: https://tr.ee/Mvzp7SxbVT
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rashod-mckay-jr-74867a161

Image Credits

Malik Quinonez