We were lucky to catch up with Anastasia Wright recently and have shared our conversation below.
Anastasia, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
I don’t think purpose is found; it’s felt. The arts, events, creativity, and helping people have always been part of my life and made me feel alive and happy. Going into college, I sought careers maintaining that ‘feeling,’ and marketing checked all the boxes. Music chose me as my industry of choice once I interned for a street promotions company in my senior year of high school. I was on it once I saw it as a viable career path.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I am the owner and founder of a creative marketing agency called Imperial Marketing Group, LLC, also home to talent management and distribution company IMG Records.
It’s exciting to be in business for 15 years, 9 of those as a full-time owner. And it’s an honor to be in a position to advocate for artists and executives of color and women. As a fan of music and preserver of culture first, it’s super special when the opportunity arises to work with artists that have had a major influence on me, like Janet Jackson or Mya, who we just started representing.
We are currently in our F&E phase —fundraising and expansion. For a long time, it’s been me running the ship with the help of interns or contractors as needed. I’m now focused on buying a commercial space in Atlanta where I can hire full-time staff. Our goal is to have offices in NYC and Atlanta next year and expand client-wise internationally into Europe and Africa.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Gratitude. I have it tattooed on me as a reminder always to be thankful for this journey. It grounds me. And that’s very much needed when working in entertainment or pursuing entrepreneurship.
Communication is a biggie. Knowing how to communicate effectively and persuasively is essential. People: clients, bosses, co-workers, colleagues, etc., all must trust you. People feel confident in you and your abilities when you show up confidently in your communication.
Business acumen. I can’t stress this enough; know what you’re discussing. Do your research. Nowadays, too many people are ill-informed and looking for a shortcut. Well, sorry, there is no shortcut to sustainable success. You must learn the fundamentals of whatever business you’re in and inherently understand the pillars of success for that industry or business model, and then execute – over and over and over again.
Who is your ideal client or what sort of characteristics would make someone an ideal client for you?
Well, Janet will always be a fantastic career highlight for me. My ideal client is innovative, open-minded, passionate about what they do, and will have a crazy work ethic. Good energy is super important to me. If the energy is off, I don’t care who it is or how much they offer – it isn’t worth the headache. Trust me!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.theimgway.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/femalexec/?hl=en
Image Credits
Daniel Vasquez Taylor Washington
