We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Isaac Gordon. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Isaac below.
Isaac, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?
Dope question. I think what’s prepared me for those types of situations is the fact that I’ve always been in those types of situations. I grew up in the suburbs in the midwest. Every school I attended was mostly white. While i’ve experienced racism, I never let it define me or affect my relationships.
I try to give folks the same clean slate I’d ask for when building a relationship. Preconceived notions and fears are distractions anyways. In other words, be unapologetically YOU. If YOU works then great! If YOU doesn’t work then keep moving.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I own and run an entertainment company called New Legacy Enterprises (NLE) based in North Hollywood, CA. NLE focuses on talent booking, talent management and talent services. My experience spans back to high school and throughout my professional career in which I also worked in both radio and television. NLE’s portfolio includes; WeAreMonsterEnt a talent management firm with a suite of talent services e.g. music distribution, and Breakpoint Booking a boutique talent agency representing “breaking” and established clients in music, comedy and public speaking.
What’s exciting? Helping to grow our clients is probably the most exciting thing about what we do. We were the first agency to book acts like Tank & The Bangas, Benny The Butcher and Harry Mack, and we are extremely excited about the young talent we are currently representing both in music and comedy.
Breakpoint Booking’s public speaking department is brand new and will be launching later this year. I’m excited to bring you all more details about it in the coming months.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Just don’t give up and keep moving. It really helps if you are doing something that you love. It takes time and effort and patience to build in any profession. If you are passionate about it, heck if you are border line obsessive about it, all the little hurdles, fears, distractions will be that much more easier to overcome.
I can’t imagine trying to make my profession work without the passion. A Nas lyric comes to mind, “The things that shaped me would’ve murked you…”
I would have tapped out a long time ago. Failure cannot be an option.
What would you advise – going all in on your strengths or investing on areas where you aren’t as strong to be more well-rounded?
Great question. Your strengths are important and in a way should define who you are. I think it’s unrealistic to believe that you can be good at everything. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t sharpen skills but you should know when to seek help or even when to observe and collect data. We seek fitness trainers to help us why not lean on others in different areas of our lives.
I think it also helps to have a team that you can lean on and trust for areas you aren’t as strong in. If not a team, a network you trust.
Iron sharpens iron. I try to surround myself with smart people. I relish the opportunity to be the “dumbest person in the room.” Keeping this in mind while networking can be helpful.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.newlegacyenterprises.com
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/5092851
- Other: https://withkoji.com/@newlegacyenterprises
Image Credits
Image Credits: Simon David https://www.instagram.com/simonshotit
