First Listen is a series from Visionary Rising where we provide our readers with early access to the music that will soon become the soundtrack to their lives. Featuring DJs, Musicians, and a host of others, these mixes are curated by artists we love and shared with you to enjoy. Songs of Freedom Vol.3 Throughout history, music has inspired, uplifted, motivated, and sparked change in society. Whether addressing political issues or making people dance, music has been the healing force uniting those most disenfranchised. In the 1980s, with the fall of disco in the public eye, a few local DJs in New York, Chicago, and Detroit strived to keep it alive. At clubs like The Warehouse in Chicago, DJs like Frankie Knuckles provided a haven for many gay men coming to get away from the biases of everyday life. Mixing iconic disco tracks by acts like Donna Summer, First Choice, and Instant Funk Knuckles quickly became a pioneer for what was to be known as House Music later. During his 5-year tenure between (1977 – 1982) at The Warehouse, Frankie Knuckles allowed the music to take over and lead the way inspiring other DJs like Ron Hardy and Steve Hurley to help evolve the sounds. Using synths, drum machines, and adding sound effects to add extra layers to the songs and mixes allowed for the growth of House and created Techno music in the process. Decades later, the legacy of Frankie Knuckles, Ron Hardy & Larry Levean is still heard around the world with as many festivals and DJs alike hosting extreme events with crazy lights and solid sound systems in the name of House Music. Today, with the launch of Volume III of our #SongsOfFreedom, we celebrate Black music month, pride month, and Juneteenth, by recognizing the contributions of Chicago’s house music and Detroit's techno scene. If they didn’t push the status quo and create a safe place to celebrate their lifestyles then we would never have concerts like ultra, tomorrow land, or even David Guetta, let that sink in. Created for those who felt left out, house music is the music for the people, giving them a place to feel at home. For creators, by creators. And, the world they love.

We are excited to announce that Visionary Rising Agency has joined the select group of official Wix Partner agencies. After an amazing experience working with Wix on many of our projects, we were honored to be formally invited to be part of the Wix agency community at the end of 2020. . This partnership means that Visionary Rising Agency is now a member of the Wix Marketplace, where brands and businesses get connected with top professionals and agencies on the platform. As marketers, we work with a long list of technology providers on a daily basis- many of whom you’ll meet over the next few weeks. So far, through Wix’s partnership in 2021, we’ve onboarded 30+ clients to the platform; beyond being a powerful web design, content management and SEO platform, Wix stands out for its competent team and ongoing community support. We look forward to a long and productive relationship throughout 2021 and beyond! Check out our website portfolios www.websites.visionaryrising.agency and drop us a line if you’re ready to get started on your project.

First Listen is a series from Visionary Rising where we provide our readers with early access to the music that will soon become the soundtrack to their lives. Featuring DJs, Musicians, and a host of others, these mixes are curated by artists we love and shared with you to enjoy. Introspection Q1 with T.Couture has come to an end, but we made sure that T.Couture ended her residency with a bang! VisionaryRising presents the third edition of our ‘Introspection Artist program’ program featuring T-Couture! You can stream 'INTROSPECTION MIX 03’ on T.Couture’s Bandcamp and Soundcloud. T.Couture has created three Introspection mixes with Visionary Rising. All three mixes are based on a certain theme. For the month of March, Mix_03 is dedicated to Women’s History Month giving the spotlight to many female creatives that are forgotten or continuing to pave the way. Within the Introspection Residency, T.Couture was able to accomplish so many of her goals and monetize her platform T.Couture had her merch store planned, released, and sold out with the help of the Visionary Rising team researching, strategizing, and executing throughout the whole process. Here’s what T.Couture had to say, “You guys were super helpful with guiding me into the right direction when it came to my merchandise, where to sell it and how much to price each item for.” Introspection Residency will select one artist per quarter as the agency’s creator in residence and partner to build their overall portfolio, increase business acumen, and provide creative marketing services. Introspection Mix 03 : https://soundcloud.com/tcouture18/visionary-rising-x-t-couture-1?ref=clipboard&p=i&c=1

As we continue to celebrate the healing power of sounds pulsing through the collective, @VisionaryRising & @Good+Rising presents the second edition of our ‘Introspection Artist program’ featuring T-Couture! You can stream 'INTROSPECTION MIX 02' on T.Couture’s Bandcamp and Soundcloud. In conversation with the artist, we discuss her approach to creating her first collection of merchandise, her creative process, and much more! The program will select one artist per quarter as the agency’s creator in residence and partner to build their overall portfolio, increase business acumen, and provide creative marketing services. Be on the lookout for @T.Couture “Couture'd Radio” every first Friday of each month, and our next release of the mix series, on the last Tuesday of the month! Follow T.Couture on these streaming platforms: Bandcamp Soundcloud

Visionary Rising Agency is excited to announce a new artist residency program: Introspection - Artist Residency. The program will select one artist per quarter as the agency's "creator in residence" and partner to build the artists' portfolio, increase business acumen, and provide creative marketing services. PROGRAM OVERVIEW The INTROSPECTIVE Residency will focus on quarterly resident artists build their overall portfolio, increase business acumen and provide creative marketing services. Each artist will showcase a different creative discipline that truly speaks to the Visionary Rising Agency mission of being an agency serving the multifaceted needs of underrepresented brands, creators, and entrepreneurs. AGENCY SERVICES Brand Development Brand Marketing Assist with Website Design and Development Collaborative Mixes on Spotify Provide assistance in Merchandise marketing and more ANNOUNCING OUR FIRST ARTIST For our Q1 we are excited to work with T.Couture, from Tampa, Florida. T.Couture is a DJ, Photographer, and Multi-hyphenate Artist. She’s the founder of Couture’d Radio, a monthly independent radio/mix released on SoundCloud, introducing her favorites soon to be yours-dedicating sounds from all over such as instrumentals, R&B, Baile,and so much more. She likes to think of her music as audio experiences. Future beats and more mixed together. As a marketing student at USF T.Couture's concentration in Graphic Design, she is an entrepreneur in charge of her own vision. Between her love for film/digital photography and design, she expresses herself in abstract and colorful ways. T.Couture’s featured mixes will drop EVERY LAST TUESDAY of the month starting today and continue to stream via Soundcloud! Couture'd Radio will be available every FIRST Friday. Stream the first mix below: Connect with T.Couture Bandcamp Soundcloud

I know it’s been quite a year – full of ups, downs, wins, losses, and incredibly moving displays of the human condition. I wanted to share a few lessons learned in reflecting on this year, but first – a quick story. On March 6, 2020, Visionary Rising’s future was in doubt. With the cancellation of SXSW by the City of Austin, followed by days and weeks of canceled festivals, live-events, and our clients – both large and small – opting to either cancel services or place on hold, our team was reeling. I watched in horror as headline after headline came in, canceled checks, and in some cases, news that the good faith deposits our company covered for partners leading up to festival season would not be honored. I made the difficult decision to shut down Visionary Rising for 6-weeks to figure out a way forward. As COVID-19 revealed the socio-economic disparities across our most vulnerable and diverse communities, our team came together to formulate strategies that would alleviate some of this strain when businesses were ready to open up and prepared our clients for a world without in-person events. While this was a difficult time, I realized that we (our team, clients, and partners) were some of the lucky ones throughout the next few weeks. Our family and friends were relatively safe and healthy, we had our necessities covered, and a team that I could count on to dig in and get things done when it mattered most. “Anyone can make money when the money is easy – but THIS time is where legacies are built.” At the end of the 6-week period, we set our website and launch for 6/1/2020 and were ready to take on the world. Then, overnight, George Floyd’s murder would stop us all in our tracks. In a letter to our closest collaborators, clients, and partners, I wrote about how the mostly non-violent marches and conversations that emerged had committed me to the work more than ever. Being a Black-owned and staffed agency, while a war was fought on two fronts, showed us more than ever the importance of the work we do and how we tell the stories of our people. Although this year has been filled with instability and uncertainty, it was also the catalyst for beautiful moments and lessons that I know we’ll carry forward in how this business operates. I want to share them below. LESSONS 2020 TAUGHT ME First, this year taught me about trust and transparency. As a leader, I often struggle with exactly what to tell our team and when to tell them, especially about the business elements that would impact our day to day. But, this year, when faced with the decision of whether to shut down or forge ahead, we connected more than ever on the decision since that decision didn’t just impact a single member of the team or me – it impacted all of us. We looked at the pros of moving ahead without a plan or slowing everything down and leaning into the things we knew to be true about our business: 1) we had a great team, 2) we had a strategically advanced team, and 3) there were a lot of opportunities for us. In bringing my team together to make this decision, we were all brought into the success of building together. Second, every opportunity isn’t your opportunity. You may have seen many live streams pop up in the weeks following festival shutdowns and live venue closures – it seemed like everyone had a platform, stream, or IG live they were doing. While our clients wanted to follow that trend, we cautioned against oversaturation and lack of strategy. We thought about what would happen 3, 6, 9 months from now when everyone was overwhelmed and fatigued. We committed to building content that would support the future's needs while still providing monetary opportunities for our audiences. Through our renewed focus on strategic planning and trend analysis, we were able to assist clients with monetizing platforms, creating new revenue streams, and creating content that would stand the test of time. I learned here that even though there are many opportunities, success is mostly defined by the opportunities you say “no” to say “yes” to other things. Thirdly, being Black is a superpower. I already knew this, but this year reminded me in more ways than one how amazing it is to be a Black creative during this time. Black entrepreneurs are historically the least funded but most poised for business success. Because I had to bootstrap our company, I was used to running lean and getting things done on a shoestring budget. That helped us stretch budgets, increase efficiencies, invest in areas of opportunity for the business, point our clients into areas of focus, and utilize our superpower to connect with diverse audiences in new and amazing ways. What has emerged in the weeks and months since March is a company poised for success, ready to take on tomorrow's challenges for our clients, and committed more than ever to build the future of work for the creator class. While 2020 was a rough year, I am entering 2021 with a renewed hope for the future and what we can build together.

First Listen is a series from Visionary Rising where we provide our readers with early access to the music that will soon become the soundtrack to their lives. Featuring DJs, Musicians, and a host of others, these mixes are curated by artists we love and shared with you to enjoy. "In Rotation" is our monthly playlist showcasing the songs we can't get enough of and artists we're excited about. As a creative agency, we know music and creation go hand and hand, so this playlist is designed to set the vibes and help you focus on monetizing your art. This month's drop features tracks from agency favorites Pell, Larry June, and Drake, with new releases from Sza and upcoming artist Jenevieve. Tap in + stream the mix below and be sure to follow us on Spotify for new music dropping monthly:

CEO, LaTecia Johnson, looks back on 4-years of growth and reflects on the agency's pivot this year. I was really quiet on the Visionary Rising Agency front because for the last 18-months really needed to put our heads down and get things done. A large portion of that time has been spent in the COVID reality, but before that, we spent 2019 really preparing for growth in 2020. Our plans were meticulously made, partnerships were cohesively ironed out, and SXSW 2020 was going to be the start of a MONSTROUS year for the agency. And, then, SXSW was canceled. We watched silently as every single project was placed on hold, then inevitably canceled. As the world grappled with what was going on, our team grappled with the reality of what would never be. I cried, helplessly, as I lost the most money I’ve ever lost in a single day, and faced with the reality of things, I gave my entire team the week off, then five more. Being an entrepreneur during this time has been a tough and difficult road, but we’ve been able to navigate by being willing to move quickly, pivot fast, and change direction if needed. During our 6-week hiatus, I took a lot of time to think about what I wanted this agency to be and how I wanted to move forward. I thought about the things that were holding us back from reaching the next level and thought about what we needed to be if we were going to come back. On May 13, satisfied with the answers, I called my team up and asked if they were ready to go. I shared with them the future of the agency – from our website redesign to our restructured services, and the types of clients we would work with first. We set the launch date for June 1st, and then, George Floyd crossed all of her timelines. That week was one of the hardest I’ve ever lived through because after watching the video, I knew beyond any shadow of a doubt, that I was done being quiet. The team and I delayed our launch to the week of June 18, and in the interim reached out to partners to start the conversation on what can be done in the long-term to ensure equity for Black creators. Some of those partners came on board and are helping us to build those programs, others were not at the right spot in their pivot to join us, but all agreed that this work needed to be done, and so here we are doing it unapologetically. I’ve learned a lot about being a leader and growing a company during this time, a lot of the lessons I’ll be sharing soon, most are just gut checks on what it takes to lead during a crisis, and how it’s okay to have moments where you don’t know what’s coming next. I’m learning and growing. The thing I am most proud of is navigating a team of proud Black creators to work they can celebrate and to tell the stories of our people through the lens of our lived experiences. It’s long hours, both structured and not, and it requires a level of commitment that far exceeds any moment I can recall, but the work is fulfilling and calling us to dig deeper every day. Here is where my 4-year reflection on where the agency stands: - We’ve done really great work Since launching in 2016, we’ve served the needs of 300+ clients, ran campaigns in 230+ countries, and generated millions in revenue and earned impressions for our clients. - There is still work to be done Despite the initiatives for parity and diversity, Black creators still occupy less than 5% of decision-making jobs in the creative industries, and Black entrepreneurs receive even less in VC funding, while contributing the most to these endeavors and possessing $1.6 Trillion in buying power. - We are committed to doing this work Visionary Rising Agency is a Black-owned and staffed agency that understands the needs of our demographic in a way that others couldn’t possibly. Not only are we committed to telling these stories and helping brands reach diverse audiences, but we are also committed to employing diverse creators who see the world differently. To meet these needs, we’ve launched Good+Rising, a vertical committed to fostering inclusiveness for Black and POC influencers and brands in the Health, Beauty, Wellness, and Lifestyle industry. We’ve sought out partners who will help us in our quest to expand, educate, and elevate creators during this tumultuous time, and most importantly, we’ve committed to this work by expanding our team and making key hires who will help us achieve the next level on our journey. I can’t wait to share with you even more about the work we’re doing and our commitment to building the future of work for the creative class one idea at a time. We’ve been here doing this work and are excited the world sees the value in honoring these stories and can’t wait to grow even more. Dreamers go to sleep; Visionaries go to work. We’ll see you at work.

Content. Content. CONTENT! Everywhere you look there’s content. You can stream it in the palm of your hands, watch it on demand, and download it to your heart’s desire. If you’re a small brand or independent creator trying to grow your brand, the idea of creating even more content to reach customers already streaming in a sea of content can be daunting, to say the least. As a society, we’re consuming more content than ever before- from the music we listen to, to the shows we watch, and the social media platforms we scroll: CONTENT IS QUEEN. This is GREAT NEWS for creators and companies that generate content and even better news for the creators interested in expanding their audience. But, where do you start? And, how do you find the right content release strategy that works for you? Today – we’re breaking down all those questions and more. First things first; what exactly is content? Does it refer to the digitally produced material a company has, or does it have a broader meaning? When we hear the word “content”, we think “information”, “collateral”, “marketing materials”; all those things that tell your brand’s story is content when it is generated for specific purposes, with a specific part of the customer’s journey in mind, including keywords that are important to your primary industry, and is used to help audience find and connect with the business. This piece right here? It’s CONTENT. It’s your first point of entry to our brand and this is where we start the conversation. Think of it like an exercise in trust, with each piece of content you are gaining the trust of your audience with the hope of converting them to a customer. Now that you understand what content is, we can start the process of figuring out what content is best for you to create. Before you develop a single frame of film; endeavor to record the podcast, or put pen to paper – you need to ask yourself 3 questions: 1. What is the goal of the media? 2. Who is the intended audience? 3. How will the information get delivered to the target audience? Answering these questions means that you have to know your intended audience and have an understanding of the ways they consume media. If your intention with creating media is to be a resource, then the types of media associated with that objective are podcasts, informational blogs (hey!), and interactive videos. Our favorite from this category is podcasts. Podcasts are fast becoming everyone’s favorite way to consume content because they can do it while also being occupied by something else. Video, for informational purposes, seems a bit invasive to us, but a quick 15-minute podcast release bi-weekly could be just the thing you need to take your brand to the next level. For musicians and visual artists, we can’t say enough about IGTV or other forms of video content, to engage your audience. We’re sure that track is AMAZING, but so were the 10,000 other tracks released in the last few hours – set yourself apart by establishing an authentic connection with your audience. It doesn’t matter that only 300 or so people tune in versus the 11K followers you have on the platform. It’s important to remember that Followers aren’t necessarily fans, but the 300 who are tuning into your weekly content can become part of your tribe if you nurture and engage them often enough. Lastly, in choosing the right content strategy, it’s important to remember that a key goal of content creation is to establish time content that can be used again and again to provide relevant information regardless of when the audience stumbles upon it. You got this – we’re rooting for you.

We're excited to announce a new partnership with Skillshare & welcome them as a sponsor of the "Creatives on the Rise" podcast. Skillshare is an online learning community with thousands of classes in creative, design, business, technology and more. Creatives on the Rise, a subsidiary of Visionary Rising, Inc., is the premiere podcast for creative entrepreneurs who want to learn how to level up their output and turn their side hustles into full-throttle careers. Exclusive Offer for Visionary Rising Clients & Creatives on the Rise Podcast Listeners Skillshare's mission is provide everyone with access to the tools needed to learn a new skill perfectly aligns with the mission of the podcast to help all creative entrepreneurs unlock their genius level talent. Our team has partnered to provide access to an exclusive offer from Skillshare who is aligned in our mission to democratize the creative industry by enabling access to resources, tools and in some cases, funding to be available to all: Creative tribe members receive 2-months of unlimited learning by accessing Visionary Rising's exclusive portal here. If you promised yourself this was the year to get started down the path of entrepreneurship, then this is the perfect opportunity for you to do just that. Be sure to sign up for our Newsletter to learn about more exclusive offers from our partners going forward. #RiseOfTheCreatives Happy creating!

Three years ago today the Visionary Rising Agency was launched. 36-months of this leg of the journey has seen a lot of pivotal moments and a few pivots along the way - but what has remained is the overarching commitment to continue serving the needs of the underserved while helping creative entrepreneurs monetize their work, own their product and make a living doing what they love. The Future of Work You can't go anywhere without hearing about "the future of work" and what that looks like in a world filled with automations, technology that evolves at a rapid pace, and a workforce that isn't fully equipped to deal with the changes. As founder of Visionary Rising, I've been having that conversation for years; it's what prompted me to start the company and work to bridge the gap; it's what has driven my work since entering technology in 2011, working with companies like Microsoft, Nielsen Media, and Apple, and it is what continues to spur me to actively work toward building it for the creator class in creative industries, one project, and partnership at a time. What I've found in doing this work is that there is still so much work to do: creators need platforms that educate them and also elevate them; they need communities that foster them, and more than that - they need access to the types of closed doors that have created an industry where less than 5% of decision-making positions are held by people from underrepresented groups. I also know creators of color are hit the hardest and kept out of the highest paying jobs in the advertising industry while creating the type of commercial trends that galvanizes audiences and translates to prolific cultural moments. The issue isn't related to the pipeline; I know from my time at conferences, connecting with creators online, and in the conversations I've had in all the spaces I've occupied - that it isn't a lack of talent or ability that keeps people from reaching the highest levels - it's simply not knowing where to start or what to do to break through to the next level. For the last year, my team and I have been asking these questions, then seeking to be able to provide them, not just for musicians or performing artists, but for ALL who identify as creatives. I know creative entrepreneurs need things that aren't being covered across any of the learning platforms they go to seeking education and I know that because there was nothing for me when I started down this path. I'm a firm believer that if a person sees something that doesn't exist out in the world, then it is up to them to create it. So, we're building it. WHAT'S NEXT? There are a few initiatives we've launched to bridge the gap for creators. Initiatives and partnerships with emerging companies like Soundstripe and Skillshare were designed to assist creative entrepreneurs in their pursuit to level the playing field. In addition to the items above, we've developed an education platform, currently in private beta, to provide underrepresented creators with the knowledge and resources required to shift the ratio in non-technical fields.  Courses on the platform cover topics like working with a brand agency, strategic partnership sourcing, and sponsorship pitching - to easy-to-follow instructions on setting up a company, establishing a sales funnel as a freelancer, and knowing what rates to charge, among other things. As the company continues to grow and take shape, I can promise we'll continue to do the work required to ensure creators are being served in this evolving economy and that we'll be with you every step of the way. My promise, in this next phase, is the same as it has been since launching: to bridge the gap between brands, creatives, and the audiences they covet while using art, music, tech + a little bit of magic along the way. Thank you for entrusting us with your visions, for sharing in this mission, and for giving me the honor and privilege of doing this work. I'm proud of this company, team, clients, and partners. Things might slow down from time to time, but this journey has only just begun. #ThisIsVisionary #RiseOfTheCreatives

We're excited to announce a new partnership with Soundstripe. Soundstripe is a stock music site made for video producers, offering a variety of high quality royalty free songs, and a one-of-a-kind unlimited licensing model for the industry. The platform is designed to make it easy, profitable, and fun for videographers to add great music to videos without any hassle. Exclusive Offer for Visionary Rising Clients & Creatives on the Rise Podcast Listeners Our team works hard to ensure that the partners we work with are aligned in our mission to democratize the creative industry by enabling access to resources, tools and in some cases, funding to be available to all. Soundstripe's mission is to "Keep Creatives Creating" by providing video content creators access to a growing collection of royalty free music at an unbeatable price. NOW, thanks to our partnership, this price is even lower for Visionary Rising Clients & Creatives on the Rise Podcast listeners. Creative tribe members receive 10% off monthly subscription services by entering "Creatives" at check out. That's right! Their one-of-a-kind unlimited licensing model & unbeatable low prices are EVEN LOWER for our network. Access Visionary Rising's exclusive portal here, browse through the subscriptions and enter coupon code "Creatives" or "RiseoftheCreatives" at checkout to claim the discount. Happy creating!