Jun 10, 2020
Summary:
When we launched our podcast and put together a list of possible guests, Calvin Nowell was part of that list. And today, the timing is perfect in light of the current social tensions. Calvin is a close friend and has worked in the agency world for a while now. Calvin recently started his own agency called, Cmon Creative (during the Covid-19 pandemic too!), and today we talk with him about the story of his start, the struggles he’s seen as a business owner, and his unique perspective as a black man in the agency world. In this episode we’re searching for the good, the opportunities, as we always do. No matter where you stand on the current social issues, education is key if you want to move in a positive direction. Calvin talks about his journey to starting Cmon Creative in April of this year, his experience in advertising, and what agency owners (and individuals) can do TODAY to begin moving towards broader perspectives of reaching an audience.
Top 3 Curtain Pulls in this episode:
For more tips, discussion, and behind the scenes:
About our Guest:
Calvin Nowell of Cmon Creative is a seasoned marketer, speaker, and niche influencer. He hosts a podcast called Show Up w/ Calvin Nowell which offers advice alongside industry-specific experts to help encourage people to reach their full potential. He’s an overall creative expert who assists in marketing strategies AND is also an accomplished musician, having worked with Grammy-winning artists Stevie Wonder, Tori Kelly, Michael W Smith, and more. He also provides branding, marketing management, and vocal expertise for those artists. We are so pumped to have him on the show today!
About The Guys:
Bob Hutchins: Founder of BuzzPlant, a digital agency that he ran from from 2000 -2017. He is also the author of 3 books. More on Bob:
Brad Ayres: Founder of Anthem Republic, an award-winning ad agency. Brad’s knowledge has led some of the biggest brands in the world. Originally from Detroit, Brad is an OG in the ad agency world and has the wisdom and scars to prove it. Currently that knowledge is being applied to his boutique agency. More on Brad:
Ken Ott: Co-Founder and Chief Growth Rebel of Metacake, an Ecommerce Growth Team for some of the world’s most influential brands with a mission to Grow Brands That Matter. Ken is also an author, speaker, and was nominated for an Emmy for his acting on the Metacake Youtube Channel (not really). More on Ken:
Show Notes:
[1:05] Bob introduces this week’s guest Calvin Nowell.
[2:17] Brad welcomes Calvin to the show, speaking about their history of friendship and working together.
[2:47] Calvin speaks about his move to Franklin from Cincinnati 18 years ago. He initially wanted to get into working behind the scenes in the music industry, eventually being drawn to singing. Opportunities arose that allowed him to get into artist management, and eventually moved full time into marketing.
[5:15] Brad asks Calvin to explain the meaning behind Cmon Creative and what led him to naming his business.
[5:17] Calvin talks about growing up in church in the black community, it’s common to hear people say “C’mon!” when they hear something they are passionate about and connect with. It’s a word of encouragement in his life, regardless of who he’s around, and became very influential in other people’s lives as well.
[8:00] Brad talks about how Calvin has always encouraged him to show up and participate, which is reflected in his use of the term and the name of his company.
[8:26] Bob asks about Calvin's business in the time of Covid.
[8:44] Calvin talks about how his agency hasn’t been impacted, but his weekend job traveling with Michael W Smith has stopped, obviously.
[9:52] Calvin: “This is an opportunity to reshape culture versus rebrand it.”
[10:54] Calvin speaks on the racial tension that we are experiencing as a disruption as well.
[12:03] Bob says the idea of reshaping sounds different than other buzzwords we’ve heard a lot lately.
[13:00] Bob asks what the day to day looks like at Cmon Creative for Calvin.
[14:08] Calvin: Cmon is a full-service creative agency, helping clients connect dots strategically. They also dabble in video production, social media, Christian film studio company, non-profits.
[15:58] Calvin speaks on the current opportunity to speak to black voices and stand for them in a new way. He’s struggled himself to be in the business world because of both his skin and his weight- whether intentional or not, the result is that he’s had to create his own thing.
[18:45] Calvin speaks about being a bridge-builder in his community. He goes to a predominantly white church, lives in predominantly white Franklin, TN. He gives examples of not seeing men like him represented in his community, and refers to the recent push to “Diversify or Else.” Ultimately, “Diversity is just better.”
[19:52] Ken asks if there is resistance towards diversity or is it a lack of education around the advantages of diversity.
[20:11] Calvin tells a story about a company he applied to work for. He got 4-5 rounds of interviews and was referred by a Sr VP.
[22:53] Calvin says that big ad agencies often try to represent black or people of color but just don’t get it right, because they’re not a truly diverse company. If there were people of color in that meeting, those commercials would represent people with much more compassion and care.
[24:15] Bob speaks about unconscious ignorance as well, and his experience with many people just not being aware of their bias. In recent months, the news has become so direct with the message that unconscious ignorance isn’t really an excuse to hide behind anymore.
[24:50] Calvin says that in order to be aware of our own biases, we have to take a look at our lives and businesses and ask who’s missing. In the same way that we value young people for access to social media and expertise in that area, we rely on older people to inform us of taking care of our retirement funds. Why not with race as well? Be intentional about awareness of your bias.
[28:00] Ken: Speaks on his experience of growing up in Queens and how that impacted his cultural identity. Truly the issue goes so much deeper than skin color, but sinks into culture and tradition and so much more than just skin color. Recent events have simplified and in many cases oversimplified the issues and are not doing real justice to the socioeconomic implications.
[30:00] Calvin recalls conversations with other people of color and realizing how deep colorism goes. Not just racially.
[33:48] Brad asks what sort of advice Calvin might have.
[34:07] Calvin: First, look at your team and ask who’s missing. Not necessarily hiring someone right away, but keeping that blind spot on your radar.
[35:29] Ken asks if being part of the “quota” is offensive.
[35:35] Calvin says yes but he’ll take it. “You can show people better than you can tell them.”
[38:00] Calvin continues: If anything I hope this episode inspires just one person to say hey maybe we do need to see who’s at the table and make some changes.
[40:10] Bob speaks about his black friends who own agencies. They focus on the urban market and people go directly to them when they need that perspective. Bob asks Calvin why they might have zeroed in on that market specifically?
[41:01] Calvin responds that they saw an opportunity and created a solution for a need. It’s a default because they know they can fill a need, versus being considered as an option as an agency on equal footing with everyone else.
[45:20] Ken speaks to the similarity between that struggle and others that struggle to have the financial means to be successful, the challenges within both of those to work harder than anyone else and produce at a higher level than anyone else.
[48:20] Brad speaks on his desire to be able to walk through life confident in who he is without anything else, just as himself. And says that the world would be such a better place, we would all appreciate each other so much more if we could just let go of those holdups and incorrect beliefs about ourselves.
[50:00] Calvin talks about his lack of encouragement growing up. As a result, he never sang until college and his parents had no idea what talent he had. After therapy and life happening over time, he began to realize that there were other passions and talents he had that were never encouraged either, like his passion for advertising.
[51:50] Calvin continues: Brad gave him a chance to see what the industry was like from the inside. He was dreaming of having an agency of his own and simply needed the exposure to the process, so that was an enormous gift for him.
[53:50] Calvin talks about the impact Oprah has had on him, and his experience at her 2020 Vision event. She said “I want to encourage you this year to bet on yourself,” and shared her experience bargaining with the co-creators of her show. Their disbelief became leverage for her determination, and it obviously worked in her favor over time. This became his permission to truly step into starting his agency in April 2020.
[56:47] Calvin: “We’re all looking for validation, and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it. We need to accept that… forget the [blm] movement and its intention or whatever, but people are simply asking ‘Do you care? Do I matter?’”
[1:00:00] Ken mentions the quote “Proximity breeds empathy.”
[1:03:05] Calvin: Being intentional is the first step, but you have to be PRESENT in that intentionality. Really allow yourself to see/hear/value that other person or people group. Let them know they are being heard.