Name: Benoni Tagoe
Profession: Producer
Age: 27
One Word That Describes You: Resourceful
An entertainment industry insider, who previously did taxes and worked in real estate, Benoni Tagoe turned his work effort and resiliency into success and now lives to help others develop financial literacy through his site, The Bizz Plan. “I have a lot of friends who know how to get money, but they don’t know how to keep it,” Tagoe told NewsOne late last year. “A lot of people who grew up like me, they fell into the same cycle as their parents. I wanted to create something that urban millennials could learn from.”
And learn we did.
As the social media revolution kicks up a notch, African American men and women realize their power. From boycotting Black Friday to forcing brands to create products that cater to our audience, corporate America is seeing just how powerful a nation with $1 trillion dollars to spend can be and Tagoe is the man looking to empower these millennials for the future. “Sometimes the way financial literacy is framed makes it hard for us to engage the information,” Tagoe said in his NewsOne chat. “No one wants to pay attention to that because they don’t know the culture.”
So, Tagoe developed a strategy which took people such as Vine star King Bach and REVOLT editorial director Julian Mitchell, from the black space and aimed them directly to the black audience. As they regale the audience with tales of financial liberty, stress, strife, and education, Tagoe has raked in thousands of views and plenty of applause for helping to hip the millennial spender to alternate ways of using their currency power. The 27-year-old industry producer has always had a knack for placing himself into the mix at the right time. From assisting the Jonas Brothers to being the content creator for Issa Rae of Awkward Black Girl fame, Tagoe has worn many hats while building a blueprint for success.
On the next page, read how Benoni Tagoe rooted himself in the industry and created new narratives for black creatives…
Considering Las Vegas his hometown, Tagoe moved to Los Angeles to further root himself in the music and entertainment scene. After spending many a night on a friend’s couch, he attended and graduated from the Musicians Institute, which is a six-month intensive course on the rigors of the music industry. His work with the Jonas Brothers got him in the door to create VIP packages for Justin Bieber, Pitbull, and the Black Eye Peas. “It was a good lesson when your career is tied to a certain artist on their level,” Benoni told Aimeramour.
His work with Issa Rae allowed him to create new narratives that weren’t being explored by mainstream media. From originally helping her with a newsletter and social media, Tagoe would eventually go on to create strategic marketing plans which allowed The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl
to become an immense success. With The Bizz Plan, the goal isn’t just limited to helping others manage money better. Tagoe’s future plans also involve a national workshop to teach financial literacy on the ground in neighborhoods across the U.S., as well as a series of books that serve the same purpose.His content creation skills even landed him a gig with Russell Simmons’ latest venture, All Def Digital, which functions as an online comedy and music network. Ever the connector, Tagoe serves as the bridge that closes the gap between the online superstar and companies looking to leverage their influence. “I’m the guy that reaches out to you and helps you to figure out a strategy to take your career to the next level,” he told Aimeramour. “Anything involving digital is my forte. It was all by accident. I just happened to be a part of some successful projects.”
Success isn’t just a phase or a concept that Tagoe promotes to ensure positive results for his relationships —it’s a state of being. From pitching to potential prospects to executing responsibilities given to him, Tagoe proves that our normal is extraordinary and stands out from others.
It is because of these attributes that we are proud to call Benoni Tagoe a BE Modern Man. Through his strength, resiliency, fortitude, and sheer determination to be exemplary, Tagoe understands that excellence in execution is ideal and passing on that knowledge is to be rewarded. Black Enterprise salutes you, Benoni Tagoe, for contributing positive images of men of color to the masses. Your mission of playing connector while creating content that challenges the conventional concepts of the black community frames us in an enthusiastic light, and is meant to be celebrated and appreciated.
Be sure to follow the latest and greatest from Benoni Tagoe (and @blackenterprise!) on Twitter.