Want to succeed in life and business? Don’t wait for anyone to give you anything— especially a job. A chance opportunity led Rashad Drakeford to follow this advice, pushing him into the opportunity of his dreams. Now, as the director of integrated marketing at Revolt, the Hampton University alum is leading all marketing efforts at the “real-time, socially connected television network†founded by mogul Sean “Puffy†Combs and MTV veteran Andy Schuon. As a student at the “School of Puff,†Drakeford is sure to know a few things about the hustle. Not to mention, he gets to witness this firsthand, as the ‘bad boy’ is hands on in day-to-day activities for the network.
With an impressive career resume that also includes the Madison Square Garden Company and IMG, Drakeford is clearly on his way to becoming one of the industries top ‘go-to’ executives. Drakeford talked to BlackEnterprise.com recently and discussed the challenges of his role, secrets to the influence behind the REVOLT brand, and what motivates him each day.
BlackEnterprise.com: How did you first come to get your position with Revolt?
Drakeford: I first heard about Revolt when a friend of mine sent me their YouTube sizzle video back in April 2013. I was absolutely blown away and inspired by the ambition and boldness of its mission to elevate music, artists and culture across a billion screens in five years.  I kept hearing about REVOLT over that summer, peaking my interest even more so I just sent a cold email to the head of marketing and received a response to come in for an interview. And now, here I am.
Describe a typical day at the office for you.
It really varies based on the time of year, but on average, I start my morning at 6 a.m. catching up on emails, mostly from our programming and production based on the West Coast. Once in the office, we hold a quick marketing team pow-wow where we run through the day’s top items followed by full Sales & Marketing team meeting. After that, the day is off to the races and usually consists of prospective client meetings, deck build outs, executing partnership deals, tentpole event planning, and long term planning. I typically end my day around 8pm but with our West Coast-based team, I do calls and answer e-mails until about 11 p.m.
What’s the most challenging part of your job?
Being on a team that is literally responsible for building a multi-platform network from the ground up.
Find out more about Drakeford’s career and working for Diddy on the next page …
How hands on is Sean “Diddy” Combs in the day-to-day operations at Revolt?
Mr. Combs is quite involved. During the REVOLT Music Conference, he attended three panels and even asked a question during one; his thirst to keep learning is contagious within the company. He also calls the programming team almost daily when he sees a video he does or doesn’t like, and passes notes on REVOLT Live to the programming team weekly. From a business sense, he takes strategic meetings with distributors and potential partners. But with this said, he believes in empowerment and each executive is fully charged to lead and expected to have an informed opinion that they can own, execute and justify.
What do you think is behind the power and influence of the Revolt brand?
It undoubtedly comes from artists and fans. REVOLT filled a glaring white space within music. There was no place for artists to go to cut through the clutter and tell their story and share their music. Artists and music fans, especially Millennial ones, respect authenticity and REVOLT prides itself on that. Whatever story we cover, whatever artist we feature, whatever brand campaign we execute, it always starts with “is this authentic to the REVOLT brand, the artists, and the fans?” Whether its our news segments or our flagship  program, REVOLT Live or our documentaries/specials, REVOLT focuses on bringing freedom and truth to the forefront.
When did you decide to pursue marketing as a career and what motivates you to continue to do so?
I always thought marketing was a “cool” field to be in but I didn’t truly understand its impact on culture and society until I joined The Madison Square Garden Company’. It was there that I learned the role marketing can play to drive a brand’s business, inspire consumers to do amazing things, and grow a product or service into an entity that makes people’s lives a little bit better, a little bit happier, and a little bit easier.
Revolt TV has more than 220,000 Instagram followers and 104,000 on Twitter. That’s pretty impressive for a fairly new brand. Why has Revolt been so successful in its social media strategy?
We meet Millennials where they are, with not only compelling content but engaging conversation. We bring our followers the latest news, interviews, and performances in real time – we serve as their pulse for music and culture but it doesn’t stop there. We engage with our followers on hot button issues, we retweet their comments and reposts their Instagram photos. If you look at the majority of our social activity, its overwhelmingly conversation versus posting.
Who are people within your industry that have inspired you?
There are many but three really stand out because they all taught me something
different that I carry with me today. Steve Pamon (Managing Director of Sports & Entertainment Marketing, JPMorgan Chase) because he taught me the importance of giving back and reaching back. Scott O’Neil (President of the Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Devils, & Prudential Center) because during his time as President of Madison Square Garden Sports, he taught me the impact of true leadership and getting an organization to move forward with one vision and one voice, towards one goal. Bozoma Saint John (Head of Global Consumer Marketing, iTunes & Beats Music) because she taught me the importance of brand storytelling, creating compelling content, and how to own a room.How influential were mentors in your career growth?
Career-wise, I haven’t had too many mentors but I’ve had amazing people that helped me along the way at each and every juncture. Without people like Michael Strautmanis (Former Chief of Staff of White House Public Engagement & Intergovernmental Affairs), Greg Economou (EVP & Chief Revenue Officer, Dick Clark Productions) and Terdema Ussery (President of the Dallas Mavericks), I wouldn’t be where I am today. The recommendations, the guidance, the constructive criticism, and the advice they gave me at various junctures of my career were absolutely priceless.