#144: It's a Grand Old Team
It's Monday? It's Monday.
MUSIC THINGS:
My favorite soccer club on Earth is the U.S. Women's National Team. After them, it's Everton F.C. They are now on top of the Premier League at the time of writing. I am HAPPY, boy.
The Liverpool-based team usually lives in the spotlight of the more accomplished Liverpool F.C. It is the Prem League's answer to the NFL's Chicago Bears.
"Spirit of The Blues" was initially released in 1985 to celebrate a dominant â84/â85 season.
This season, the team has started with a surprising winning streak. To celebrate the Toffees winning their fourth consecutive game, fans in the U.K. got the track on the charts, reaching Number 3 on The Official Big Top 40, which counts down the most downloaded songs, streamed and listened to on the radio that week.
To drive that Bears/Everton metaphor into the ground, this would be like if The Super Bowl Shuffle knocked that Drake song where he bites the Valee flow off its perch just because the Bears went 3-0.Â
Speaking of soccer...
It's time again for one of the best days of the year. The newest installment of the classic video game series FIFA Soccer is out this week. The thing is, no matter how great the soundtrack is, you get tired of it after your 2nd or 3rd season in Career Mode. To celebrate this unofficial global holiday, I'm sharing #NewFIFAOut, a brand-new playlist curated by moi. This one is made for listening while you play or for a soundtrack while you watch your favorite team live. Please put it on shuffle and enjoy it.
For the people with tight shoulders and necks from being on screens all day long aka everyone reading these words: Do these! They work!
MARKETING THINGS:
VIRTUAL EVENTS: HOW EVENT MARKETERS ARE OVERCOMING EIGHT PAIN POINTS (EventMarketer.com)
If youâre struggling to make virtual events a real-life success, you should read this.Â
Remember how last year I told you to keep an eye on sports media company Overtime?Â
I hadnât heard of a lot of these!
CULTURE THING:
âIf media companies are record labels then journalists are rock stars. And while media companies spend time working to restructure and focus their business on talent and become âthe labelâ, weâll see a lot of individuals exit the major âlabelsâ and go independent. These creators will then structure themselves as independent media companies and develop micro labels themselves.
I shared Part 1 of Jarrod Dickerâs article comparing media industries like the NYT to record labels a few weeks ago. Part 2 doubles down on the concept and adds a wrinkle that will keep me up for the next few nightsâŠ
âThe Renaissance Creator â the hybridization of the individual as both a creator and an entrepreneur. This development and definition of âcreativityâ is one of the more interesting things happening today because it is contrary to the supposed logic for a creator to go independent. We like to say independence (see: passion economy) is valuable because it lets a creator focus on what they do best; create. But actually itâs the opposite. By going independent, the creator is aspiring to not only create, but willingly assume the management and business of their entire self. This acceptance of responsibility as a formula for success will dictate a creatorâs desire to go independent and develop a micro-label or decide to limit duties and create within a larger media organization.
I want to be a creator. I want to be a business. I want to be a brand.
HOW TO HELP BLACK LIVES IN 30 MINS OR LESS:
When it comes to taking the steps needed to create a racially equal America, Iâve heard from many well-intentioned non-Black people over the last two months that one of the most daunting things for them is trying to figure out what they can personally do make things better.
Some folks see these massive issues as a significant problem that cannot be defeated, so they struggle to figure out what one person can do, which leads to them not doing much other than posting to IG. Some of that is not wanting to seem like youâre doing too much, some of that is fear your intentions will be misunderstood.
What if I told you that for only 30 minutes a week, you can help black lives no matter where you are or how much money you make? Hereâs how:
Carve out 30 minutes in your calendar this week. Call it âBeing A Better Person Timeâ or âSet a Good Example for my Kidâ Time, whatever works.
Click a link and make a call or donate or sign a petition. Just do one thing in that 30 min window.
This weekend, share the above link with your three closest friends and say, âHey, Iâm (calling/donating/signing a petition). Iâm worried about how things will be for future generations, so Iâm doing something about it. If youâre interested, hereâs the link!â If you have a group chat, drop it into your group chat!
Repeat the following week for as long as you can. Do it while you online shop, do it while youâre on an annoying call, hell, you can do it while you poop, I genuinely donât care! Whatever it takes! It is the absolute least that you can do, but youâll get a sense of accomplishment and the knowledge that you at least did SOMETHING to help. You have a vision of who you want to be, right? That ideal version of yourself that does the right thing when given a chance and leads by example? This is that chance. You can do it!
BONUS: You wonât have to lie to your kids or grandkids about being on the right side of history! You can be all like, âChildren/Grandchildren, we donât tolerate that racist shit in this house. If anyone says otherwise, send them to me.â and youâll sound all tough and cool, and your kids or grandkids will respect and love you and not want to be racistsâŠguess what? That means less racist people in the future!!!
Look at that. It turns out you had a bigger impact than you thought the whole time!
ANNOUNCEMENTS:Â
My mom mentors this group of middle school boys in Atlanta that started a club to figure out how to impact their community in positive ways. They currently are doing a really impressive to help the special education students in their area who are struggling. Watch the most adorable video ever and help them out, wonât you?
SUPPORT THIS THING:
Did you know that for the price of a shared appetizer and two rounds of drinks, you can support a Black-owned media business? Become a paid supporter of the newsletter on an ongoing basis today:Â
If you enjoy what you read, consider showing your support for my work with a one-time donation!
Office Hours with Ernest Wilkins is written and curated by Ernest Wilkins.
Follow me on Twitter/Clubhouse/IGÂ @ErnestWilkins.
Want to work with me? Send me an e-mail.