Tiffany Hardin, co-founder and principle of Gild Creative Group is a boutique management company focused on delivering cultural currency across client business through music, social, partnership & brand strategy.
Working with Mona Scott Young and Steve Stoute, she has blended two businesses that mean the most to culture, music and advertising. Opening up and offering advice to entrepreneurs check out our recent interview below. –joi pearson @joiapearson
What keeps you inspired?
I stay inspired because I feel like I have a responsibility to the dreams and aspirations that I had when I was a kid. I have a responsibility to grow into the woman I always knew I could be. There is nothing like being on your path and realizing you are exactly where you are supposed to be.
How did you determine your career path?
I always was involved in music from a child … piano lessons to voice lessons. I thought I was going to write songs like Dianne Warren and Babyface. I realized that I wanted to make a career out of being in music but realized quickly that I didn’t want to do the work to be a “star” — it wasn’t the life that I wanted. I was watching “Making The Band” back in 2006 and realized that I could be a manager. I was still in high school but I knew a garage band and I asked to manage them. It was great because I made their press kits, got them on the radio and read every Donald Passman book I could find. I realized I did not want to be at a label as well because I didn’t believe in the ethics and intention of it; too flawed. I wanted to be as close to creativity as possible while providing guidance and opportunities to expose talent to greater audiences. I attended Columbia College Chicago studying “Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management.”
While in school, I worked for John Monopoly, who was known for being Kanye West’s old manager & was running GOOD Music at SONY Music. He put me on and he’s the reason I met Mona Scott Young. I became her assistant at Violator Management in New York and her company, Monami Entertainment. After managing tour budgets I landed a great opportunity with Steve Stoute at Translation. I didn’t know much about him or the advertising business at the time, but learned very quickly why he is a force of nature & just how much the two businesses were very intertwined. I was always an entrepreneur at heart … being able to start my career with (three) African American entrepreneurs means everything to me … not to mention my mother runs her own business as well. In 2012, I went out on my own to blend the two businesses that mean the most to culture; Music and Advertising, by delivering cultural currency across client business through music, social, partnership & brand strategy.
What inspires you to show up at work every day?
God’s purpose for my life. It all hinges on what I do with the opportunities I’ve been given.
