Today we’d like to introduce you to Aaron Paxton Arnold.
Aaron, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
The short of it is… I never imagined being where I am at. There’s always been my plan and then there’s God’s plan. God’s plan was much better.
I am a kid from the South Side of Chicago who was blessed to have two parents (they’re still married) but my path was very uncertain, especially from 3rd-8th grade. But my parents are so dope… there was no way I would fail… just took a little time for me grow, lol. I was smart, just had some behavior issues and that overshadowed my academic prowess.
I graduated from High School (Kenwood Academy) and took my talents to Florida A&M University( FAMU) on scholarship. I studied Journalism/PR and minored in Theater/Business.
Fast forward to 2004, after four years of working at four global PR/Marking agencies, I made the sacrifice of leaving corporate America because I wanted to be the next generation of executives/entrepreneurs.
I followed my passion and took an unpaid intern-assistant job with Bad Boy Records and Sean “Diddy” Combs for 18 months.
In 2006, I founded MusicIsMyBusiness (MIMB) and in 2008, MIMB was named one of America’s Smartest New Companies led by people under 30 according to Inc Magazine.
By this time, I had spoken and/or keynoted everywhere from Harvard to Capitol Hill (re) defining the spirit of entrepreneurship. I had written for Forbes, appeared on CNN, Black Enterprise, etc and began to realize the power of my voice.
In 2013, my wife, at the time, called me while I was on a business trip to New York and asked: “why aren’t you doing radio?” She had just listened to The Rickey Smiley Show and continued “when you speak you do the same thing as Jeff Johnson does.” That same summer… a complete stranger Tahman Bradley (WGN News) was a producer at ABC News in New York. He had just heard me deliver a Key Note speech in Dallas and came up to me after and told me “you need to be on someone’s tv and/or radio because you have the unique ability to galvanize people.” Tahman is now my good friend and mentor.
I begin to realize that just because I was good at something (MusicIsMyBusiness) didn’t mean I was walking in my purpose. In 2014, I made yet another pivot… walking away from the music space and deciding to focus on speaking full-time, becoming a national media contributor and on-air, radio personality.
But anyone can google these things too. When it’s all said and done… it’s been God’s grace and mercy. I simply have been fearless in my pursuit and never wavered in my faith and belief in myself.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Absolutely not. It was a struggle from day one. I’ve made money, walked away from money because it didn’t feel right. I’ve been broke; maybe should’ve been homeless (twice) but God never failed me… because I never wavered in my vision, faith, and commitment.
If you’re committed to your vision, God will reward you. But commitment means you’re in it regardless of the circumstances.
Every chapter is a struggle at some level mainly because of the self-inflicted pressure. But that’s what makes it so dope, fun and challenging and I love a great challenge.
I have a huge chip on my shoulder and thrive. Unless it’s handed to you, you will struggle because you’re starting from the bottom and don’t know what you’re doing, lol. Even if you reach a certain level of success… there’s always the next challenge/struggle. I always tell people, I was “Good” when I was 24 regarding my career and money but I wanted to be Great and risked it all just have a chance at tasting what that feels like.
And the more you grow throughout the process, the more you have to purge. Sometimes that means purging material items, friends, family, associates, etc. It’s kinda like less is more in some cases…that’s not an easy thing to do. But it’s necessary.
Please tell us more about your business, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
Now, my business is just the Aaron Paxton Arnold brand. As mentioned earlier, I walked away from my company to focus on myself. I am extremely proud of everything we did as a company but I am even more proud of the lives I’ve touched and the lives I’ve been able to change as a Key-Note Speaker, National Media contributor, and local-Atlanta on-air radio personality. I also work with national brands as a media “influencer” hosting/speaking and producing (digital) content.
In November 2018, I left the morning show as I needed a new challenge. And while thankful for the opportunity I had in radio for 4.5 years, I craved to be in an environment that celebrated innovation and utilized my skill set to positively change/influence the lives and minds of people around the world.
I am in the business of telling stories/creating narratives (content) with the goal to inspire, educate, entertain and position those elements for maximum impact. Last month I launched my own series “Aaron Vs __” via my youtube page (MusicIsMyBusiness) and my IG page (@mrmusicismybusiness).
To date, I have posted five episodes: “AaronVsBlackFathers” + “AaronVsTheKids” + “AaronVsEntrepreneurship” + “AaronVsPurpose” + “AaronVsBeardGang.”
As a father, entrepreneur, keynote speaker, host, and national media contributor… I work to bring fresh and authentic perspectives to the audiences I serve.
Regarding what sets me apart from everyone else… it’s simply my story…this is my (brand) DNA. We have over seven billion people in the world and we all have different DNAs…which means there are seven-billion stories/journeys to be told.
My background in PR, journalism, music/entertainment, technology, and brand management have allowed me to have a blessed career, which I describe as an “integrated” journey of professional, social and entrepreneurial experiences.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
I have so many, that I can’t even narrow it down to one.
What I remember the most were the challenges I faced. However, every step of the way, my parents (and others) were there for me. I put my parents through a lot early on but they never lost faith in me (although my Dad claims they almost gave up on me at one point, lol).
What I remember most from my childhood… there were always obstacles at every level… from elementary/middle school to high school. Some of the obstacles I created on my own; sometimes those obstacles were due to being just being a black boy in the city of Chicago and all the challenges that can come with that.
But having those obstacles and overcoming them created a chip on my shoulder that I still carry to this day. It motivates me every day because I know there were people who didn’t think I’d make it to high school. I never wanted to be “average” because of that. I do better when people doubt me… it’s weird… I am at my best when I am uncomfortable.
Contact Info:
- Website: aaronpaxtonarnold.com
- Phone: 404.808.6439
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrmusicismybusiness/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AaronPaxtonArnold
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/mrmimb
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