Meet Marisa King

Today we’d like to introduce you to Marisa King.

Marisa, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
So honestly, I believe my story began as a teenager… I was 16 and growing up in NYC during the height of the dopest hip hop era Wu-Tang, Smif n Wesson, Big, Jay, Nas; I was there and I fell in love with the music and the vibe. I began interning at 16, started working about a year later and built my connections from there. By 21, I was throwing some of the hottest parties in the city, had finished stints at Duck Down Records, Universal Music Group, Interscope, Bad Boy, one of the top entertainment law firms and was on my way to MTV. I was in love with the energy that the entertainment industry provided and it became my stepping stone.

In 2003, two years out of college, I founded my firm Buzz Brand Marketing Group and then things really took off. For the last 16 years, that has been my other baby and has had me in rooms I could have never dreamed of. Public Relations, Marketing, and Event Design and Management have been the lifeblood of my business and it’s been amazing. From independents to NBA and NFL players, to artists, politicians, corporate executives, fashion and lifestyle brands and non-profits, I have been blessed to work with and represent some of the top names in the business.

At this time, I have a handful of clients that I handle brand management for, consult companies and brands on market emergence, lifestyle partnerships and development on top of focusing on my own brands. I am an Integrated Lifestyle Architect, have a recently launched my podcast, Unfiltered with Marisa King, I co-host Intimate Conversations Women’s Brunch here in North Atlanta, run my family foundation, The King Foundation of Excellence and I am finishing my first book.

As a devoted advocate for women and a serial entrepreneur, I share my cultivated wisdom and experience to reveal the secrets of successful business and healthy lifestyle choices through motivational speeches and engaging events and workshops.

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! I have wanted to quit so many times over the years. I think that for anyone trying to build something on their own, there are so many challenges whether it’s financial, needing a team of people, requiring more education or a specific skill set…

For me, I have gone broke to build my brands, I have second-guessed myself to the point where I have slowed my progress down, I have compared myself to others when I should have been focusing on myself. All those things are normal because we are human but those were my self inflicted obstacles, it has been my evolution that has allowed me to get out of my own way and keep going.

What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
My business at this point is brand strategy and empowerment if I were to sum it up. No matter which of my brands I am working under, I am constantly working to grow businesses and properties visibility and impact. My business is people, the goal is to empower as many as possible by providing outlets for enlightenment, education, and opportunities.

I am most proud of the type of cultural impact that I have been able to have through Buzz with clients like the HBO New York Latino Film Festival which is an amazing event that for six years, I had the privilege of contributing to as it has cornered the Latino and Urban markets in film. I am proud of the women in power I have worked with to highlight their work as well as learn from them. I am proud of clients like Kevin Powell, who for almost a decade has let me go on this journey from red carpets, to book negotiations, launch parties, congressional campaigns, tv and advocacy projects. I am proud of the charities that we donate our time to every year. Outside of Buzz, I am proud of the reach I have had with women and entrepreneurs, I am proud that telling my story honestly and being open helps others. I am very proud anytime I am able to assist people in getting out of their own way and fulfilling their dreams. I am proud that I have a voice and I am no longer afraid to use it.

I believe that what sets me apart from others is my authenticity. Whether it’s my marketing and pr strategies, I don’t do fluff, I know that telling the real stories, when you get to the heart of the real stories is enough to get people’s attention. What sets me apart is that I don’t take on clients for money, I take them on based on what I believe in, what moves me… if I don’t see the big picture and if it’s not aligned with my morals, I cannot do it. I know that what sets me apart is the arena or speaking and empowerment is I am not trying to sell anyone a dream, life is hard, it’s real and though those things are true, we are real with ourselves, we can do amazing this and help other people in the process.

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
I would like to say that receiving a 40 Under 40 Award at 27 was the proudest, it was quite an honor and I was among such truly amazing people. With that said, I am feeling like the proudest moment may be right now as I am fully in control of the direction my career is going. I am proud that I am not letting the fear stop me and have recently launched my podcast and am halfway through my first book. I am just proud of the overall journey.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.marisaking.com
• Phone: 404-424-9611
• Email: inquiries@marisaking.com
• Instagram: @iammarisaking
• Facebook: @iammarisaking
• Twitter: @marisaking

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