I’m going going, back to back, to Atlanta, Atlanta. You see that’s not just a song I made up, I actually went to Atlanta for the first time sense my fifth-grade field trip. This time though I’m going as a grown man and even more curious to see how the city they call ATL has changed since my last visit. It was sort of a field trip this time also, just that this time I was there to go to one of the biggest black entrepreneur conferences in the world, Invest Fest 4! 
Invest Fest is an entrepreneur conference that is focused around black entrepreneurship that has been held in the city of Atlanta for the pretty much all four festivals. This year it was held at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, which is still relatively a new place and also a huge place. Invest Fest was created by the brothers of Earn Your Leisure, Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings, who have created one of the top-rated podcasts in the world that focuses on entrepreneurship. I was excited to be in Atlanta because it’s been a minute. Like right during the FreakNik years, but I was too young to see that much. And Atlanta is an expensive city. So to combat the cost a little, I decided to volunteer. The tickets were $250, so volunteering saved a little cash and it would force me to talk to people because if I’m being honest with myself, I’m reserved. There were also VIP tickets that ranged from $1000 to the lifetime VIP cost of $10,000, but my pockets are also reserved. lol. I flew out of Tulsa straight shot to Atlanta which was surprisingly only three hours. And as soon as I landed I played Killer Mike's Live version of "DOWN BY LAW" Let’s get to the reason why we’re here. How was it? It was BLACK! It’s how I imagine Wale writes his songs about black women. Black is Beautiful, Black is Gold. As soon as I walked down from my hotel elevator, I saw just how beautiful Black is. Men and women of all skin tones dressed to the nines. I mean dressed. From business suits to business casual, to Nike Tec jogging sets. No matter what people wore they, woorre it! This conference proved that not only Black Americans were there for information and networking, but all ethnicities were represented, and people from different countries flew to Atlanta to be apart one of the biggest Black entrepreneur conferences in the world. The meat and potatoes. That would be the conference sessions themselves. There were so many names that I could write paragraphs, Steve Harvey, 50 Cent, Ian Dunlap (I hate I missed his), Lauren Londen, X. Eyee (she stole the show, her talk on Artificial Intelligence really opened my eyes to it’s possibilities), Shannon Sharpe, T.I., those are just a few of the celebrity and standout people of the conference. But what I also found out is that the big names bring in the people, but it’s the smaller named entrepreneurs that are really in the trenches that really give you the ‘how-to’s’. It’s great to see a big name and see them talking and telling stories about their success, but a common theme that seemed to playout is that these entrepreneurs didn’t give you any game, just stories. But when you go to the small named entrepreneur, everyone had their pens and pads out because they were giving you step-by-step how to guides, they gave the game, they blessed the game, and surprisingly their sessions were packed. 
Circulate. That’s the only way I could explain the vendor marketplace. It was over 500 vendors all in this huge expo sized space all circulating money. There were health vendors, there were hair care vendors, there were Artificial Intelligence vendors, there were clothing vendors, every aspect of entrepreneurship needed to support your business was there. I promise you that it would be hard for you to walk through and not buy something. There also was the Earn Your Leisure booth that held their signature “Assets Over Liabilities” shirt. There was also The Marathon booth who actually bought the iconic Brinks truck. I always support The Marathon store, (their Black Friday deals are insane) so it was dope to see their Brinks truck and to be able to take a picture with it. And in All-Money-In fashion, they also gave away $100,000 Grant to a business, the business that won focused on juicing. 
Business in the front and a party in the back. By day the conference was all business and entrepreneurship. But at night that’s when you realized people didn’t come to just work, they were there to play as well. Invest Fest had a VIP Night that included a performance from T.I. and a private dinner. There was also an R&B Karaoke Night where that was cracking. Also, it was Atlanta. The night scene is whatever you want to get into, clubs, lounges, gentleman clubs, and everything in between. Atlanta is a city built on nightlife. My Final thoughts on Invest Fest. When you come, bring comfortable walking shoes. The facility is literally three football fields long, don’t sacrifice looking cool for comfort, you can do both. Don’t be afraid to go by yourself. I went by myself, my first solo trip, and as soon as I got there, I got nothing but inviting personalities all wanting to talk and network. Which brings me to my next point. Talk to people. People are there to network and you never know who will help you build your business or help take your business to that next level. So talk. Go to the small entrepreneur sessions. That’s where you’re gonna get the real cheat codes, the big names might get you to come, but the lesser-known ones are gonna give you the game because they are in the trenches. Have your elevator pitch ready, be able to describe your business because you don’t want to sound like that person who sells snake oil. Know your business and know it well. Spend with the vendors, the vendors have amazing products, I bought shirts, hair care products, took business cards, because it was truly a way to circulate and support entrepreneurs who took a risk and had amazing products and could tell you, and sometimes sell you on their products. Last but not least. See the city. I didn’t venture out to see all of the city but I felt welcomed to Atlanta. Should you go to Invest Fest. YESSSS!!!!
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Webster’s dictionary defines an interlude as; a musical composition inserted between the parts of a longer composition, a drama, or a religious service. From Drake and Omarion’s “Bria’s Interlude” to Kanye West’s “I Love Kanye”, or Summer Walker’s "Session 32", there’s nothing like an interlude. GOLDIELXCS knows this all too well and is showing the world what it means to live within the interlude with the release of her new EP called “INTERLUDE SHAWTY”. GOLDIELXCS is an artist from Dallas, TX who now calls Tulsa her home. She is a multi-talented artist, producer, and musician whose stage performance has been blowing crowds away. Her music blends into multiple genres making her sound unique and boundless. GOLDIELXCS has created a cult-like following and continues to see the benefits of being an artist who is just, being themselves. Check out her music! Interlude Shawty, the 4 track project clocks in at 6 mins. But don’t let that fool you, this project is packed with vibes. This is the ode to the Interlude! Starting with track one called “MOVED ON”. This track sets the vibe for the EP. Coming out the gate is the guitar that stands in front of the track like a protective barrier, shielding GOLDIELXS’s heart from a past relationship. It seems like at times the guitar gets out the words that GOLDIELXS is holding back from saying. But as soon as it seems like she was able to get those words out, the track ends. WE WANT MORE! Track 2 is called “THINGS GET DARK”. You can feel the dark soulful Kanye-like sample that feels similar to his style of sampling that uses a sped-up soulful voice as a prominent piece of the production. GOLDIELXCS’s airy vocals loop continuously, at times as she sings her heart out, hitting notes that convey a strong emotional pain and at the same time she expresses a message that is her embracing the dark times in anticipation for the brighter days ahead. Her voice floats on top of the beat and even at times extends beyond to a higher octave and stretching across multiple bars. She really shows her range and a vocal depth. “Lord Knows” is my personal favorite, it has this beat that makes me think of a Spanish city where GOLDIELXCS has taken a sabbatical to get away. Away from what? She doesn’t have to tell anyone why or the story, because ‘The Lord knows’, words she stands on and repeats throughout the track. She draws a line with this track by saying “how far I’ll go”, this too, she doesn’t have to explain and yet she still says soo much in this track. The interlude on this track is an implied understanding, and each Lord Knows becomes a reinforcement to her declaration that He knows and that's all that matters. The last track on the EP is called CALL ME WHEN YOU GET THIS, these words are repeated throughout, I think a lot of people will get this one as it is the most upbeat track on the EP. GOLDIELXCS lets the beat do most of the work as she sings “you should” in a non-committal tone that seems to insist but not make mandatory because you if you know what’s good for you, then you would. And this song is the SHOULD that you have to listen to. There you have it. INTERLUDE SHAWTY! Six minutes! It went by quick. But I enjoyed every minute of it. Interlude Shawty is an album that has amazing replay value, and I found myself going back and listening to the album multiple times and finding new things with each listen. I appreciate it's a vibe, especially when working, it’s hard for me to work and listen to music because I get caught up in the lyrics, and when I'm working, I can’t really focus on the task because I'm listening for that next crazy bar or quadruple entendre' (ask Kendrick, they do exist). But with this album you can have it on in the background and still concentrate on a complex problem, and still, most importantly, enjoy the music. While listing to the album there were times when I was deep into an issue and before I knew it the track had finished. It left me wanting more, and as an artist that’s what you want your music to do. Leave your audience wanting more, and only The Lord knows what more means for GOLDIELXCS, until then I’ll be listening to “INTERLUDE SHAWTY”. Make sure you go stream GOLDIELXCS new album called "INTERLUDE SHAWTY". Also follow GOLDIELXCS on social media: Instagram: @goldielxcs Twitter: @goldielxcs Spotify: GOLDIELXCS YouTube: GOLDIELXCS |
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