Meet James Shackleford | Marketing Specialist

We had the good fortune of connecting with James Shackleford and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi James, how do you think about risk?
When it comes to risks, I feel that they are necessary if you are going to achieve what others have not. Staying in your safe space leaves you never being able to satisfy your desires. If not for the many risks that I have taken in my life, I would have never lived in the multiple states that I have lived in, worked the multiple jobs that I have worked, or started the multiple businesses that I have started. Risks are where I have learned most of what I know and gained the greatest understanding of myself.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
NU Grind Empire is a marketing firm at the foundation. What sets us apart is that we are actually the full entertainment industry in one location. We emphasize marketing which is very important and the main reason most talent doesn’t make it far. Without knowing how to market your skills or who to market yourself to, most artists never obtain the audience that their skills speak to the most. In turn we stand out by provided the full package to artists and give them the education behind it all to bring their dreams to actuality. I am most proud of the impact that I have had on those that I have worked with and the progress that they have achieved. Seeing that they have actually been able to benefit from the tools and advice that was given is what excites me the most. I got here by never giving up and swimming upstream was extremely difficult. When going toward your true destiny, everything is going to test you from all aspects. The one thing that changed my prospective on those hard times was a quote from my mom which is “It’ll neba deadya” a Gullah quote that I have translated to “But Did You Die”. To some it up, if you are still alive and well, you still have work to do. I have learned that no matter what you go through we must remember that we have had a 100% survival rate and we must continue to move forward, never backward. The one thing that I would like the world to know about me and my brand is that we never give up, always move forward and our story is never-ending. We do all we can and together we are destined to win and win in an enormous way.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
to be honest I don’t know where I would recommend. Most people that know me, know that I create experiences at my home where everyone has everything that they need and the vibes are always great. But to answer this question, I would recommend experiencing the parks for those that like that type of thing. There are lots of awesome parks in this area. For the activities of the city, I would recommend Virgil’s Gullah Kitchen, since it reminds me of home. Their soul food menu speaks to my soul on the level of great memories and the feeling of love that home brings me. As far as drinks, Doc’s near the battery is where I have a great friend and waitress there and the vibes are usually always chill with good music and food. There are a few other spots that I have visited that were good times, but not often enough to recommend.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
This would definitely be a dedication to multiple people. I have had several influences towards pursuing my destiny. But at the base of it all, my mom has been my rock. She may not have understood all of my decisions or agreed with them, but has always been supportive of everything that I do. She has not just been mentally and emotionally supportive, but she sacrificed so much more. I truly appreciate how she never gave up on me and never allowed me to give up on myself.

Website: nugrindempire.com

Instagram: ShackDaddie

Youtube: Salary Driven

Image Credits
Image Credit: Big Head Productions