Meet Erica “Ricki” Nelson | Founder of The Sharp Pitch

We had the good fortune of connecting with Erica “Ricki” Nelson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ricki, do you have a favorite quote or affirmation?
My favorite affirmation is “nothing changes if nothing changes; you have to move forward imperfectly”. As a first generation entrepreneur and college graduate, there have been many points in my journey where I was unsure of which actions to take and I have found that making progress, even if it results in failure, is more important than waiting for the perfect opportunity to find you. I keep this affirmation on my bathroom mirror and repeat it constantly!

What should our readers know about your business?
I initially started The Sharp Pitch in 2019 as a way to build music industry experience for myself, unsure of where it may lead. It has now blossomed into a fully scale-able artist development and digital marketing agency that prioritizes independent musicians and organizations from marginalized communities to uplift the voices of the unheard. Throughout this process I have changed alongside the business model, with both experiencing rapid growth and the challenges of entrepreneurship in a post-COVID economy. However, I am most grateful for The Sharp Pitch for being my opportunity to enact positive change towards equity within the music industry and for giving me a platform to support independent artists in their journeys as musicians and as the owners of their individual brands. We are incredibly proud to be women, LGBTQ+, and disability owned and use these experiences alongside eight years of social brand management and audience development experience to guide the strategies we create for each artist or company we work with.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I don’t think a weekend in Atlanta would be complete for me or my friends without a night out or drag show at My Sister’s Room.

During the day, I love to explore all of the businesses and breweries along the Beltline (and bring my roller skates along). I’d also stop to buy a new record at DBS Sounds!

I also have a special place in my heart for the Virginia Highlands neighborhood and enjoy spending time there with my friends.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Professionally, I wouldn’t have been able to develop as quickly as I have without the mentorship and support of Robert Martinez, Andrew Pritchett, and Lukas Arnzen.

Personally, I am beyond grateful to have the strongest community of chosen family behind me, including my wife and my best friends, who continuously support and motivate me to be my best self.

Instagram: instagram.com/rickitunes

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/enelso28

Other: info@thesharppitch.com