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

Hi Esther, what do you attribute your success to?
The most important factor behind my success and the success of my brand is being authentic to myself and building a level of integrity not just about the brand, but also about who I was being, building the brand.  My brand is a representation of who I am and the building blocks of anything, for me personally, are about being authentic, having integrity and speaking ones truth diplomatically (and at times also meaning to remain silent and professionally observant) which then translates into how I operate with my customers and other business partnerships. Therefore, clients and guests trust me because of this.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I would say what sets me apart is the following, as these are the qualities that people often tell me, that sets me apart.  I would say being able to see people for who they really are and to create an energetic space of authenticity and integrity, but also to integrate fun and lots of laughter into how I operate.  This gives my customers, guests whoever I am dealing with a sense of being able to be themselves, whilst still being professional.  I’m also able to get to the heart and soul of those I talk to and interview because people often share authentic stories which they have usually never shared before because they feel comfortable and safe sharing, and as mentioned before, we laugh a lot on my platforms.  Also I’m often told  ‘you see me, you get me’ and that ‘it’s important to be seen, not just viewed.’  A lot of people want to be seen beyond the surface and acknowledged for the individual human beings they are.  In a world and industry known for being cutthroat and lacking in integrity, and where people often feel they can’t truly be who they are, this is priceless.  For older artists, this means they feel they are still valued and listened to and I feel this is what sets me apart.  For younger artists, they too feel as if someone understands them and there are no agendas.  For me, it’s the honoring of others, not just as artists, or products but as human beings.  This feeds into my business, the ethos of what I do is about transforming lives, by giving individuals a voice and the various platforms where they can authentically express who they really are.  All I’ve done with my business is to create different business vehicles that allow that expression.

I’m an International Talk Show Host and Executive Producer of a show called ‘On the Sofa with Esther’, where I interview legends and pioneers in the entertainment world, as well as Indie artists.  Another arm of this show is where I conduct personal transformation interviews that empower, encourage and offer transformation.  This show is called ‘On the Sofa with Esther: Men Supporting Men’ and is streamed on the last Wednesday of the month.  This particular show is where black men share authentically their journey of emotional challenges, pain, vulnerability and trauma.  They then share how they felt going through those situations and what tools, resources and support they received.  The platform supports men to share their vulnerabilities in a safe space, the objective is what is the solution to dealing with the pain, the trauma and what is out there to support them through it all.

I also run a lifestyle magazine called TurningPoint: Your Lifestyle Your Well-Being TurningPoint: Music and Lifestyle: an exciting online digital and print-on-demand, music and luxury lifestyle publication providing inspiring content and information.  TurningPoint features interviews with everyday heroes as well as some of the most successful and influential entertainers of our time.  But these are not your usual celebrity fluff pieces. TurningPoint delves into the heart and soul of these artists sharing never before told stories of failure and redemption, and how to pick up and start again. The magazine is a unique historical archive of these voices.  It’s an ongoing and continuing recognition and honoring of people who have and who continue to pave the way. Both old-school and new-school legends. Music is the universal language of love, a healer, a transformer and we capture its essence in our publication through the interviews with feature.  From Autumn 2023, the new format for the magazine will be, one half of the magazine will cover the elders, and the other half of the magazine the younger generation.  A magazine where old skool meets new skool, the bringing back of the village.  We cover various other content such as: Humour, Fashion, Health & Well-Being, Fine Dining Book/Film/Event Reviews, Entrepreneurship, Travel.

Business-wise it’s been a looooooong and challenging road, sometimes frustrating because I wanted things to happen sooner. This journey has taught me to have the patience of a Saint and The Buddha at the same time. It has taken me about 15 years to get to this point. What I learned along the way was the importance of mindset, having a tenacious and persistent almost stubborn will to keep going, to feel into where I was going and know it was the right path, but also to know when to step off the path at times in order to re-assess. I have discovered so many different skill sets because in the early days when I was not able to pay anyone to help me, I had to learn and discover tools of my trade in order to keep going, rather than to wait until I had the money to do X, Y Z. I’ve also learned to be tenacious in that, many others told me that what I was doing in terms of producing a physical magazine would not work and yet I knew in the bottom of my heart that

Exercise, music, prayer, and meditation have kept me sane in those moments where I was on my knees, following my vision, with bailiffs at the door, bills bouncing , not making enough money to cover bills and yet knowing in order to keep moving forward my children needed to be able to eat, then I would deal with the rest of things.  Making those types of decisions was often stressful but I’m glad I made them because I grew a stronger nervous system (Smile) and now all those stressors, the defiance of those stressors, and all the seeds I have planted over such a long time, the right ones are now sprouting.

Other experiences which honed my journey was losing a younger sister to breast cancer when she was 38, being homeless briefly after my marriage broke down, being in an emotionally abusive marriage, going through a divorce, one of my sons getting stabbed and so much many more things happened that could thwart my motivation, my determination and drive, but instead, these situations and others drove me to succeed, to achieve, to fall in line with my purpose and more importantly to create a legacy for my children and anyone else watching my journey who would become inspired to dig their heels in and go after their dreams.  Also I was hungry for more, for different, for better and most of all hungry to create something that would support and enrich others to heal, to transform themselves in order to find the magic inside themselves, if they so chose to.

As I’ve gone through these experiences, I’ve learned so much about myself and have evolved into a more compassionate, understanding, person of wisdom and also for me to remember to being open to constantly learning and evolving as a person.

What I want the world to know about myself and my brand is the following. Be known for who and what you stand for and honor that and guard it. People know what I stand for and what is important to me and that is to be authentic with myself first because then I can be authentic with others and speak my truth. Also, it’s important to strive to hold onto your individuality, and not follow the masses.  We are all unique. Individuality is a beautiful thing because it allows us all to be free within our soul, to present who we truly are and not carbon copies of. Harnessing and nurturing one’s individuality, along with being authentic to self and having integrity is one of the most freeing and selfless acts you can give yourself, whilst also constantly working on one’s emotional awareness and finding the time to have fun. Also to dream like a child, to have fun, to keep on dreaming and to push the boundaries if you can and if you want to.  To be curiously creative and curious about all the wonderful things of who YOU are, that you want to explore and achieve.

Creating and capturing great content and being creative in its delivery have made my business unique in what it offers.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend was visiting the area, I would take them to the following places. One would be Greenwich in South East London. I call Greenwich, Little Italy because of its quaintness. There are lots of places to eat and all types of cuisines. There’s also a lovely indoor market that sells a range of products and produce from clothing to food, jewellery, vintage stuff. Then there is the Cutty Sark, a historic sailing ship and was the fastest of its time. It represents the pinnacle of clipper ship design and was one of the fastet ships of its day. There is also Greenwich Park overlooking the River Thames and home to some of London’s most iconic views. This is a wonderful way to sit and relax after a walk around Greenwich and after having something to eat. There are also vintage stalls on certain days of the week.

The other place to visit would be Covent Garden, which is a wonderful hubub of restaurants and cafes. The Royal Opera House would be a great place to start – you can meander around its gift shop and go further inside to view the exhibits of clothing that were worn by famous ballerinas. The Royal Opera House also houses The Royal Ballet and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House. it would be a difficult choice of where to go for lunch as there are so many wonderful eateries but one place that I love is Sushi Samba who blend Japanese, Brazilian and Peruvian culture and cuisine, whilst playing great music in the background. The ambience is busy but very tropical. Further down the road, are quaint clothing shops, and more eating places.

Depending on the time of year, there are alot of great festivals in the UK. One I attend often is Soultasia, the UK’s essential live concert series that showcases four decades of the world’s most legendary soul and disco singers. Other great festivals to attend would be The Love Supreme Festival. They are fun, they have incredible artists, the crowds are awesome and you simply have a fantastic day out. There are lots of yummy vendors serving an array of food.

Afternoon Tea would be a definite must. I often organise Bespoke Afternoon Tea events for celebrities and artists and two of my most favourite places to-date are The Biltmore, LXR in Mayfair. The ambiance inside is stunning and the afternoon tea is perfectly creative, the sandwiches are delicious, the bread soft, the scones with cream and jam yummy and the cakes are so good. The service also is top notch.  The other place for Afternoon tea would be at The Tea Terrace in Guildford at The House of Fraser where you can sit in a gold carriage and enjoy afternoon tea.

The South Bank is also another great place to visit.  It is one of London’s biggest cultural hubs. It’s a complex of artistic venues and has three main performance venues. It comprises The Royal Festival Hall, The Hayward Gallery and The Purcell Room and is Europe’s largest centre for the arts. It boasts exhibitions, concerts, plays, a Poetry Library. Not far from there is, the National Theatre along with lots of restaurants and cafes and food street vendors. One certain days the vendors sell a range of vintage items, books, cds, records. It’s a great place to walk along the Thames.

Leicester Square is another great place to frequent. This hosts China Town, and leads into London’s Theatre Land.
There are a lot of street acts and performances to entertain visitors. There are cinemas and so many types of cuisine, other than Chinese food.

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?
This is a wonderful take on success. I have a few key people around me who have stood by me, who have encouraged me, who have told me off and put me in my place when needed, and most of all who have been honest with me at all times. These are friends who don’t tell me what I want to hear but what I need to hear because we all understand it is part of my growth and therefore, this impacts how I conduct my business and how I perform in my business and life. In fact, we all expect this from and of each other.

Five key individuals are as follows. A friend for over 30 years and godmother to my boys is Lubna S Haq and her husband Rehan ul-Haq who have proudly championed my dreams, with unfounding love and support.
Owen Alexander-French who I call my big brother from another mother, who is so full of love and wisdom, and who I turn to if I need clarity and guidance and we have the greatest philosophical discussions. The same with my sister from another mother Katie Rose who is one of my biggest cheerleaders, we both hunker down together when the tough gets going and we go dancing to ease the journey. There is also another big brother from another mother Kwame McPherson in Jamaica, who offers wisdom and business insight and great discussion about life as well.  Another brother from another mother is Tony Jazz who has my back 100%.  He takes me to dine at some of the most incredible 5 star restaurants, and explore the world of Art, Culture and Music – all wonderful relaxing experiences that offer me much needed downtime.  We also have some deep, inspiring conversations about life and our spirituality and how we can empower ourselves and each other.  All in their own way are championing their own lives but their remit and passion is to influence and inspire others around them, so they are all practitioners in their own right. What makes these relationships so special is that we believe it is imperative for us to be authentic and honest with ourselves, to work on ourselves, to become the change we want to see in the world and we have fun and laugh a lot as well.

Also my two boys and grandchildren, inspire me to be better to do better, to become a better person, because I am someone they look-up to. My boys hold me accountable, just as I them which means we can talk openly, share and give guidance. I am an example to them, good, bad or indifferent, and because I am fully aware of how I show up to myself and to others, what keeps me on my tippy toes is the love, the bond and the respect I have for my family. We show up for each other actually.

I am greatly inspired by my 8 year old granddaughter who many say is a ‘mini-me’. We both get each other, and her effervescent, wonderfully expansive creative gifts on so many levels, her zeal for life and her fearlessness, keeps me buoyant and topped up to keep dreaming and to keep allowing the doors of creativity to open up in my world as well. My 18 month old grandson he keeps me laughing and in a happy place just because of who he is. There is so much love that radiates from him, it balances what could become other stressors in life and his has a smile that lights up the hearts of everyone who see him. They are both adventurers and adventurous and that is encouragement and love in itself. My 5 month old grandson is mysterious, and energetic and keeps me on my toes because with him you never quite know what you will get and that is the spice of life.

In terms of others outside this realm, I have been inspired by the likes of Angela Basset/Viola Davis because of how they carry themselves with elegant dignity and pride and yet there is a fierceness the breathes from them, a wisdom and a resoluteness of self to be and do the best they can be.

Website: www.estheraustinglobal.biz

Instagram: EstherAustinGlobal

Linkedin: Esther Austin Global

Twitter: Esther Austin

Facebook: Esther Austin Global AND Turningpointmagazine

Youtube: EstherAustinGlobal

Image Credits
Images taken by Esther Austin Global Production

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutAtlanta is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.