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

Hi Rahfeal, can you share the most important lesson you’ve learned over the course of your career?
One of the most important lesson my business has taught me is that there is no right or wrong way of doing something. Many people will tell you what they believe is the best way for you to do something but even experts are wrong more than often. My business has taught me to be creative and non-traditional with how I market and treat my clients. If you have great data, did your homework, and a great circle of advisors, you can make your own decisions in whatever capacity you like.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
If you trace the word back to its Latin roots, influence means “inflow”—an input that powerfully shapes the way see ourselves and our world. That’s why parents strive to control every influence over their children’s lives, politicians wield it to win voters, and professionals do their best to cultivate it so they can further their careers. In the age of social media, we are all surrounded by cheap influence. Viral videos and sensational tweet storms are the stock-in-trade of faux expertise. They flow through our screens and into our eyes but flow out of our consciousness just as quickly as they came. Real influence isn’t like that. It doesn’t live in the viral short-term; it sets its sights on legacy. It doesn’t settle for the sensational. Instead, it aspires to excellence. Real influence is the power and the presence of those who’ve learned to transcend the power of the present. It’s the hard-won prize of those who establish themselves as true sources of expertise long after the social media pundits have faded into the digital ether. In 2015, I founded Madison + Park as more than a simple branding agency. Having developed my own international brand, I recognized that entrepreneurs across the world were hungry for real influence and that I was uniquely equipped to help them cultivate it. Four short years later, Madison + Park has established itself as a trusted advisor to individuals and organizations from Santiago to Monterrey, Oslo to Atlanta, and everywhere in between. At the individual level, Madison + Park has helped notable influencers like Judge Victoria Pratt and Siobhan St. John publish their expertise, develop their online and offline presence, and establish an international brand in their respective spheres. Madison + Park clients have published books, lined up speaking engagements around the world, garnered new attention for strategic partnerships, and won opportunities to appear on television. Thanks to a few key distribution arrangements, Madison + Park can place its authors’ books on the shelves of nearly 40,000 retailers across 220 countries and territories combined. More than a glorified publicist, however, Madison + Park helps each of its clients to think holistically about publishing. Branding is about more than selling books; it’s about cultivating real, lasting influence through strategic publication and promotion across multiple channels. World-changing brands point beyond themselves. The allure of Louis Vuitton doesn’t come from its chic accessories but the luxe story its products invite people to indwell. Apple isn’t one of the world’s most ubiquitous brands because it says, “look at me,” but because they use technology to inspire their loyal fans’ sense of wonder. Brands like these influence because they connect; they go outside themselves to bless the world through their unique creativity. Through partnerships with United Nation, Cold Stone Creamery, Kate Spade, White House | Black Market, and others, Madison + Park creatively facilitates that connection between brands and the communities they serve. Our “sip & shop” events, for example, bring in woman entrepreneurs from all over the world to connect, share expertise, build networks, and cultivate influence. At the global level, Madison + Park is regularly tapped to enter emerging markets and help startups engage our communities. In a deft act of strategic integrity, Madison + Park hires local talent to help these clients build their brand presence and lay deep roots of lasting influence. Whenever they wrap up a partnership, Madison + Park leaves clients with a comprehensive plan but stays connected with the community, setting up an enduring local presence and launching pad for future global work. Our current engagement with the Norwegian International Entrepreneur Conference is just one example of how Madison + Park is actively working to connect local entrepreneurs with worldwide influence. Real influence takes time and strategic intention. When an entrepreneur’s head is down, and she’s buried in her work, it takes the insight of a strategic partner to help her see the bigger picture. It takes a team dedicated to legacy and impact to help her step back and develop an intentional plan to maximize her and her company’s enduring presence in the marketplace. Timeless marketing firms like Ogilvy & Mather or Leo Burnett understand this intuitively, which is precisely what makes their own brands so strong. When I started Madison + Park, it was with that vision in mind—the creation of a firm that would endure alongside its clients for generations. That’s why Madison + Park refuses to trade in cheap influence. Instead, we’re committed to helping brands cultivate real influence that transcends time and space—a powerful outflow that demands attention, dominates markets, and drives global engagement. As our current roster of clients will gladly attest, that’s precisely what Madison + Park has helped them to build for themselves. And, in the process, it’s exactly the brand Madison + Park has cultivated for itself.

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 in town for the week it would be a MOVIE! On Monday, we are just catching up but I would take them to HOUSTONS for either lunch or dinner. On Tuesday, we are at Bar Taco for Taco Tuesdays. On Wednesday, we are going to two locations – Tribeca Atlanta for dinner then off to Red Martini for Latin Night. Oh, but during the daytime, I would definitely take them to the St. Regis Hotel in Buckhead for daily afternoon tea and/or for socializing. It’s one of my personal spaces to reflect and relax during the daily work week. On Thursday, we’re at Whiskey Mistress. On Friday, we definitely at OAK Atlanta. On Saturday, we’re at either Breakfast at Barneys or Ms. Icey’s for for brunch with some beautiful people within the city. Then we headed to Rose Bar. When it’s Sunday, we are definitely back at Tribeca or for their brunch and live music. I can’t get enough of these places and I’m sure my guests will feel the same way. Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to shoutout every single person that has helped me build my companies and every customer/client of mine. Without you all, I would not have a great global business and brand. Without you there is no me!

Website: www.RahGor.com

Instagram: @RahGor

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/rahgor

Twitter: @RahGor

Facebook: www.facebook.com/rahfeal.gordon

Youtube: youtube.com/RahGor

Image Credits
Baa-ith Nurri-Deen

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