We had the good fortune of connecting with René Lucas-Williams and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi René, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?

I’ve always said that Vintage Got Soul was destined to be, I was actually at one of my lowest moments in my life when I set it up.

As an athlete, I was lucky enough to travel the world as both a soccer player & coach. Unfortunately in 2017, my soccer career came to an end as I ruptured my patella tendons in both knees at the same time which is near enough unheard of! If you’re an athlete and reading this sometimes you just know when you’re done… and when I went down on that pitch, I just knew that my sports career was done.

As I spent most of my time in Chicago I fell in love with the music culture, especially the blues… Chicago’s nightlife actually inspired me to create Vintage Got Soul!

I was literally stuck in the bed for months with my injury so as a positive focus I decided to bring “A Taste of Chicago” to Birmingham, UK. I started with a one off live music event with no intentions to host anymore. Six years later we are a fundamental hub for the entertainment industry, managing artists, conducting tours, and bridging the gap between UK and US and the Old School & New School. But we aren’t stopping here; we are climbing and building daily, bringing together artists who would never have met without us. Our passion for the music means we are on the lookout for new talent and music fusions every single day. The opportunities are endless.

“Vintage Got Soul pushed me to be resilient…. they do say music is a natural healer.”

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
The company has come so far in the past 6 years and this was done mostly by myself through hours of grafting and networking. I have created various business relationships over the years that now the network I’ve created allows me to explore business opportunities in the industry I could only dream of coming across. This took time, blood sweat & tears but its paying off and that makes everything worth it. The biggest lesson learnt is that people work with people and the relationship has to be right. The brand started with me but its now a way of life and we are now a family….VGS is a platform and our style is a trend….get with us.

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.
See im new to the city but I do love and spend most of my time in and around the buckhead area.

Shoutout to Louisiana Bistreaux Seafood Kitchen!

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?

Shoutout to my daughter Jayden who’s continuously on my mind and my fuel for thought. My grind changed when she was born and now its not about what I can achieve or how much money I can make…its about “IMPRINTING A LEGACY” to inspire the next generation.

Our kids….their futures.

#renesword

Website: www.vintagegotsoul.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renesword/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/renesword1

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ-5cepnNm4jJnmIimIASxQ

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