On today’s episode of Creative Space, we have the pleasure of chatting with Yusuf Muhammad of Veteran Freshman—an entrepreneur, event curator and talent buyer who’s worked around the globe on music festivals, branded experiences and more. He’s also an artist manager and currently manages the super talented comedian and actor, Desi Banks.
Yuie’s creative journey is so organic and as he tells his story, he drops a ton of valuable wisdom on how to create a life doing what you love. From developing his Veteran Freshman brand to managing talent like Distortedd, Christian "King" Combs, JIDENNA, and Desi Banks, Yuie’s work is fueled by a passion for creating joy and memorable experiences for others.
For more on Yuie, visit: instagram.com/yusufyuie.
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SHOW NOTES:
0:00—Introduction
1:00—How we first met
2:41—Growing up in Philly in the early 90s
5:10—The “control alt delete” to life
8:19—Yuie’s early passions: electronics and filmmaking
10:54—Going to the Art Institute of Philadelphia for film at 14
12:24—Yuie’s favorite filmmakers
13:45—Networking at the Student Affairs office
18:00—How becoming an RA led to his first event
20:10—Buying the first Canon TS1
24:56—”My career in concerts started with one event getting shut down.”
26:50—Coming up with the name Veteran Freshman
28:17—Yuie on the organic flow of creativity and success
31:33—The road to artist management
37:41—Being a manager should be a partnership with the artist
39:30—Managers are not miracle workers
41:00—Yuie’s definition of creativity
45:48—The things that you enjoy doing can be your life
47:50—A no just means I have to find a different yes
48:53—Being a jack of all trades as long as it’s fun
50:50—A lesson from Christian "King" Combs
54:09—Yuie on working with Desi Banks
55:45—Events and creativity
58:59—Teaching his children how to create for a living
1:02:00—Yuie’s greatest challenge so far
1:06:00—The importance of giving ourselves grace
1:07:00—Yuie’s advice for aspiring creators
1:13:00—Before social media, who were you comparing yourself to?
1:15:00—What’s next for Yuie