First off everyone at Classic Entourage Magazine would like to send our happiest of New Years to our reader base. We are happy that you have been sticking around with us through ups and downs over the last couple of years. We really wanted to start off 2021 with a bang hence we wanted to introduce our readers to a future legendary visionary as our first piece for the new year. That individual is Mike D. Joseph.

Mike D. Joseph has been a movement leader of BLM and other civil rights movements in the New England region for sometime now. As we all know, the treatment of individuals of color has been in the forefront of the news for quite awhile and one of the biggest complaints against the movement is the actual lack of leadership. As with all movements direction helps aim the cause and when individuals set up to organize what they believe in, real change can be implemented. Not only has Mike pushed through projects of civil rights and the abolishment of injustices, he also runs an award winning marketing firm with his partner Solimar DaSilva. They are known for his work with barber shops around the region. Some of their recent awards they have acquired are: selected two years in a row for 2020 Best of Holliston Awards and  for Holliston Business Hall of Fame, Best Barbershop Digital Advertising Specialists 2020 by Corporate Magazine.

We at CE Mag had the honor of sitting down with the new face of a revolution for our first feature of the year where we had the change to talk about all about his movements in the community and his marketing ideas.

Classic Entourage Mag: Pleasure doing an interview with you. How are things?

Mike D. Joseph: Excited to be here! Things are going well, my family is in good health, so I can’t complain. 

CE Mag: Would love to talk about your marketing efforts. How did barber shops get into the fold? Were barbershops always the goal?

MDJ: Surprisingly, our first client was actually a barbershop. To answer your question, barbershops were not always the goal. When we first started out, we were working with every industry. We were working with car dealerships, music artists, events, schools, pretty much anyone who needed marketing we would help. But we found that with our strategies we were able to get barbershops results the fastest.

We also noticed there was a huge demand for our services in this industry, so we decided to make the switch and niche down to barbershops. Since then, we’ve been getting shop owners crazy results. We have one client that has been opening a new location every year since working with us. And another who we were able to double revenue in less than 6 months.

CE Mag: What is a common mistake you see with digital marketing? How do you avoid this in your own work?

MDJ: The most common mistake I see is messaging. Whatever product or service you offer to the market place, you wanna make sure the messaging is clear. So clear that you can explain it to a 3rd grader. For most people, if you tell them “I have the cure to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.” they won’t know that you just told them you have the cure to covid19. I guess what I’m trying to say, is keep it simple. Don’t leave things up for interpretation, no need to be flashy, just be very clear, concise, and to the point!

CE Mag: Switching lanes, you are the leader of local BLM movements. What inspired you to take the helm?

MDJ: I couldn’t sleep at night knowing there were other people out protesting. I felt like I needed to do more than just share a few posts on social media or sign a petition. My spirit just wasn’t feeling right being on stand by. We all have limited time on this planet, so I want to make sure in whatever I do, that I left the world a better place than what I found it.

I’ve held marches, protests and community events. I and Pamela McNair started an organization, OneMarlborough, which is a community organization of 400+ members committed to making Marlborough a place where diversity, equity, and inclusion are at the forefront of every organization and institution while working to dismantle systems of oppression.

Mike D. Joseph

CE Mag: The movement seems to be ever evolving, where do you think it’s headed? 

MDJ: I think it is in the right direction. A lot more people are waking up, and asking questions. At the end of the day, it’s just ‘equal rights’ that we all want. No one is asking for special treatment, we all just want to be treated equally and fairly. And to hold those accountable for their actions, especially those in power.

The movement itself will always evolve. At first, the movement was perceived as a black vs white thing, when really it’s always been about us vs racism. People will soon realize that it’s deeper than that, it’s everyone vs inequality. 

CE Mag: You have your own organization OneMarlborough, can you touch upon that? What are some of your goals with the organization?

MDJ: One Marlborough is a volunteer-community organization of Marlborough residents. We’re working to ensure that Marlborough is a place where diversity, equity, and inclusion are at the forefront of every organization and institution while working to dismantle systems of oppression.

Since June, we’ve held marches, protests, online forums, and community events to raise awareness and educate others about system racism and how they can get more involved. 

CE Mag: How has social activism affected your life? What are some of your takeaways?

MDJ: I’m a lot busier than I was before! But the work does feel fulfilling. It has definitely gotten me more in touch with my community. If you’re thinking about getting involved in any form of social activism, remember to always take mental breaks, and take moments to appreciate what you have now. This line of work isn’t pretty, and can be very exhausting. 

Mike D Joseph at a protest

CE Mag: With everything you have going on, how do you spend some of your free time? How do you de-stress? 

MDJ: Playing video games is a big stress reliever for me. That, and whenever I feel a lot of overwhelm, I’ll practice meditation. I think it’s important we all take some time to ourselves, we live in a fast-paced world, so it’s important that you find time to reflect and just chill man. 

CE Mag: Thanks for sitting down with us. Do you have any advice for anyone trying to start their own business?

MDJ: Thanks for having me! My advice to anyone interested in starting their own business is to surround yourself with like-minded individuals. People who are going to hold you accountable, and push you outside of your comfort zone and closer to your goals. That might mean joining networking groups, jumping in on online forums, and putting yourself out there. You’ll be surprised at how many people have done what you are trying to do, and are more willing to show you the way. It all starts with a conversation.

You can contact Mike D. Joseph at the following links:

http://www.instagram.com/mikedjoseph

www.onemarlborough.com

mike@visualmediamkt.com

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