Today we’d like to introduce you to Shelby (B. Smith) Smith.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Shelby (B. Smith). So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I originally began my career in entertainment as a hip hop dancer. My mother wanted to make sure I had more than one avenue while being multifaceted and from then on I went to college to study something that came natural to me… communications and business marketing. I graduated from Prairie View A&M University and many of my friends ended up either playing sports professionally and or moved to LA as choreographers.
At that time I was too focused on a dance career that I skipped the other areas of my ability to ensure I had one focus.
After I decided to no longer dance a good friend of mine asked me about his social media and his contract from his agent.
I told him, “I don’t know about that stuff.” He quickly denied my statement and asked me to just try. So I read his agreement and saw major errors and also viewed that his social media was too personal and corporate brands would not be interested in his brand for that specific reason.
After that one off situation that I cleaned up for a friend, I continued to work in sports and entertainment PR while working for an advertising agency to gain further knowledge.
I landed a job working with the PR staff from a movie entitled Carter High and it went phenomenal! After that I thought I would have it together, but once again I hit a valley before a peak.
I began to work with an athlete who was a good acquaintance of mine on handling his imagery and getting him the right deals on suits. He had a situation where he was getting ripped off and I obtained his funds back for him. We were driving back to his training facility and he said, “Shelbs you really need to open a sports management firm… you’re dope.” I stated that I worked with a few things and that I’d think about it.
I already started putting PGM together in 2012 while I was still auditioning as a dancer. I did not know that God would have something completely different for me.
The harder I worked in dance and in corporate America, the harder it was to climb. When I stopped and said God. What do you want me to do, then more athletes came and I began to enjoy building their legacies. I began to see them in a different light and understand the support they needed.
From then on I decided to make PGM a brand and lifestyle management firm that caters to athletic clientele. I wanted to build their lives as men and change their thoughts on the heights they could reach with their careers.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
This journey was anything but smooth. I made a lot of personal sacrifices to ensure my path was clear.
From not knowing who I could trust to watching people turn on me for their own benefit, there were so many struggles that the rewarded outcome made me cry.
I was so happy that all I went through publicly or privately served a purpose and I would do it all over again and not change one action.
Please tell us about PGM (Phase Global Management).
Phase Global Management is a brand and lifestyle management firm that builds the legacies of athletes and the legacies of the agencies they are signed to.
We specialize in the following:
1. Brand Development
2. Public Relations
3. Wealth Management
4. Marketing (digital and traditional)
6. Event Management
7. Imagery
What I am most proud of as a company is that we always have a good time. That many sound small to some but if you’ve worked with people whom you have no chemistry then you’ll tend to dislike it. All of us have a good grasp of one another and an excellent grasp of why we are here together. That makes it so special.
What sets us apart from others is that we are not a sports PR firm or a marketing agency. We are the support to agencies that offer those services to their players. We take the weight off of their staff and allow them to focus on what is most important… keeping the player employed.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My mother is an excellent business woman! All of my savvy and ability to adapt in business comes from her! My favorite childhood memory is when my mother spoke in front of hundreds of women and she brought me on stage to speak as well.
She looked at me and knew I was nervous but her hand assured me that she had my back. I was only 10, but I watched her so often that I spoke like a woman whom had been speaking for years.
She single handedly created an organization called The African American Women’s network and by watching her… I knew that I wanted to be like her.
I love my mommy!
Pricing:
- Consultation (50/ hr.)
Contact Info:
- Address: 11816 Inwood Rd Dallas TX 75244
- Website: www.phaseglobalmanagement.com
- Phone: 9726749459
- Email: info@phaseglobalmanagement.com
- Instagram: @phaseglobalmanagement
- Facebook: @phaseglobalmanagement (PGM)
Image Credit:
People magazine
Bravo
Officialhenye
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