Name: Amir Windom
Profession: Grammy Award Winning Record Executive
Age: 30
One word that describes you: Significant
Regarded as one of the top entertainment executives and creative minds of his generation, Amir Windom has worked at historic record labels, and assisted in developing/managing careers of some of today’s biggest stars such as the band “Fun” , T.I., Bruno Mars, Lupe Fiasco, Madonna, B.o.B, Trey Songz and Kanye West. To date Windom has worked on numerous Grammy Award winning albums that have earned gold and or platinum status.
As a television and film music supervisor, Windom has helped create music, scores and creative strategies for major film companies such as Sony Pictures and TV shows such as BET’s Being Mary Jane, Entourage (HBO); and movies such as Act Like A Lady Think Like A Man, TAKERS, and Stomp The Yard 2 to name a few. He’s also been instrumental in helping create marketing strategies for companies such as Kodak, Coca-Cola and Adidas.
Windom draws inspiration from his father who gave him musical encouragement, and his mother
who instilled motivation to make a career decision that would provide a platform to truly enhance the lives of others. “Growing up in Decatur, GA there was always a distraction nearby that could have definitely put me on that “other” path,” Windom tells BE Modern Man. “But because I figured out who I was NOT early on, it helped me figure out who I was.” Never one to follow the in crowd, Windom did not fall victim to peer pressure, and doing stuff because it was “cool”. “I had to deal with the “you think you all that” hoopla because I was cool will telling people Nahhhh, I’m straight,” says Windom.From an early age Windom was unique and stood apart because he knew the direction he did not want to go in, and steered clear of the obvious distractions. “I think my mentality is what helps me,” Windom tells BE Modern Man
. “I strive to be more than successful, I strive to be significant.”Beyond the job of having to be creative daily, Windom also has to be motivated to improve the quality of life of people around him, and he loves that responsibility. “What I’m motivated by is being significant,” says Windom. “Significance is improving the quality of life of people around you and leaving a legacy in which, family and friends globally will be proud to say Amir Windom is my family or friend.”
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Happy to touch people’s soul through music, Windom’s proudest moment came when he received the Man of the Year award from the 100 Black Men of America when he was 25. “My family was there and I think it was the moment when I got really serious about improving the quality of life around me,” says Windom. “I started really seeing my purpose beyond music and entertainment.”
Excelling in the entertainment industry takes, commitment, dedication, and perseverance. Always in control of his ego and never letting the accomplishments go to his head has allowed Windom to break through as a leader in the industry. “This can
be challenging to do in the world of entertainment, but thanks to having mentors like Record & Entertainment Tycoon Kevin Liles as my mentor, I have learned the importance of remaining humble.”A proud FAMU grad, Windom believes that his education provided him with the social skills and confidence that helped to get him where he is today. “College gives you a competitive advantage,” says Windom. “I definitely think you can make it by going the non-traditional route, but depending on the industry, I think it may put more speed-bumps and potholes on your road to get to where you ultimately want to be.”
With either route you will encounter obstacles and challenges along the way. The hurdles For Windom presented themselves in the form of things that looked promising but fell through the cracks and being told no. “It’s challenging to keep yourself motivated after being told no,” says Windom. “But This is where the understanding comes in that no success is obtained with struggle, and being told no is a part of it.”
Fighting through the stereotypes and being criticized for not settling for “fitting in”, Windom believes that by caring a bit more what people think about us, we can get out of the box that many people place us in. “We have to conduct ourselves like we care about what people think about us because we represent so much more than ourselves.”Focused on being significant and creating a legacy that matters, Windom says “Being a BE Modern Man means creating a positive legacy that will be remembered and will inspire a generation to be SIGNIFICANT.” “There is No mediocre mindsets in a BE Modern Man, and he focuses on being great and is okay with the struggles and work that it’ll take to get there.”
Committed to significance and striving to be great The BE Modern Man team salutes Amir Windom for being a man of vision who find success in being who he truly is.
It’s our normal to be extraordinary. Follow @blackenterprise and join the BE Modern Man conversation using #BEModernMan.