Name: Devo Harris Profession: Entrepreneur / Founder and CEO of Adventr What is your age? 38 I have contributed/changed the advertising and marketing industry by: Adding a new dimension of participation to online video. Previously you could only listen to and watch a story or brand's message unfold. Now, with Adventr, the viewer determines how it unfolds. Since 2000 Devo Harris has had an immediate impact on popular music. He moved to New York City where he began collaborating with super-producer Kanye West and DJing for at the time up-and-coming soul singer, John Legend. Recognizing talent, Harris subsequently signed Legend to West's burgeoning record label, G.O.O.D. Music. Harris produced and co-wrote three songs on Legend's debut album "Get Lifted" and followed this up by producing Kanye West's smash single and 2006 Grammy-winning "Diamonds (from Sierra Leone)." Harris has been busy behind the boards producing music for a diverse group of artists ranging from Hip Hop icon Nas, musical legend Aretha Franklin and international superstar Britney Spears. Not forgetting his musical roots, you can still find Harris in the clubs, manning the decks for special events from Nairobi to New York City to Tokyo and all points in between. It is outside of the music industry where Harris creating change. With the help of John Legend Harris founded Adventr, a interactive technology company that is the first to distribute interactive content as pre-roll advertising. Years ago Harris sat at a friends house and saw a novel on his bookshelf written by a mutual friend. "I didn't know she had written a book so I grabbed it and as I thumbed through I happened to randomly see my name in the foreword," Harris tells BE Modern Man. "She was thanking me for showing her, through my actions, that we don't have to be kept in a box and we can do absolutely anything we want." Read more on page 2... The words etched into the foreword continue to inspire Harris everyday as he brings a unique level of taste and insight into both the music and advertising industries. "I've won Grammys, wrote and produced multi-platinum songs, and also created a company with unique technology that was named to the Global 100 Most Innovative Companies in the World," says Harris. Unable to play a note or code a line, Harris uses knowledge gained his MBA studies and personal experiences to overcome any shortcomings. "In a world where technology is becoming commoditized and easier to assemble, connecting with culture in a way that breaks through is becoming key and I'm pretty good at that intersection." The fact that Harris attended Wharton School and Columbia Business School did not make entry into technology any easier. "As I tried to round up initial support for my technology startup, it was a real challenge to convince people that I am a serious product person with a tremendous vision that brought singularly unique value to a startup," Harris tells BE Modern Man. My experience at a VC firm and work building one of the hottest entertainment brands was never mentioned. I seemed to be reduced to "a music guy" which was hard to break through. I'm still working on that." The challenges that Harris continues to face speak to a larger issue around diversity in tech. "There are a lot of nice words about inclusion but who's responsibility is it? No one's," says Harris. "I think we need to champion ourselves more, elevate our leaders and individually and collectively put our best foot forward." Championing ourselves and pulling each other up as we climb to decision making positions is essential for men and women of color to be equally represented in the advertising and marketing industry. "Consumption is global and people of color over-index in usage on many social Internet products," Harris tells BE Modern Man. "A lack of diversity in the creators of your advertising or marketing message is dangerous for those products and brands that want to communicate to a global, or even domestic audience." Sundance Channel recently got a chance to see the work that a group of diverse creators can produce. "It was the first time ever that a brand used truly interactive video as a true network-distributed advertising unit giving over 10 million impressions," says Harris. "It was groundbreaking and, as expected, we had the greatest performing video ad ever for the various networks it was on." With thousands of users, from kids to Fortune 500 companies, Adventr has served millions & millions of video plays. Harris wants to show young folks that we, not just people of color but people of culture, have every right to be in this high growth space. "I want to help make working in technology cool," says Harris. "A BE Modern Man is the meeting of professional excellence and cultural resonance which I love. I want young Black kids, and anyone that grew up in hip-hop culture to see that there are roles for them in technology innovation." The BlackEnterprise.com team salutes Devo Harris for his accomplishments in both music and tech. By creating a new innovative platform Harris is opening the door for anyone to make content and distribute it virally on social media. It is this innovative thinking and execution that knocks down doors for men of color in the tech space. We are inspired by Harris's wok and are excited to call him a BE Modern Man. It's our normal to be extraordinary. Follow @blackenterprise and join the BE Modern Man conversation using #BEModernMan.