UnitedMasters Earn Your Masters Chicago Event Recap

The Earn Your Masters Experience tour, organized by UnitedMasters in collaboration with Earn Your Leisure (EYL) and Ally, made an exciting stop in Chicago. This innovative event series invited aspiring entrepreneurs to pitch their ideas to industry moguls Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings of Earn Your Leisure, Ally’s Marketing Lead of Multicultural Marketing, Inya Davis, and world-renowned performance poet and local Chicagoan, J. Ivy, for a chance to win $50,000 in seed money for their business idea.

Jeff Darko from Chicago wowed the judges with his platform MIXPLUG, an A.I. powered platform that empowers artists to mix their music faster, cheaper, and without technical expertise, earning a spot to compete for the grand prize at the tour’s final stop in Miami during Art Basel. 

Chicago native Jason Weaver captivated the audience with a powerful message about letting your work shine and shedding the ego to embrace true authenticity as a creative. Weaver, known for his voiceover role as Simba in “The Lion King,” shared insights on building long-lasting careers and creating impactful work. His voiceover role as Simba continues to generate residuals to this day. Weaver’s involvement exemplifies entrepreneurship and the creation of enduring deals that sustain a career.

Popular influencer and viral podcaster, Kendra G, hosted the event and provided the perfect energy the crowd wanted. The event also featured a special performance by Chicago’s local open call winner with Kolo Gana; along with having popular local UnitedMasters artists Sydney August and Xcelency in attendance. This added to the event’s overall dynamism while highlighting incredible talent within the community.

The Financial Education panel and Creator Academy series, powered by Ally, delivered profound insights from finance and music industry experts like Chaucer Barnes, CMO of UnitedMasters, and Inya Davis. Themed ‘IGNITE: FINANCIAL CREATIVITY, SEIZING OPPORTUNITIES,’ these sessions inspired artists to transform opportunities into tangible capital, driving their success to new heights. Ally’s commitment to financial education is crucial in supporting historically underserved creators and fostering the growth of the next generation. Furthermore, this event fosters the mission of Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings with Earn Your Leisure, as they continue their commitment to empowering individuals with the knowledge and skills necessary for financial success. 

For more information and to register for future events, visit UnitedMasters.com. For More information on Ally visit Ally.com