Meet: Tiffany Hardin, Creative Management and Consultant

In this series we invite you to meet and learn from thinkers, doers, and believers who find success by actively living in the grey.

Tiffany Hardin is on a mission to provide a platform of value for the arts & entertainment industries through strategic branding and consulting. And as founder and leader of Gild Creative Group, she is well on her way to doing it.

We met Tiffany last summer and were instantly inspired by her passion, drive and warmth. Her openness to connecting others is contagious and it’s clear that she’s found a career path that makes sense for who she is.

Tiffany created Gild Creative Group after recognizing the need for a new generation of managers that can navigate both the advertising & music industries. She expertly blends her passion for music with her interest in advertising to develop and activate influencer strategies for brands & agencies such as Microsoft, Target, & T-Mobile. GCG manages the careers of creative talent such as Karen Civil (media personality) Kris Kasanova (Independent Artist) and Trinity (BMG).

Read on to learn more about Tiffany’s grey journey.

What does living in the grey mean to you?

LITG means living on purpose realizing that THIS is YOUR life. The part of you that works, plays, has relationships, has faith, etc does not need to be marginalized into dayparts or to satisfy an external perception of who you should be in the different areas of your life.

When did you realize that you could take your passion for music and make it your career? What was your first step?

I knew I loved to sing and write at an early age. I remember being very expressive about it. I told my mother that music was my first love and never desired to do anything else. I did a lot of music programs, talent shows, choirs, etc and I realized in high school that I shouldn’t pursue being a writer or an artist because I wasn’t working hard enough to do that naturally. I wasn’t putting in the 10,000 hours creatively. However, I was enamored by the business of music and feverishly learned about the players at labels, publishing companies and who were the great managers. I started managing a high school rock-pop band named Scarlette (such an angst ridden band name) which did pretty well and that’s when I realized ….this is my life’s path.  When I realized I could go to college for talent management, it was game over…. !

Columbia College Chicago led me to my life’s first taste of everything in the music business, including working with John Monopoly who introduced me to Mona Scott Young. She gave me my first paying  job in New York City at Violator Management as her assistant.

Do you have a boundary between work and life? If so, how do you define it?

Not so much… but I can imagine that I will be more protective with my time as I develop a family. When that happens my focus on time spent with them versus clients will have a priority.

Who is a mentor of yours and how do you nurture that relationship?

I have a few great teachers but not a lot of mentors outside of my family. Mentors are people that care about your growth as a human being and as a professional and invest in your growth over time.  The relationships I do have with my teachers are great and include great people that have affected the way I see the world, the way I think, and operate a business.

What’s the first thing you read in the morning?

My Email/Texts

What are three things you make sure you do everyday?

- Speak to God
- Tell the people I love that I love them.
- Connect people and/or brands to other people/brands/ideas.

Do you have a motto?

Yep. It’s my favorite tattoo! Go confidently in the directions of your dreams. Live the life you’ve imagined.  - Henry David Thoreau

Do you work differently than you did one year ago?

Yes…! I’m fearless.

How do you ensure your intentions become actions?

By speaking my intentions into the universe and empowering others to help me achieve them.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

Another great teacher of mine, Steve Stoute, said to me: “Go out and fill your potential. That is the goal.”

But I am a HUGE fan of Al Pacino’s speech during “Any Given Sunday” …Every second of that speech is powerful.

What advice do you have for others beginning their grey journey?

Let yourself reflect on the state of your being…. maybe ask yourself a series of tough questions surrounding your happiness in all areas of your life. Let it marinate and then take a small action to find the balance.

Remember, your life is holistic. If you’re unhappy anywhere it’ll reflect somewhere.

 What insights did you gain after meeting Tiffany? Share with us in the comments below!