The Value of Mentorship at Scale and Building Your Personal Board - A Sit Down with Artis Stevens, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters
DM Me with Doug MelvilleShow Notes
Today on DM Me, Doug interviews Artis Stevens, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, about scaling mentorship through group and workplace programs...including momentum supported by a $122.5 million MacKenzie Scott donation! Artis describes the act of mentorship as a practice coded in human DNA that should be intentional and reciprocal. He explains BBBS’s 120-year origins as an alternative to the juvenile justice system and its reach across over 5,000 communities. They get into misconceptions about the time commitment for "Bigs", and explains how the matches are made, and why early interactions can feel rocky, but often become long-term. The conversation even touches on corporate mentorship, and how that can make a true difference for someone who may not have a way to advance the corporate ladder otherwise. More of Artis: Instagram Artis on the Daily Show with Josh Johnson BBBS Website DM Doug: @DougMelville www.DougMelville.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Doug Melville interviews artist, photographer, and director Mark Clennon about pivoting from ad sales into a self-taught photography career. Clennon describes early momentum from a Brooklyn street photo and a major 2020 breakthrough image of protesters outside Trump Tower that went global. This led to use in TIME Magazine, and brought awards, sales, and agency representation amid new opportunities for Black creatives. Mark discusses building a versatile portfolio through high-volume spec work tied to personal interests, and his advice for aspiring artists to maximize time while employed and develop style by making lots of work. Clennon recounts conceptual shoots with Mike Tyson and LeBron James’ TIME “Athlete of the Century” cover, shares views on AI and creator culture, and highlights his ongoing “Father’s Hands” project documenting Black fatherhood. More of Mark: Mark's Website Instagram DM Doug: @DougMelville www.DougMelville.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Doug Melville welcomes Emmy-nominated journalist Mimi Brown, Front Page News correspondent for The Breakfast Club and host of Front Page with Mimi Brown on the Black Effect Podcast Network, to discuss what it takes to build a career in journalism amid today’s nonstop social media driven news cycle. Brown explains her daily process of curating stories for different audiences in different mediums, distinguishing national policy impact from local relatable news, and emphasizes old-school standards like training, sourcing, and fact-checking versus today's 'race to be first'. They explore why journalists now need a clear personal brand, and how shifting corporate dynamics and DEI pullbacks are pushing more people—especially Black women—toward ownership and content creation. They also touch on the midterm election urgency, civic literacy, and Brown’s advice to know your value, create opportunities, and avoid staying in a narrow lane. More of Mimi: @MimiBrownTV Front Page Podcast DM Doug: @DougMelville www.DougMelville.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Doug Melville interviews Amman Ahmed, founder of the Youtube channel Music for Pets (Relax My Dog/Relax My Cat). He shares his vision about the confidence needed to believe in your unconventional ideas, and learning through experimentation. Ahmed describes growing up in Armley, Leeds, finding hope through books, studying IT, and realizing corporate life wasn’t for him after reading Tim Ferriss’ The 4-Hour Workweek. He started a YouTube-based relaxation music channel with $1000 and later expanded into pet-focused music and “dog TV” visuals, using insights about instruments, BPMs, frequencies, and color grading to help pets with anxiety and stress. After being pushed out of a VC-backed music discovery startup, he recommitted to bootstrapping, scaled a highly profitable business with multiple revenue streams, and sold it for in 2023 for eight figures after turning down earlier offers. He now stays in music, angel invests, and campaigns a new age album, “Ekta,” for Grammy consideration. DM Doug: @DougMelville www.DougMelville.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.