A Tribute To Jamal Edwards MBE : Three Life Lessons From His Journey...
Last week the world was given devastating news about the passing of SBTV founder, Jamal Edwards MBE. There are many lessons to take from Jamal's entrepreneurship journey, here are my top three...
Happy New Week,
Last week the world was given devastating news about the passing of SBTV founder, Jamal Edwards MBE. Jamal helped start off so many big music careers today like Dave, Ed Sheeran, Stormzy, AJ Tracy, the list goes on. SBTV gave rising stars a platform to showcase their talents, it was also the first to conduct online UK-based interviews with US rappers Drake, Nicki Minaj, and Wiz Khalifa.
Jamal’s entrepreneurship journey started at the age of 15, uploading videos of his friends rapping to Youtube, after receiving a camera as a Christmas present. Jamal took advantage of Youtube when it was still in its infancy and SBTV soon became the platform that every upcoming rapper wanted to be on. It was crucial in developing and growing a wider audience for artists.
Here are 3 lessons I learned from Jamal.
Take chances and bet on yourself. Self belief was a fundamental ingredient for Jamal to start and build SBTV. He had to keep believing in himself and what he could achieve. Jamal mentions how he struggled getting labels to allow him to interview their big artists but he just kept going. Eventually interviewing big artists like Kelly Rowland, Ludacris, etc. Jamal applied for a Youtube partnership five times before he eventually got it; it was self-belief that kept him going while many would’ve given up after trying once or twice.
“Try anything, don’t be scared of failure, that is my advice.” Jamal Edwards
Build something bigger than yourself. Jamal started off SBTV as a passion and was solving huge problems grime artists faced. They weren’t getting any recognition on the charts or in mainstream media. SBTV opened doors for a lot of people, not just artists but also those who worked behind the scenes. His success led the way for other platforms to rise such as Linkup TV, GRM Daily, and many more. Jamal’s legacy will live on because he built something bigger than himself.
Pay it forward. Being grateful for the opportunities he got along the way, Jamal was committed to paying it forward and helping others by connecting them with others, providing advice or opportunities. Jamal was very active in inspiring the future generation. He set up a JE Delve, a grassroots youth work charity to provide young people with opportunities to learn, work and connect with others. He was also an ambassador for Princes Trust, a charity set up by Prince Charles that helps young people start their own businesses. Always think about how you can pay it forward and help someone else on their journey.
Seeing all the tributes and personal stories of encounters with Jamal was heartwarming and shows how huge his impact was. Growing up Jamal was a huge role model to me and many other young black boys as he was one of the first young black millionaires that wasn’t a musician or sportsperson. He showed us what was possible as a black entrepreneur here in the UK. I was fortunate enough to meet Jamal once and I’m very grateful that he made the time to speak with me. A quote I live by is “leave everyone you come across with a feeling of increase” and that’s exactly what Jamal did.
Looking at how much Jamal was able to accomplish at such a young age is incredible. Jamal started chasing his dream at 15. Life is too short to not chase your dreams. You don’t have to be a certain age to start chasing your dreams, start where you are and with what you have. You’ll figure the rest along the way. Follow your passions with no restraints and you will fill your life with joy and fulfillment.
Rest In Power Jamal Edwards. Thank you for your positive contribution to this world. May your legacy live on.
Have a great week.