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It’s a Rap: How Sean Combs Achieved Success

Article Overview: “I have learned to enjoy the ups for what they are, because those are the moments that feel like they go by the quickest,” says Combs. As one of the highest grossing hip-hop stars in history, Combs has been enjoying his current ‘up’ for quite some time now. From the crime-filled streets of Harlem to the lavish luxuries of Hollywood, Combs has shot to international stardom. What were his factors of success?

It’s a Rap: How Sean Combs Achieved Success

“I have learned to enjoy the ups for what they are, because those are the moments that feel like they go by the quickest,” says Combs. As one of the highest grossing hip-hop stars in history, Combs has been enjoying his current ‘up’ for quite some time now. From the crime-filled streets of Harlem to the lavish luxuries of Hollywood, Combs has shot to international stardom. What were his factors of success?

He Defied the Odds: As a poor, black boy in the slums of New York City, few people would have looked to Combs as having the potential to succeed. He was exposed to a life of violence at a young age and could have taken the easy route, following in the footsteps of his father. But, his mother told him he could be more; she told him he could be anything he wanted. Armed with that faith, Combs set out to defy the odds.

He Worked Hard: Whether it is a radio interview, a marathon for charity, or a meeting for the launch of his new line of shoes, Combs uses his every minute to the best of his ability. And, he has always been that way. From his early internship at Uptown Records to his position today as CEO of Bad Boy Entertainment, Combs is not afraid to roll up his sleeves and do what it takes to get the job done.

He Connected With His Market: From fragrances to SUVs to clothing, Combs created an identifiable style with his products and by personally endorsing them, he was doing his part to create a new attitude and lifestyle brand. He mixed the chic of the runway with the grunge of the streets to start a new trend in the fashion industry. Combs wasn’t just about the clothing; he was about giving rise to a new culture of cool.

He Was Creative: Before Combs, nobody had thought to fuse the sounds of rock and rap. Two distinct genres, the idea that combining them would result in anything pleasing to the ear let alone something that could be commercially successful was far-fetched to say the least. But, this sort of creativity on Combs’ part would characterize his entire career. He was not afraid to take chances and go in directions others hadn’t yet. Indeed, he believed that was the only way true innovation and creativity would grow.

He Was Focused: He ran a 26.2-mile marathon with an injured knee; he continued to produce successful music while enduring the woes of a lengthy criminal trial; and he managed to do both while remaining a devoted father. As a producer, writer, clothing designer, rapper, singer and actor, it is largely Combs’ ability to focus on that which he wanted to accomplish that enabled him to succeed in all of his different endeavours.

He was one of the driving forces behind the movement to bring hip-hop into the mainstream and has since become one of the wealthiest people in the entertainment industry. In addition to his clothing line, Combs’ new focus is on developing his career as an actor, and there is little doubt in his mind that he can do it. “Anything you put your mind to, anything you want to accomplish, you put your faith in God's hands, you can do it,” he says.

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  Lesson #1: Defy The Odds

Article Tags: bad boy entertainment, fashion industry, footsteps, fragrances, grunge, harlem, hip hop stars, international stardom, internship, launch, lifestyle brand, luxuries, marathon, new attitude, new trend, quite some time, radio interview, slums, ups, uptown records



Related Forum Posts
Re: Hello, Just Joined - Hey Sean, welcome to the forum!
Re: Hello, Just Joined - Hello Sean Welcome to the forum its Really nice to have you here , have a great day
Re: Should you hire ambitious workers or employees with no goals - [quote="TheRainmaker":4eq894a4]Thanks Shri, I really hate the word GRUNT. I had a client once who called his staff 'minions'. he didnt last long as a client...I just hate the negative perspective in anything. realist yes, pessimist, no.[/quote:4eq894a4] Hi Jude and Shri, I'm not saying that it's good to call anyone a "grunt", but the truth is many people are treated like one everyday. I was recently watching the reality show "Making the Band 4" and P. Diddy (aka Puff Daddy or Sean Combs) was telling one of his employees, Aubrey (from the group Danity Kane) that he was the CEO and he didn't have to communicate his plans or vision for his company to her. More importantly, if Aubrey didn't like the way he does business, she has the choice to walk away/quit. At the end of that show, Diddy ended up firing Aubrey for always causing trouble and feeling she was ENTITLED to certain things. In addition, owner of Sky Sport Gym (and star of Bravo's "Work Out"), Jackie Warner undermined one of her trainers by stepping in midway through a boot camp to take over. Jackie's trainer was very upset, but rather than apologizing Jackie simply said something along the lines of "I'm the owner and I can do whatever I want. If you don't like it, you can work for someone else." The problem is that most employees claim ownership over their "jobs" because they put a lot of hard work and time into them... but the reality is that the owners can treat them as kindly or disrespectful as they want. And the only option for the employees is to stay or leave.
Re: Hello, Just Joined - Hi Sean Welcome to the forum. There is a lot of information here and I am sure you will benefit from it. MichelleJ
Re: Hello, Just Joined - Hi, Sean, Welcome to the forum. It is always good to have new members to contribute to our live discussions.


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