Steve Stoute, the founder and CEO of UnitedMasters (c. 2017) was born in Queens, NY to Trinidadian-Immigrant parents who, in his own words, “didn't come from much," gave their son the opportunity to work his way up in the world from the work-to-riches/”American Dream” model that we all know.
Steve originally bounced around to a multitude of different colleges after graduating from Holy Cross High School in 1988. He realized that pursuing a college education wasn’t exactly his forte and he wanted to take entrepreneurship seriously. He was willing to take the long road down a journey of uncertainty, stress, sleepless nights, the days where he would feel like he wasn’t good enough or oftentimes even wanted to quit. Steve’s hunger, drive and keen sense of passion for all things pop culture such as music, fashion and the political, economic and social climate of the world in the late 80’s, 90’s and early 2000’s is what made him want to become a grand fixture in media and major cultural shifts to come.
His stint in the world of music started at the age of 26 where he became the President of the Urban Music Division. He led legendary artists such as Mariah "The Voice" Carey, Nas and "The Fresh Prince," Will Smith. He then transitioned to Interscope Geffen A&R records as their new President in 1999 where he would form a life-long friendship with Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter after being a key player in Jay's partnership with Reebok at the time. He was often known for his great ability to form successful partnerships and bridge gaps between musicians and brands. He was often referred to as "The Golden Touch."
Steve then transitioned to the advertising and branding world in 2004 where he founded Translation–A creative and solutions company which conjoined and merged the industries of marketing, corporate deals and popular culture as one.
Since then, Steve has done prolific deals with McDonald's, State Farm, Apple and the NBA.. Just to name a few.
Thank you Steve for stopping by the IAA studio to share his insight on the world, how to execute business as a brand and/or executive and how to be a leader.
We appreciate you, always!