Art Basel is renowned as a global hub where contemporary art and creativity collide. In recent years, Art Basel Miami Beach has evolved beyond just a celebration of artistic innovation; it has become an incubator for entrepreneurial vision and expansion. This year, Steve Stoute of UnitedMasters, along with Ally Bank, and Troy Millings and Rashad Bilal of the impactful financial podcast “Earn Your Leisure,” used Art Basel Miami Beach as the backdrop for the highly anticipated finale of the Earn Your Masters experience. Together, they awarded $50,000 to the winner, Jeff Darko, for his startup business, Mixplug, which specializes in AI-driven mixing and mastering for artists and producers. His aim is to democratize music production, making it more accessible to a broader audience.
Not only did Earn Your Masters winner Jeff Darko receive $50,000 in seed money, but he will also gain access to a network of influential mentors and resources. The finale was judged by an esteemed panel of cultural and industry leaders, including Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings of Earn Your Leisure and Bridget Sponsky of Ally Financial.
Steve Stoute, a music and media maverick known for shaping the careers of legends like Mariah Carey, Jay-Z, and Mary J. Blige, has extended his reach far beyond the studio. As the founder of UnitedMasters, he provides artists with the tools they need to distribute their work, own their masters, and gain audience insights and KPIs. Through his marketing agency, Translation, Stoute has produced groundbreaking campaigns for brands like Diageo, the NBA, McDonald’s, and AT&T, cementing his reputation as a tastemaker and innovator.
Having lived in Miami for over a decade, Steve Stoute has fully embraced the city and heavily invested in Miami’s creative and entrepreneurial ecosystem, as evidenced by the Earn Your Masters collaboration with Earn Your Leisure and Ally Bank.
Earn Your Leisure, led by Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings, has become one of Black culture’s most influential podcasts. Through their podcast and new network, they equip their audience with financial and entrepreneurial tools and advice. “Every day we’re researching and learning new trends and strategies to be able to disseminate this information and give it to our audience. We have a unique approach, and this is what sets us apart,” said Troy. To further cement their commitment to financial and entrepreneurial literacy, their new book, You Deserve to Be Rich, offers readers actionable insights into wealth-building, business strategies, and the principles of financial literacy.
“We want this book to be an actionable blueprint of everything we’ve talked about over the six years on our platform,” said Rashad. The Earn Your Leisure and UnitedMasters collaboration amplifies their shared mission of creating opportunities for innovation and cultivating the next generation of business leaders. The book is already topping pre-sale charts and will be available on January 14, 2025.
Hosted and ideated by UnitedMasters, Ally Bank, and Earn Your Leisure, the Earn Your Masters finale, held at Freehold, also served as a celebration of Black innovation, entrepreneurship, and women’s sports. The event featured a keynote conversation “Mogul Talk” with prominent panelists N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN of Drink Champs. Additionally, an impactful panel titled “Creating Cultural Capital in Women’s Sports” featured WNBA stars Breanna Stewart and Renee Montgomery, alongside The Sports Bra partnership, highlighting the achievements of women athletes in business and sports.
With K.Foxx of 99 Jamz hosting, the event was filled with high energy, celebrating Black innovation and merging creativity with opportunity. The Earn Your Masters finale stood out as a cultural and entrepreneurial cornerstone within the Art Basel Miami ethos.