This year’s FAMU Homecoming Entrepreneurial Summit featured alumni including public relations moguls, business leaders, and abstract artists. We caught up with Nick Nelson, principal and chief marketing officer of Liquid Soul Media, and Melissa Mitchell, Center for Disease Control IT specialist by day and artist by night for a quick Q&A.
Q: Why do you think you’ve been so successful?
Nick Nelson: Liquid Soul has been around for 15 years. We really harness the power of entertainment and leverage the power of influencers, social media, digital marketing, and branded content. It’s all about finding and creating a big idea, putting it all together, and executing nationally.
Q: What projects have you completed in the past year?
Nelson: We just wrapped up work on “The Birth of a Nation” and “Queen of Katwe.” I’m currently working with ESPN on the Celebration Bowl, the bowl game between the MEAC and SWAC champions. Then, I’ll be uprooting to work on “The Bounce Back,” a romantic comedy starring Shemar Moore and comedian Bill Bellamy.
Q: What type of art do you create and where has your work been featured?
Melissa Mitchell: I call it abstract energetic art. I like to bring energy in what I do. I’m addicted to orange, pink, and yellow. I like the power the colors have so I always use those. I just recently presented shoes I painted to Jazmine Sullivan. Rapper Killer Mike has all of my artwork in his salon and barbershop. My work has also been on the CW show, “The Originals.” They recreated New Orleans’ Jackson Square on the set and featured 30 of my paintings!
Q: How does it feel coming back to the “Hill”?
Mitchell: I graduated from the School of Journalism and Graphic Communication with a degree in public relations and with my master’s degree 11 years ago. So, this is my 11th year coming back to the “Hill,” (and) my birthday is May 11th. I feel like everything is coming full circle. I had to come back today. It’s not about me; it’s about God. Who can I touch?
