Michael Holiday Jr. Isn’t Going To Let The Ball Play Him

It’s past time we remixed the entrepreneur archetype. The tried-and-true definition of an emerging or aspiring business owner feels tired. The modern entrepreneur is a mover, shaker and doer who’s not content with simply breaking all the rules. Our 52 trailblazers featured in the October issue are rewriting the rules, tearing them up and doing it all over again. It’s creation at its purest, because the fruits of one’s hustle are not actualized overnight or by following one jet-lagged recipe. It’s no longer adequate to measure entrepreneurs by the brick-and-mortar spaces they manifest or the jobs they create. Those are all important elements but fall short of what it truly means to build something — often with blood, sweat and tears. Whether you’re revamping the vintage clothing industry, introducing a fresh dining concept, cultivating an advocacy-focused creative agency or advancing the cause of equality for the LGBTQ+ community, the only thing that matters is freedom — the freedom to march to the beat of your own badass drum. Read our full rundown of trailblazers here. 

Michael Holiday Jr. is a co-founder and platform curator at Chocolate City’s Best, and a managing partner at 600t cocktail bar. With 15 years of experience, he seeks to bring unrecognized people and perspectives into the light — which requires resources and finesse.

Advice that keeps you hungry
I remember being in little league and my father telling me, “Play the ball. Don’t let the ball play you.” He was referring to attacking the ball in order to put yourself in the best position to help the team be successful.

Early bird, night owl or in-between
I’m both a night owl and early bird. After putting in long hours, I must wake up early in order to set my son and daughter up for a successful school day.

Burning question for an iconic trailblazer
Howard Schultz, the founder of Starbucks, grew Starbucks to over 27,000 stores. I would ask a question in regards to his ability to scale a product/brand efficiently and to such magnitude.

The current soundtrack to your life
“Man in the Mirror” by Michael Jackson is a piece that motivates me to navigate with introspection and mindfulness.

@chocolate.citys.best; chocolatecitysbest.com // @600tcocktails; 600tdc.com // @holidaythethankful

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