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  <img src="https://imageproxy.lbkrs.com/https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/60706678970a9aee9f0b2974/960x0.jpg/query-Zml0PXNjYWxl" alt="Graham oversees all marketing strategies as chief brand officer of Comb Enterprises. " original-src="https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/60706678970a9aee9f0b2974/960x0.jpg?fit=scale"/> 
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   <p>Graham oversees all marketing strategies as chief brand officer of Comb Enterprises. </p> 
   
  <small>Courtesy of Deon Graham</small> 
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</figure><p>Combs Enterprises, a portfolio of businesses and investments helmed by Sean “Diddy” Combs, wants to pave the way for culture change and push the narrative of Black success. Part of that strategy has entailed appointing an all-Black executive leadership team. </p><div></div><p>Deon Graham is part of that team. As chief brand officer of Comb Enterprises the 35-year-old oversees all marketing strategies. His path to the C-suite has been anything but traditional: Once a marketing student at Florida International University in Miami, Graham who was heavy into the night club scene decided to drop out of college in 2006 after one semester. He went on to start his own nightlife website, City Never Sleeps, in 2008 after realizing the club industry had a lack of representation when it came to the clubgoers they advertised. His goal was to help service Black people navigating the nightlife scene. In 2009, he landed a contract with Ciroc by offering his expertise in digital marketing for a fraction of the cost the company was paying contractors for ad services. </p><p>“I carved out a niche in the digital marketing space,” Graham tells For(bes) The Culture. “It caught the attention of Diddy’s marketing company at the time, Blue Flame. They reached out to see if I had interest in doing ads on their website for Ciroc.”  </p><div></div><p>Since then, he’s helped develop and manage initiatives for brands including Ciroc, Revolt, DeLeon Tequila, Bad Boy Entertainment and Sean John.</p><p>For(bes) The Culture spoke with Graham about his journey to becoming one of Comb Enterprises’ top executives.</p><p><strong>For(bes) The Culture</strong>: How did you get your start in the marketing industry?</p><p><strong>Deon Graham:</strong> I took some marketing classes back in high school and I was really good at the course. I felt there was something valuable there but I didn't foresee how I could use it just then. After high school, I started doing the streets stuff. I think that's important because I began using my marketing and branding mind (in the wrong way of course), but I noticed it was working. Whether it was what type of apple bags I used to put my product in (which was weed), making sure it was packaged the right way, or making sure it was a premium product, I wanted to keep people coming back. I used to go out to the clubs with no chains and I stayed low key maneuvering through the room.</p><div><div id="recirc-unit"><div>MORE FOR YOU</div><div><div>Forbes Releases Sixth Annual 30 Under 30 Europe List</div><div>Forbes Unveils 35th Annual World’s Billionaires List With Recording-Breaking Number Of Billionaires</div><div>The Arts And Humanities Deliver Untapped Value For The Future Of Work</div></div></div></div><p>All these things are important because that was how I learned the game, playing the wrong game. But I learned how to market, how to brand and how to push products. Around 2008, I was spending a lot of money in the club. I would buy bottles and VIP sections with friends. The photographers at the club would take photos to place them on the club’s website. I would always wonder why my picture wasn’t being featured. That turned into me asking questions. If they weren’t going to feature me on their website I’d figure out how to get myself featured. It led me to making my own nightlife website. My unique style caught the attention of Diddy and the Ciroc team. Diddy’s marketing team at the time, Blue Flame, reached out to me and wanted me to put ads on their website for Ciroc. We negotiated terms and I went legit ever since.</p><p><strong>For(bes) The Culture: </strong>How has your role evolved at Comb Enterprises? </p><p><strong>Graham: </strong>I started off as a digital consultant, helping build websites. I helped do social media, marketing campaigns and more. I then went on to become director of digital marketing then VP of digital marketing. When I came into the game, digital marketing was an afterthought. This thing that I was so passionate about wasn't necessarily what everybody cared about. I believed the first place you really interact with your customers is online, that’s the first place you tell your brand story. The team I worked with saw it, but the company as a whole just wasn't there yet, at the time.</p><p><strong>For(bes) The Culture</strong>: How were you able to convince the company of the importance of digital marketing?</p><p><strong>Graham</strong>: The internet exploded with social media. I had the inside scoop on how to navigate that world. Going from a digital consultant, managing social media and digital marketing campaigns, I was able to see all the data and feedback firsthand. I saw how Diddy’s brand was actually being perceived when it came to conversations about Ciroc, DeLeon and Revolt and I was there to give quick feedback. When you put an ad on social media, you know, within minutes, if it’s working or not. The executives around him started to realize the company needed to pay more attention to the digital space, because it’s essentially what the customer is saying and that’s where the sales are. It was all pretty simple to me, the messaging was clear. We needed to figure out what we would do with the information and how we would react to the feedback.</p><p><strong>For(bes) The Culture: </strong>What is the work culture like at Combs Enterprises? </p><p><strong>Graham:</strong> What we are doing is something that the world is taking notice to. Combs Enterprises [is] very intentional with hires, the products we are coming up with and the campaigns we're putting out. In 2020, the world appeared to open their eyes up to Black people mattering. That was the big trend but that’s something this company has always highlighted. It’s synonymous with Diddy, and the public doesn't give him enough credit for it. For me, the most important thing is for people to understand what it's like to work at a Black-owned company. This is my first corporate experience. I wouldn't know what it would be like to walk into another building because of the culture we have at Comb Enterprises. We’re a powerhouse team with many young, gifted, Black people pushing the culture forward.</p><p><strong>For(bes) The Culture:</strong> You have a hunger for breaking new ground. If you could define your unique branding style in a few words, what would it be?</p><p><strong>Graham:</strong> My style is rooted in authenticity.  That's the first thing that I think about with any new product: What is the truth here? I feel that many marketers falsely advertise. They go into a room and they figure out how to trick us into buying stock. I want to take the exact opposite approach. Is your product good? Is your messaging right? How are you showing up as your authentic self? That's what separates me and what I do apart from everybody else. </p><p><strong>For(bes) The Culture: </strong>Black Americans still remain scarce in executive positions. Can you speak on the importance of breaking that barrier and creating opportunities for others in the future?</p><p><strong>Graham: </strong>In the beginning I would get nervous and feel as if I didn’t belong in certain rooms. That’s when I realized I needed to just be me, it's gotten me this far. It’s an example to show anyone who looks like me that you don’t have to change who you are to operate in this world. I wasn’t going to change myself for an industry that wasn't even designed for me. People like Nipsey Hussle, Jay-Z and Diddy stood unapologetic about who they were and that rubbed off on me. I think the best example would be some kid like me on the block right now. He has no examples other than a rapper and an athlete of what's possible. So I'm being very intentional with the moves I make going forward.</p><p><strong>For(bes) The Culture: </strong>Tell us about the relationship you’ve built with Sean “Diddy” Combs during your years at the company. </p><p><strong>Graham: </strong>Diddy purposely put me in situations to see how I’d handle things. He wanted to see if I could show up and how hungry I was to deliver. He’s running a successful business, it’s not charity for me. I proved myself with the numbers I was producing and helping build his brands. There were different moments where I knew he put me there to see what would happen. I’d go inside this boardroom at Fox or Disney or with Apple and he would let them know I was important to his business and that my words and opinion mattered. It gave me the confidence to express my opinions on how we roll things out. He knew that the more I'm exposed to, the more knowledge I'm getting. The more rooms I’m in, the better I’d become. Which ultimately makes business better for him. So it wasn't that he ever expressed he’d be a mentor to me, it just aligned that way. He saw me grind and continued to open doors to see how I’d react and elevate me from there. </p><p><strong>For(bes) The Culture:</strong> What can we expect to see from Comb Enterprises as you step into your new leadership position?</p><p><strong>Graham:</strong> The biggest thing is about fostering a creative environment. We've always led everything that we do with the creative in mind first. The younger generation thrives off an environment with strong creative direction. They don't want to be in a regular office. We often have to rent a flat or Airbnb and let them chill. It's a different way of operating. To some people they're looking at the bottom line of it costing a lot of money to come up with these concepts but It’s very important that we lead with the creative. One of my biggest tasks this year is to make sure our creatives are in an environment that sparks their creativity so that when they come back to us with ideas, they feel creative and inspired. You can't do that in a basic office with white walls.</p><div></div>

<p>Courtesy of Deon Graham Combs Enterprises, a portfolio of businesses and investments helmed by Sean “Diddy” Combs, wants to pave the way for culture change and push the narrative of Black success ... His path to the C-suite has been anything but traditional: Once a marketing student at Florida International University in Miami, Graham who was heavy into the night club scene decided to drop out of college in 2006 after one semester ... MORE FOR YOUForbes Releases Sixth Annual 30 Under 30 Europe ListForbes Unveils 35th Annual World’s Billionaires List With Recording-Breaking Number Of BillionairesThe Arts And Humanities Deliver Untapped Value For The Future Of WorkAll these things are important because that was how I learned the game, playing the wrong game.</p>

Meet Deon Graham, The College Dropout Turned C-Suite Executive Leading Brand At Combs Enterprises