Black women are magic and former St. Louisan Fatimah Austin Hunter exemplifies that so well. I’ve had the pleasure of knowing her, through friends of friends and family, for years and I’ve always been in awe of her overall presence as a person — from her airy disposition to her dedication to live life expansively and curiously. That’s why I’m excited to share this interview with her today as a part of the Conscious Conversations series.
Who are you and what do you do for work?
I’m Fatimah Austin Hunter. I’m a businesswoman, mom, wife, and self-love advocate. Career-wise I do a multitude of things! However, I mainly do Management for musicians such as Mvstermind, PR, however I’m also diving fully into the corporate partnerships/sponsorships world (and I love it). I have a lot of other things up my sleeve, so stay tuned as I roll everything out this year. I’m even venturing into sustainability, but we’ll have a follow-up interview about what that entails!
What was growing in STL like for you and what has it taught you?
Whew, growing up in St. Louis was such an interesting juxtaposition. I went to school in the wealthiest part of the city from K-12 but I lived in what is considered the worst part of the city (on the Northside by Natural Bridge and Grand) for the majority of my childhood.
Experiencing that “juxtaposition” honestly taught me to be very adaptable. I like to think that’s one of my strong suits. I use this skill almost everywhere I go these days. Acquiring this skill from my childhood has taught me that no matter what room I’m in, I’m meant to be there. Whether I’m formally meeting with the Board of Trustees while I was SGA President at my Alma Mater Agnes Scott College, pitching a corporate client, or kicking it backstage with music artists I’m able to be comfortable and confident in my own skin because of my adaptability.
What's a piece of advice you'd give to your younger self?
Don’t let the fear of failure stop you from even trying. I definitely have let this hold me back from fully giving my all into career opportunities. Also, in 2019 I started therapy and it was life-changing! I would also suggest that my younger self should go to therapy on a consistent basis.
What are some of your best moments working in PR + Management and some of your roadblocks?
My biggest moments weren't necessarily based on a project but all based on the way completing these moments made me feel. Hard to describe in words, but there’s been a sort of a high or really a peace I’ve gained while or after achieving certain accomplishments that have all affirmed that I’m on the right path. However, to give you tangible answers to my best moments, I would say they are the following:
Executing Mvstermind’s More Music video in two weeks and jetting set across the U.S. with an almost six-month-old!
Landing a Teen Vogue feature for my first EVER paid PR Client (who happens to be Leah’s incredible sister Cami!).
Presenting Dr.Scholl’s Mvstermind’s Documentary and then leaving their office on the same day with a custom shoe collaboration! (The shoe is also 100% eco-friendly btw!) Also, launching Mvstermind’s shoe deal February 2019 with Dr. Scholl’s vía a launch concert at the Zappos Headquarters in Las Vegas.
Witnessing my goal of creating an All St. Louis showcase for the A3C Festival + conference come to life!
Executing a two-day pop up alongside the Atlanta Based agency WERC Productions during Afropunk weekend for the hip-hop artist Smino and witnessing the event turn out incredible!
My biggest roadblocks were connections. I’ve never had a problem getting the work done or working hard, but I instead needed the right people to recognize and see what I was doing. I set out to break down that barrier as a 2019 goal and I’m incredibly proud of the growth, connections gained, and the reputation I’ve made for my personal name and my company Ahuntermgmt.
How do you try to live a fulfilling life?
I try to live a fulfilling life by staying true to myself. Starting therapy has really allowed me to see the ways in which I’ve neglected myself in order to make others happy or to keep relationships in my life. I now move with love, empathy, confidence and in turn, I’m setting the boundary of staying true to who I am and my values. The people who are meant to stay in your life will respect your boundaries and growth, and most importantly celebrate your accomplishments! Just trying to be my best self, one day at a time.
What has motherhood been like for you and how does it influence how you see the world?
Motherhood has been a beautiful journey! Although my journey into motherhood was unplanned for my husband and me, our son Adam (who’s now 2) was meant to be here! He has such a great personality, I know he’s going to be someone special. Also, finding out I was pregnant really solidified my career in management/entrepreneurship. I was originally planning to take a gap year between law school and I started managing my brother and artist Mvstermind while studying for the LSAT. I bombed my first LSAT Fall 2016 and was scheduled to retake it in February 2017 but I was so physically ill that I couldn’t take care of myself, let alone devote time to study for the exam. After my son was born, I felt like I owed it not only to myself but also to my son to fully devote myself to my passions, which happen to be helping others achieve their goals and music - which in turn pushes me to finally launch my consulting company Ahuntermgmt. Contrary to what I initially thought motherhood would do for my life, my son really helps to keep me on track and to move faster with my personal goals because he’s not only watching me but he also deserves to live that life that I’ve always desired for my children.
You can connect with Fatimah and follow her on her journey at the links below:
Personal IG | Brand IG | Twitter | Website | LinkedIn
Images - Lola Scott @lolascottart