Guardian Newspaper

What happened next?

Interview by Adeline Iziren
Saturday September 17, 2005
The Guardian

Kubi Springer worked as an usher at the Hammersmith Apollo, before studying commercial music at the University of Westminster. She is now project manager of the Mobo awards, which celebrate their 10th anniversary on September 22.

Springer oversees the Mobo brand, organising photo opportunities with nominees such as Lemar and liaising with HMV, which supports the awards. This year, Mobo is championing Save The Children and Springer organises tours of schools and universities to spread awareness about the malaria crisis in Africa.

She says: "I was 16 when I first heard about Mobo and was fascinated and enthused by it. In my first year at uni, the tutor suggested we all write about an influential person in the music industry and I decided to write about Kanya King, the Mobo awards founder." After interviewing King, Springer bumped into her at music industry events and kept in touch.

After graduating, she landed a job as a sponsorship assistant with a financial events management company through the Mountbatten internship programme, which gives graduates a chance to spend a year working in New York.

"It taught me how to manage the message of any particular brand and deal with huge budgets," Springer recalls. While in New York, she spent her weekends and evenings freelancing for Blue Flame, P Diddy's marketing company. Although she wasn't paid for this work, the experience helped her on the way to a career organising music events, including Justin Timberlake's 2003 European tour. "I spent a lot of time between London, New York and Los Angeles," she says.

Springer joined Mobo earlier this year and attributes her success to an "efferverscent personality", a willingness to take risks and an ability to come up with ideas.

Her advice on a career in the music industry? "Get work experience. If you're good and enthusiastic, people will remember you and ask you to come back."

Pride Magazine

Secrets of My Success

A women on top of her professional game talks to Pride about the challenges and rewards that come with being successful.

After ten years working in entertainment marketing, Kubi launched Sisterhood TV in 2007. Broadcasting on Sky, Sisterhood TV is dedicated to empowering and celebrating the achievements of women.

Vision: Since I was a child I knew that I wanted to work in the entertainment industry, so I studied a degree in Commercial Music before working as an intern t MTV. I wanted to learn from the best, so i travelled to New York after graduating to work with P Diddy’s marketing agency Blue Flame and the Gen Art Style Awards. It was after I returned to the UK to work as head of marketing for the MoBo Awards that I decided to set up Sisterhood TV. I also delivered speaking engagements at youth events and universities, and my main impetus came when I realized that so many young women lacked direction and mentors. The first thing I did was secure broadcast deal on Sky; a business associate introduced me and I pitched the show idea to them. Then I found freelance production crew members who could help me create the Sisterhood TV show, a one-hour talk show with exclusive interviews and controversial debates. I then sourced sponsorship to set up the online channel, SisterhoodTV.com, which includes repeats of the Sky TV show, an online networking function, event information and exclusive interviews. In addition to setting up the site, the sponsorship enabled us to film all over the world- in New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Paris, Ireland and across the UK.

Challenges: Despite having ten years of marketing experience, I didn’t know a thing about the world of TV, and therefore it was a steep learning curve. I remember being on the plane heading to Atlanta and seeing fashion designer Su Augusta (one of the co-hosts). I just walked up to her in the airport trying to convince her to join the show. It was all very unconventional at the time, but somehow it seemed to work. We launched the show in September 2007, and within the first six weeks we had more than 31,000 viewers!

Most enjoyable: The best part of my role is hearing someone say that they watched my interview with somebody who really inspired them. The other great thing is that I have been able to set up a spin-off company for teenagers called Girls Club- a Saturday performing arts school for young women that uses the performing arts to build confidence, self esteem and leadership skills in six to 16-year-old girls.

Voice Newspaper

Info coming

Working the Hype

Losing the ability to explore a career in the limelight was hard to swallow, but it proved that bad luck had a flip side in Kubi Spinger’s case.

An injury when she was 17 put paid to Royal Academy of Dance trained Kubi Spinger’s ambition of becoming a professional performer.

Mad with the world, she fled to the states in 1996 where she snagged a work placement for Essence Magazine at their annual music festival. It was the best move she ever made.

“In New York City I was captivated by the billboards and the power of advertising, the way marketing companies used performing arts to penetrate messages and enhance brand profiles, from GAP adverts to Citibank campaigns,” observes Kubi.

She wasn’t sure what she was going to do but she knew it would involve working behind the scene in the Entertainment Business.

After four months of NYC an enthused Kubi came back to the UK and went to university to study Commercial Music, learning everything from entertainment law, PR and promotions, to social relevance of music and wider society.

Highly dedicated, she spent her last year at university studying and working full time on the MTV Lick Party. Touring all over the United Kingdom and four European cities, Kubi got her first taste of international events marketing. She met Trevor Nelson who encouraged her to understand the power of personal branding irrespective of being in front or behind the camera.

“At the Lick I learnt that the entertainment industry is built on creating ‘a hype’, creating that illusion impacts the promotion of mainstream products. I wanted to be part of that”

After university Kubi returned to New York and landed herself a one year contract at a corporate events management company, where she worked on some amazing projects including the Japanese Real Estate Conference in Tokyo.

“I was in a high-pressured environment and learnt about the essence of corporate sponsorship. Working with names like PricewaterhouseCooper and Goldman Sachs, my role was to ensure they had sufficient branding and brand profiling at the international conferences, through the main events, cocktail parties and promotional material".

Working with contracts exceeding $200,000 gave Kubi the experience of account handling, business development, client interfacing and corporate branding.

In 2002 she was asked to help Eddie Morales (dancer and chorographer to Justin Timberlake), build a profile in the UK. It was a challenge she could not turn down. With a small team she returned home and coordinated a one-day dance workshop for Morales to coincide with the last day of Justin’s concert dates in London. Timberlake ‘wannabe’s’ had the opportunity to learn all the moves from the videos. The event attracted 350 16-25 year olds (each paying £60 per class), media endorsements from Kiss FM and guest artist appearance from Justin himself at the party.

The ‘Timberlake Promotional Dance Workshop’ opened the flood gates. Since then Kubi has worked on the Eminem After Party, GenArt ‘Style’, Aspirations Exhibition, London Olympia and the Brit Awards, to name a few.

As a creative commutations consultant, the future for Kubi, 26, is radiant, infused with hard work and determination. Her new projects include Femelle Modelling Agency European promotional campaign (schedule for April 2005) and G force Productions ‘America v UK Street Dance Championships’ (October 2005), which will be televised by MTV Europe.

“I have been brought on board to promote the event to the American market in order to attract 9 dance groups (155 dancers) who will be flying over for the event. In addition, I am responsible for the American sponsors and product endorsements, which means that I am currently talking to people such as Sean John Clothing (Puff Daddy’s clothing line).”

Young, focussed, with a drive that belies her years, Kubi is a gem within the world of fashion, entertainment and lifestyle marketing. Keep an eye on her.

International Woman's Magazine

Afro News

April 2009
‘Black Girls in Business’

Aspire to be the best, young Black women urged

The first day of ‘International Women’s month’ kicked off with a bang at The Bernie Grant Arts Centre in Tottenham with an inspirational event called ‘Black Girls in Business’, organized by Building United Communities.

An amazing line up of 12 speakers who proved to be dynamic, positive role models shared their experiences, challenges, success and achievement to a packed audience hungry to hear their personal journeys.  There was a deafening silence in the air as the captivated and fixated audience were told story after story about overcoming breast cancer, being in abusive relationships, ending up in prison, being a victim of knife crime, being poverty stricken and losing their home.

Despite the personal tragedies suffered by the speakers, each and every one of them had a positive mindset and outlook on life and passion to want to make a difference to help empower and encourage other young women in the community to be the best they can be.

Tameka Empson, Actress/Comedienne of 3 Non Blondes was the perfect host for the evening’s event. She took the crowd by storm with her hilarious sense of humour wooing the audience and creating howls of laughter.

The amazing line of inspirational speakers included: Dounne Alexander MBE, winner of 7 National Awards including ‘Black Business Women of the Millennium’ and Women Mean Business’ and wife of Rudolf Walker (Patrick) from Eastenders; Barbara Campbell, CEO of Barb Wire Enterprises Ltd, winner of international Women of Excellence Awards & Editor of Black Heritage Magazine; Juliet Alexander, TV Presenter turned University Lecturer who runs an Award Winning Media Training and Communications Consultancy.

The other day key speaker was Gina Moffatt, CEO Blooming Scents, who shared her inspirational journey from Prison to Businesswomen. She is now Princes Trust Ambassador and Entrepreneur behind the Flower Firm. Blooming Scents whose Mentor is James Caan, Dragons Den. Kubi Springer, Marketing Guru and signed to BEN TV, spoke of her determination to never give up and her motto ‘Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway’.

Paulette West, MBE Ambassador for Building United Communities who is listed as one of the Inspirational Women in the Official Guide of International Women’s Month Magazine 2009 and Andrew Green, Founder of BUC said: “Building United Communities aims to give recognition to our Business Leaders, Community Champions and Role Models. We are Leaders and to provide a platform to showcase their experience, expertise and journeys to educate, empower, inspire and motivate others to follow in their footsteps. This event and the out-come, highlights success and provides the blueprint for our future generation.”

The overwhelming demand for this event was evident as hundreds flocked to see the dynamic inspirational line up of speakers and scores of people regrettably had to be turned away.

Building United Communities is already busy organizing the next monthly business social networking evening. Don’t Miss the next event titled ‘An Audience with... our Community Champions, Role Models, Business Leaders’ to be held at the  African Caribbean Leadership Council, 9 Clarendon Road, Hornsey, N8 0DD on Wednesday 8th April 2009. For Further information, please check out the following websites: www.wetheunited.com and website www.gapnetworking.co.uk

BBC – Audio Recording

Info coming

Sisterhood - Press Release

Marketing guru Kubi Springer has been signed to BEN TV, Europe’s first and biggest black satellite TV station, to produce and host a new business program entitled ‘Sisterhood’.

Dedicated to celebrating and inspiring today’s multi-cultural women who are: Bold, Beautiful & in Business, Sisterhood features women from across the globe that are in all areas of business including sports, politics, fashion, beauty, communications, science, media and entertainment; from independent business owners to CEO’s of multinational corporations.

Co-hosted by Aneka Johnson (CEO Miss Black Britain), Sisterhood is a 1-hour show comprising of profile interviews, industry advice, global business news and fashion & beauty tips for today’s business woman on the go.

Aired on BEN TV (BSKYB Channels 146 & 194) and broadcasted in Asia, Middle East, North and West Africa with global live streaming on the net (www.bentelevision.com), Sisterhood will be broadcasted from Thursday 4th October 2007 and every Thursday thereafter from 7pm-8pm with repeats every Saturday.

The first of its kind, Sisterhood is the show to inspire, educated, celebrate and empower multi-cultural women who are confident, self-assured and daring to make the necessary sacrifices to succeed in today’s word of business.
For more information on the Sisterhood TV Show please do not hesitate to contact Kubi Springer on +44 (0) 7930 925 969, www.kubionline.co.uk or www.sisterhoodtv.com

Sisterhood is aired from Thursday 4th October 2007 and every Thursday thereafter from 7pm-8pm with repeats on Saturdays.

Editors Notes:

Kubi Springer - At just 28 years old Kubi Springer is a multi-cultural and multi-cultural youth marketing specialist. With 10 years of experience Kubi has a portfolio of who’s who in the fashion, entertainment and lifestyle industries.

Having worked in New York, Japan, Europe and the United Kingdom, Kubi has worked on campaigns for some of the biggest brands in the world including the Arts Council, L’Oreal Paris, Atari Games, MOBO Awards, New York Fashion Week, GenArt Style Awards in association with Nokia, Brit Awards, MTV and world renowned footballer Rio Ferdinand on his ITV program ‘Rio’s World Cup Windups’ featuring David Beckham and Wayne Rooney.

Aneka Johnson - The Founder & CEO of Miss Black Britain the annual beauty pageant for black women in the United Kingdom.

A choreographer, stylist and producer, Aneka has previously worked with artists and clients such as MK1, Zara, Vicky Martin, Tiger of Sweden, All Saints, Sony Erickson, Raghav, Galaxy Radio, Nottingham Play House, Roots Manoeuvre and Stereo Nations.