Like others, the music industry was the extent of my professional experience until it was time to “reinvent” myself. Today, I’m the Senior Global Marketing Manager for a $1B business at Kimberly-Clark.
It is easy to see how my experience growing up in the music industry prepared me for a career in the business. I went on many station visits with my parents Marie and Earl Sellers who, between the two, worked at Columbia, Motown, MCA, RCA & Benson Records. They encouraged me to do more so I volunteered at WQOK/Raleigh, worked at Jack the Rapper, and while in college interned at So So Def and did street promotions.
After graduating from college, and with increased persistence after not getting the job the first time, Michael Johnson hired me as the RCA SE Regional. 2 years later, I was promoted to Director of Field Promotions at RCA. We broke Kevon Edmonds as a solo artist, turned the Coca-Cola kid, Tyrese, into a household name and more. Then it was time for a change.
God blessed me with an opportunity at J Records, where I rose to Senior National Director. Ken Wilson led the team as we launched the careers of Alicia Keys, Fantasia, Mario, and others. We held record-breaking chart positions with Luther Vandross, Busta Rhymes, Jamie Foxx, and more.
In 2010, I stepped out of my comfort zone, left J Records/RCA Music Group to be the Vice President of Promotions at Warner Bros, and then Atlantic Records. While at WB and Atlantic, I delivered hits for Jill Scott, Gucci Mane, Eric Benet, and Wiz Khalifa, broke artists like Wale, Meek Mill and others.
In 2016 I reinvented myself outside of “the business.” While working as a Product Marketing Manager for AT&T, managing a $20M loyalty program, raising my daughters – including getting my oldest off to college, I was a full-time student in the Executive MBA program at Georgia State University, studying Global Business. In 2018 I graduated with a 3.5 GPA. Now I leverage my experience and education leading the global rollout of innovation, products and customer activation at Kimberly-Clark.
Yolanda Adams “More Than a Melody” album has inspired me since it was released. Reach me on LinkedIn at NSellers & on IG @Nikkis1021.