Outside Voice and Retrospect CEO celebrate Black Business Month
Outside Voice—Spotify Advertising’s annotated playlist series that spotlights BIPOC professionals making a difference in the creative and marketing world—celebrates Black Business month with a playlist from an inspiring entrepreneur whose impact has been felt at businesses across the world.
Quinnton Harris is CEO and founder of Retrospect, a Black-owned creative strategy, design, and research company that builds culture-forward brand experiences.
In addition, Quinnton served as 2023 Jury President for Design at Cannes Lions, Creative Community Partner at Le Truc (Publicis Groupe), Board Advisor to Graphis, and has years of experience in leading creative roles for Blavity Inc, Walker & Company Brands, and DigitasLBi. Perhaps most significantly, Harris was co-founder of Hella Creative, the Bay Area creative collective which launched a 2020 marketing campaign that led to more than 800 U.S. companies pledging to make Juneteenth a paid holiday for their workers, helping the day become a national holiday in the U.S.
Quinnton Harris, CEO and founder of Retrospect
“You can’t do this alone. It’s so important to connect and be connected because you draw your power—your lifesource, your energy—from other creatives and your community.”
From creative family roots, to the concept that birthed Retrospect, to the major music producers who’ve influenced his creative process, Quinnton’s Outside Voice playlist delves deep into the moments and milestones that have guided his career to date.
Quinnton and Retrospect co-founder Joy Ekuta also crafted a love letter to Black businesses, featuring insightful tips for building successful companies and helpful advice for young creatives looking to make their mark. Fill out the form below to get the one-sheeter with these actionable tips.
Download the love letter:
“We call ourselves Retrospect because we believe reflection is the first step of transformation,” Quinnton explains, on the creation and concept of his company. “Making sure that you are who you say you are is so important to the work you do... At Retrospect, we aim to create an environment where people can come together and work in harmony with each other; to feel safe and feel their whole authentic selves… Retrospect is a space for people to just be, so that we can create from our hearts.”
And while he’s proud to be a Black business owner, Quinnton and his Retrospect team are careful to avoid being pigeonholed. “One of the things that we have been really firm about is [that] we’re a Black-owned company, but we’re not a Black company,” he says. “We still want to be regarded as a company that can do the right work for the right audiences. Doesn’t matter if it’s a Black audience. Doesn’t matter if it’s a Latinx audience. Doesn’t matter if it’s a general market audience. We can bring our unique perspective to solve the problems that need to be solved.”
Hear more about Quinnton’s journey, and discover the music that’s helped shape it, below:
Whether you’re a young BIPOC creator with big career goals, a marketer who’s looking to create more inclusive work—or just somebody who wants to support diverse creators—we hope Quinnton’s words inspire you to take action, and tap into your outside voice.
Stay tuned for the next episode of Outside Voice to hear from more creatives who are using their talents and platforms to elevate underrepresented communities.