We had the good fortune of connecting with Phillip Boutte Jr and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Phillip, what’s the most important lesson your business/career has taught you?
This business has taught me the true meaning of the word “actionable”. I have learned to problem solve by turning real world issues into actionable items that can be solved! With 9B, we saw a problem with how artists of color are hired, so we decided to band together to actively solve the pipeline that artists of color face from the ground up.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My career spans so many different areas and I feel so blessed to have been able to travel all over with my art as a basis for learning. I have done 3 world tours with Madonna, I have worked with creatives at the top of their game for years, I have worked in film, animation and video games, you name it! I was able to overcome challenges by working hard to always be ready for whatever opportunity came my way. I always strive to be ready and to diversify my portfolio of work around what will serve the production the best. I don’t have an ego when it comes to my professional work, only my personal work. I am a team player and really fight for the overall goal of the entire project so that we can all get the best final results! I want the world to know that I always strive to do my best work, care deeply about my colleagues and the art community at large, and will do my best to ensure that the next generation of artists not only have opportunities, but less obstacles on their way to success than I had. And this has been a core principle of 9B and what we strive to achieve with it.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I live about 30 miles North of LA proper. So my area is very suburban but also has a ton of hiking trails, bike paths and places to do things like ride horses and pet farm animals. There are also several wineries and breweries. So a great day would be starting with a local coffee shop and then heading to feed the ducks. From there, maybe a nice hike to get the morning started and get the energy flowing. Then a nice lunch at one of our local restaurants. And then maybe finishing the evening with a horseback ride followed by dinner at a winery.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would love to give a shout out to my wife Jessica and my daughter Alina. I am consistently able to do what I love to do because of their support. I would also like to thank Nicole Hendrix Herman and Rachel Meinerding of the Concept Art Association. We could not have started 9B without their guidance and friendship. I have to thank our Core 9B staff/team for all of their hard work. We are nothing without our team. We must shout out all the young artists we have met, their parents, and concept artists at large that support us. And lastly, I would like to thank my fellow co-founders Aldis Hodge and Mike Uwandi for their brotherhood and friendship and dedication to our mission.

Website: 9bcollective.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/phil_boutte/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/9b-collective/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/pboutte

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