Khalil Flemming ’16 is a music industry professional living in Brooklyn, NY. He spent the last five years at United Talent Agency, specializing in touring and brand partnership. In addition to early experiences in film and TV production, he has built a freelance career managing artists, writing and producing records, and consulting with small brands.
In summer 2021, Khalil launched All My Friends, a creative agency that develops musicians and books shows. Outside of work, Khalil is a big fan of sports – the NFL, NBA and F1 – reading about culture and fashion, longboarding and playing and watching video games. Lately, he has been going back to concerts, learning more about Web3 and working on an album with friends.
Q. Tell us about a job you did not get or take. How did this shape your career path?
A. The most notable example is the rejection that led me to drop my economics major–not out of disappointment or spite, but as a decision to focus on entertainment for my senior year. After my junior year, I interviewed for a sales and trading internship at one of the major banks. The previous summers, I had done television-related internships, but we all believed it was best to get my foot in at a bank. After a referral and a Super Day with three executives, I got the news that the result was no, and it came down to one of the senior people who interviewed me. She told my connection that it was clear from talking to me that my real passion was for the arts, and even though I could do the work, it wouldn’t make sense to have me commit to finance. Hearing that–as well as the fact that I did not have the job at the big bank–was enough for me to put my head down and focus on landing where I really should be upon graduating. In the end, it was the stage manager for my senior directing thesis who ended up finding me a way into United Talent Agency, where I started the day after graduation.