Take A Peek
A Boston native, Akiyah B. Francis attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst and graduated with a 3.74 GPA from the Commonwealth Honors College. While at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, she majored in Communication and minored in Psychology and African-American Studies. She had the opportunity to study abroad at the University of Cape Town where she volunteered with SHAWCO. While pursuing her undergraduate degree, as an INROADS Intern, she interned for MetLife Insurance for two years and worked full-time upon graduation.
Most notably, Akiyah created a website for an upcoming artist named J. Cole in 2009. Prior to J. Cole being signed to Columbia Records, he maintained a minor online presence hence making the start of jcolefans.com notable. The website went on to average 100,000 visitors daily. J. Cole personally along with his management took notice of the widely popular website and supported in various ways through free tickets for shows and exclusive digital content for the website to give to his fans. With a long run of two years, jcolefans.com closed its doors. Jcolefans.com has been referenced by prominent websites such as RapRadar, 2DopeBoyz and Karen Civil.
In 2014, Akiyah went on to work for Sony Music Entertainment – Epic Records in New York City. Akiyah worked within the Creative & Video Production and Digital Marketing Department. While at Sony Music Entertainment, she received production credits for her work on Michael Jackson’s Xscape documentary. She also worked closely with the Senior Director of A&R at the reggae music label, VP Records and The Source Magazine for a brief period. While in New York, Akiyah also provided consulting services to small businesses seeking to grow their brand on online platforms.
Akiyah completed her J.D. at Washington University School of Law in St. Louis in 2019. While in law school, Akiyah spearheaded an educational program for detained juveniles in the St. Louis county. She also studied abroad in Beijing, China at Peking University Law School.
Akiyah is currently a second year associate at Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP in Washington, D.C. with the Global Technology, Outsourcing & Privacy team.
Freelance Brand Management
I have consulted with start-ups to develop marketing strategies to enhance their brand online. My work consisted of brand consultation, website development, graphic designing, event coordination, and the creation of marketing campaigns. I am currently not accepting new projects.
Prior Clients:
Association of Black Women Attorneys (New York, NY)
Kodawari Yoga Studios (Tampa, FL)
Anique Nicole Hair Studio (Boston, MA)
Chef and Mixologist (New York, NY)
Blogger + Fashionista (Boston, MA)
Elite (Music Producer)
Twitter @Akiyahb
