The Legacy of Lucky Church on How He Created A Global Dynasty

Walter “Lucky Church” Simons is a public relations and entertainment consulting
professional with almost two decades of experience. He transitioned into a publicist after being the lead singer of The JUS Evolution, where he honed his craft as a brand manager, publicist, and entertainment consultant by negotiating deals for his band. His earliest clients include Haddad Brands (Jordan Brand, NIKE, Converse, Hurley & Levi’s), the National Football League, BET, Universal Records, the Grammy’s, the National Basketball Association, and Playboy.

In 2015, Church joined Lizzie Grubman Public Relations as Director of Concierge Services
and Client Relations. This role led to a lucrative partnership with Beyoncé’s stylist Ty
Hunter. Together Church and Hunter fostered successful brand relationships, including
Burberry, Showtime, Hyundai, the City of New York, and VH1. Church has also worked with professional athletes, including 4x Olympic gold medalist and Real Housewives of Atlanta star Sanya Richards Ross, retired NFL wide receiver Pierre Garcon, and professional basketball player Kenneth Faried.

He is also the Chief Executive Director of Public Relations and Communications for
Shaping Futures Foundation and its CEO, Cordell Robinson, as they work to build a
school in Tanzania, East Africa. Currently, Church works at Mungo Creative Group as the
Director of Client Relations and Social Media Management. He signed Billy Porter and
WuTang Clan as his first clients. Born in Harlem, Church now lives in The Bronx with his wife and close family, where he continues to walk in his purpose. Lucky always says, “My mission is simple. I want to be a bridge that connects my community to opportunities that will empower those around me to create generational wealth while understanding that all wealth is rooted in our overall mental and physical health.”

Instagram: @LuckyChurch //Business Instagram: @TalkToLuckyChurch 

TikTok: @LuckyChurch  & Twitter: @LuckyChurch 

 www.iamluckychurch.com (under construction)

How did you start your career? I started my career with a leap of faith. Honestly, I have been involved with the entertainment, music, and sports industries since High School. Still, it wasn’t until I took a leap of faith in an unexpected direction that I discovered my passion for service and helping others succeed.  Initially, I wanted to be a singer/songwriter, and during my college years, I partnered with a man who became a true brother to me, Allah “J.U.S.” Ricks. Together we developed our band called The J.U.S. Evolution. We traveled the world and created amazing rock/hip-hop music ahead of its time. During my time with the band, I developed myself as a businessman. I would use my real name Walter Simons as our manager when speaking to people on the phone or via email. Most people assumed we had a powerful white manager when in reality, it was me doing the job of a manager and a publicist before I even knew what those titles truly meant. Once I booked a show or other events for the band, I would instruct everyone to deal with “Lucky Church,” the businessman within the band. People had no idea that Lucky and Walter were the same person, and it worked in our favor for years. When I look back from the first moment I officially started in Public Relations, Concierge Services, and Consulting, I realize that everything I experienced with my band was my training to become the man I needed to be to excel in my field. It’s where I developed the unique skill set that allowed me to take a job with a common description and reinvent it from my perspective with an innovative approach. When I started working I was able to spread my wings and become the businessman I never knew I could be. 

What has been a major influence in your brand? Kindness will always be a major influence in my life and brand. I always remember that my clients and anyone I am dealing via business or life in general is experiencing life in ways I can’t imagine unless I walk in their shoes. I can only imagine what others are going through simply by reflecting on my own life and understanding the struggles of my personal journey. When we realize everyone is just as human as we are we can approach any conflict from a place of compassion and understanding. It doesn’t cost anything to lead with love and kindness. Sometimes our approach can shift negative energy into positive energy just with a kind word, a smile or an ear to listen. Kindness will open doors and position you for true greatness. 

What are your career aspirations? My career aspirations is to leave this world better than I entered it. I want to inspire and help as many people as I can to reach their goals and empower them to realize that everything they need for success is within them. I want to provide opportunities for personal growth, self love, community building and entrepreneurship. I want to use my life as a beacon of hope to show others that anything is possible when you believe in yourself and trust your journey. 

As a man of influence and a respected business mogul how do you aspire to assist individuals wanting to get into your field? As a person of influence in my industry I feel it is my responsibility to pay it forward. I make sure that I open as many doors as I can to allow others who are standing on my shoulders to have the access that was denied to me early in my career. I don’t believe in gate-keeping when it comes to sharing knowledge and resources. My best mentors always made sure I had access to the tools I needed for success but I was also aware that it was my duty to earn their respect by doing the work so I could be a trusted resource for the opportunities they could provide. I put myself in position to be of value and I was always a fast learner. When I work with my mentees I always push them to dig deeper and understand that no one owes them anything yet, when people trust you and see your work ethic they will give you the world. I also aspire to help people understand the power of networking and building a strong network. Your network can be more powerful than your net worth and help you sustain a long lasting career. 

Describe your greatest strengths in your career. My greatest strengths are my relationship building skills, persistence, passion and heart. I am a master relationship builder and I say this because I have never forced relationships. Instead I focus on experiences that lock in meaningful memories I can share with the people along my journey. Within those experiences I’ve formed beautiful relationships that blossomed into partnerships, brand deals, friendships and so much more. I am also very persistent and I don’t believe in giving up. Failure is one step in the right direction to success. If you haven’t failed you haven’t learned who you truly are. I am extremely passionate about everything I do. If I don’t love it I won’t do it. It’s simple math for me. When you love something and are truly passionate even the dark moments will become inspiring and fuel your fire to succeed. Lastly, my heart is one of my biggest assets. Leading with love has always allowed me to see the world differently and understand the human experience. My heart has allowed me to become the change that I seek in this world and love is my superpower. 

How important is it to make a difference? Making a difference is just as important as the air that I breathe and my heart beats. I can’t live without either and if my work isn’t making a difference then I am not living. Making a difference is at the core of everything I do. Even when I choose my clients one of the most important factors is how are they making a difference and how can I use my resources to help them create more change. My newest clients Sanya Richards Ross and Elliot Carlyle are shining examples of making a difference and giving back to her community. Sanya’s organization MOMMINATION has become a trusted resource for moms across the globe and Elliot’s organization CURRENT•LY Global is a powerful network of trusted creatives that share resources while uplifting others in their respected fields and communities. Also, my client Chef Cordell Robinson created an non for profit called Shaping Futures Foundation to help children around the world get quality education and the resources they need to thrive. Together we are all doing are part to change this world for the better one person and one heart at a time. 

Is there anything else you’d like to share with us? I recently announced my position with Shaping Futures Foundation as the Chief Executive Director of Public Relations and Communications. This organization is run by my amazing client Cordell “The Culinary Diva” Robinson who has donated his time and money to work with orphanages and is in the process of building an all girls school in Zanzibar Tanzania. We are working on our inaugural fundraising gala which will be held in Washington, DC on Saturday, March 11th. To learn more about our mission and how you can get involved please visit our website at: https://www.shapingff.org/