How James Hunt Became the "Celebrity Credit Guru"

"The Celebrity Credit Guru", James Hunt is widely recognized for not only lending his expertise to high profile clients like Akon, Jamie Foxx and Bruno Mars but also countless everyday people. Forming his credit and financial concierge company, New Rich Productions, which is based in Atlanta, Georgia, changed the trajectory of his life and placed him on top as a credit repair industry leader. Aside from helping clients obtain good credit, the multi-millionaire business owner and author also provides mentorship for young, African American entrepreneurs. In a conversation with QG, Hunt shares his amazing story of conquering homelessness and living his dream.

How did you get started in the credit building business?

I started with handling issues that I had in my credit, as well as the issues of family and friends that were around me. Because I studied the law as it pertains to the Fair Credit Reporting Act and Fair Credit Debt Collection Practices Act, I was drawn to the fact that a lot of people didn't know how to address their credit. I wanted to educate my people about their issues. So, they didn't have to deal with it. I think with any business, you must have a passion for what you're doing, and I had a passion to do it.

How did you go from being homeless to helping rich people become even richer?

With some things no matter how much of a plan you have, things may turn out entirely different. It wasn't in my plans, never even in my mind to assist rich and celebrity clients. It was simply something that happened, and I believe it was God's hand in doing it. I had not one celebrity connection with anyone, I didn't know any rich people. It just happened. I think that what you have to do as an entrepreneur, is you have to know what your craft is. Do what you do well for everyday people. It has been the average person who knew celebrities that brought them to me. It is not good to go into business trying to attract them. If they come they should come organically. Once I got them, I did what I said I was going to do. I helped to eliminate their problems until that became my reputation. Now I am at the very top of my field.

Can you give your perspective on why building generational wealth is important?

It is very important. I think the older that you are and that you get, you start to appreciate the fact that you are leaving a legacy behind. There are things you are doing right now that will be written into your obituaries. Words you are writing in books will be read decades after you are gone. What we are doing now at my company is building generational wealth and sharing knowledge that will live on and help people to obtain the financial futures they've always wanted. Many of us didn't come from wealth. So, I am doing my part to make sure that not just this generation, but our children's children are equipped with the knowledge and financial education we didn't have growing up. No one taught me. I am making sure that no one else around me has the excuse that they were not taught.

What is The Hunt?

The Hunt is the pursuit of success. The pursuit of greatness. I think that for everyone born on this earth, there is something inside every man and woman that begs the question, what is my purpose? I think that once we are aware that there is a force bigger than us that has ordained that we will be on earth in this season, we must then be in pursuit or hunt for our purpose. It is simply finding the purpose. What is it that I do well, what can I do to change people's lives, what do I bring to the table and how I can impact this world with the gifts and talents I have been given? My company, The Hunt, will show people how to hunt like a lion pursuing its prey. The prey is success. People will learn strategies for how to stalk success relentlessly until they can obtain it.

Can you share one secret to rebuilding your credit?

The secret is, no matter how bad your credit is and no matter how much you think you have hit rock bottom, up is always available. You don't have to lay at the bottom. There are ways to strategically pull yourself up out of the financial pit you are in and gain access to everything other people have that you don't. Everything can be fixed.

How can new entrepreneurs build their company’s credit?

The first thing is- if an entrepreneur doesn't already have a Paydex score, a business credit score or they don't have a business established under their company name, the bank will use the person's personal FICO score as an indicator of how they will pay their bills. It is a personal guarantor for your business. They will look at your personal credit report to know what they will give to your business. My advice is to first get your own house in order - meaning your personal credit because it will be an indicator to the lending institutions whether or not to give you the business loans or business credit that you need to officially run your business. Once you are running a business and looking to build business credit, you must do the same thing you do on the personal side - pay your bills early or on time, and keep your credit active so that you have a good Paydex score. A Paydex score is like a credit score for your business, indicating how well you pay your bills to creditors.

Why do most entrepreneurs fail?

Most entrepreneurs fail because they fail to plan. When you fail to put in place a realistic plan for your success and stick to it, then ultimately you are setting yourself up for failure. I wrote a book, Living without Distractions, which touches on another point. I think a lot of entrepreneurs will start a business and have good plans, but they become distracted by the noise of life and get pulled in all kinds of other directions, missing out on great opportunities to grow their businesses. The key to success is living without distractions and being singularly focused on what you are building and being relentless in your pursuit. You must have it in your mind that failing is not an option.

Is the advice you give your high profile clients the same advice you give everyday people?

Yes, to a certain extent. However, I think celebrities have some unique circumstances that are unlike regular people. The weight of what you are doing for them is way stronger than the weight you are taking on for the average person.

What can we look forward to from the Celebrity Credit Guru?

The possibilities are endless. There will always be new books. My next book will be called The Art of the Hunt, which talks about the pursuit of success. I have a masters class that will be on YouTube in mid-April. It will teach people how to build a highly successful credit business, and teach entrepreneurs in general how to create successful businesses. I will put my hands into as much as I can that relates to my brand and stay focused.

For more information on James Hunt and the program, visit www.celebritycreditguru.com.