Entrepreneur Spotlight

In the field of sports, many times young African-American star athletes from disadvantaged backgrounds are thrust into the spotlight and given huge contracts. Unfortunately, millionaire entrepreneur and author James Hunt states that many have never been taught about financial responsibility, and they know virtually nothing about credit. His goal is to change that by educating athletes about credit and showing them how to leverage their finances in ways they never knew were possible. He does not want them to end up on the next episode of ESPN's documentary series, 30 for 30, due to being broke.

Hunt has been helping celebrities and professional athletes with their credit for years, which is why he has been given the moniker, "The Celebrity Credit Guru." Among his clients are NBA stars like James Harden, Kyrie Irving, Trae Young, Allen Iverson, Malik Beasley, Fred VanVleet, Michael Beasley, and Quinn Cook. On the NFL side, he has worked with Michael Vick, Bruce Irvin, Jason Allen, LaQuan Williams, John Abraham, Bobby Hart, and many more. His reputation is unrivaled when it comes to lifting stars from their financial issues and ensuring that they can live their luxury lives, responsibly. That is why recently people have been calling him a "credit whisperer," because not only does he handle the credit issues of his clients discreetly, but also where they can uphold the public personas without missing a beat.

With over a million followers on Instagram, Hunt provides enough motivation, financial advice and glitz and glamour to appeal to those who are materialistic. However, he is adamant about showing people that success is not just what one does on the football field or the basketball court - but it's a lifestyle that must be handled correctly to ensure that one does not lose in the game of life.

Vocal readers, please enjoy our interview!

Please describe yourself in 3 words?

James Hunt: Relentless….intentional….grateful.

How has business been for you during the pandemic?

James Hunt: During the beginning of the pandemic, things were thriving, so business was maintained and things were going just as well as before. Lately, the business has been a little on the downside in comparison to previous years, but things are still moving ahead well. When you actually build something and you lay all of the groundwork, you are able to still thrive in a business that other people doing similar things are folding up and going out of business.

I have had to lay people off and there have been some ups and downs, but I am in a business of necessity. The definition of business is product and demand, so the product that I offer (credit repair) is always going to be in demand. I don't foresee there ever being a time where we would go out of business due to what is going on. As long as credit is needed to get in and out of doors, people will need my services.

What does your process entail of restoring a client's finances and credit?

James Hunt: The process entails me having the client pull a copy of their credit report. Next, doing a client consultation on the unique issues within their credit report, and/or what their goals are as it relates to their credit and how we can achieve them. Then, processing the paperwork to address those issues that they have and managing their expectations as we go through the whole dispute process.

I walk them through the entire process until everything negative has been removed from their credit and they have been able to achieve the scores they have been trying to obtain. For some, it is a short process, for others, it is a long-drawn-out process. But, we remain committed to ensuring that all clients are able to achieve whatever financial goals they have for themselves.

What are some misconceptions from your experience that make some folks shy away from fixing their finances and credit?

James Hunt: That if they have bad credit, they can't do anything about it and they have to live with it for years until items gradually fall off - if they ever fall off. Also, that they are the only ones dealing with bad credit, so their pride keeps them from opening up about their issues and getting them addressed. The reality is there are low-income people, all the way to people with millions of dollars who deal with bad credit.

What steps have you taken to keep your finances in order?

James Hunt: I handle all of the business in my life that needs to be handled and I have worked extremely hard to ensure that I am in a great financial position. I pay all of my bills in full and on time every single month and, of course, I stay on top of my credit to make sure that my credit scores are in the excellent category at all times.

What was your childhood like?

James Hunt: Simple, it sucked.

In what ways do you believe you make a difference in the world?

James Hunt: I change lives. When a renter does not ever see him or herself being a homeowner, they have rented for decades watching their parents rent and grow up in apartments…and you are able to walk them through the process of buying their first home, that is making a difference in the world. Another example is when a person has been riding Marta his entire life and never saw himself owning a new car, and you take them and teach them the tools for building their credit.

Now they are finally able to walk into a dealership, sit at the desk and sign the paperwork to walk off with their new car - that is how I am making a difference. Both of those instances are repeated multiple times a day in my office, as clients get new homes, cars, and new credit. It happens daily, but in its repetition, I have to remind myself that I am literally changing lives. When you do it and it is so easily done, you can sometimes take your services for granted, but they make a huge difference.

What is a pet peeve that you have?

James Hunt: A pet peeve of mine is my employees coming in late.

When you are not in entrepreneur mode, what do you enjoy doing in your free time?

James Hunt: Going clothes shopping and shopping for new furniture and items for my home.

Anything you are currently working on that we can be on the lookout for?

James Hunt: The new book Dropping the Ball that I am writing with NFL vet LaQuan Williams - Is a book about athletes in the NBA or NFL who are extremely talented on the courts or on the field but off the court, they tend to drop the ball as it relates to their finances.

This book is educational to the rookie who is just signing up in the NBA letting them know what the pitfalls are (or NFL) or the current player who has already made some mistakes but preventing him from continuing on that path. And for the retired players who have destroyed themselves as it relates to their credit. It is a teachable tool on how to get back on track.

For more information on James Hunt, visit celebritycreditguru.com or follow him on Instagram at @whoisjameshunt