Meet Andrei McQuillan | Andrei Drei” McQuillan | Founder & CEO

We had the good fortune of connecting with Andrei McQuillan and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Andrei, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
The initial impetus behind founding my Agency, Higher Evolution, was kinda due to boredom. I was in the middle of closing another deal for my previous business. My prior company, Stillhouse was acquired by Bacardi and the deal took 9 months to close. So, I needed to find something to do in the meantime, while the deal closed. However, the more substantial reason for starting my own business was for creative expression and control. I am a creative person and an innovational marketer. I constantly strive for more creative expression derived from work.

What should our readers know about your business?
Higher Evolution is different type of Creative, Marketing and Branding Agency because we take a philosophical approach to Brands. This approach stems from my experience as one of the Music Managers of Jennifer Lopez, Kanye West, Ricky Martin, Brandy and others. We approach Brands the same way I would approach a celebrity musician. We take the same marketing approach to a beverage or CPG product that I would to Jennifer Lopez. In other words, we “manage” our Brands in the same way I used to manage Jennifer Lopez. We put our Brands on a pedestal. Our Brands are coveted. Our Brand are precious. Our Brands are superstars!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I live on the West side and I love to hike. So, day 1, we are going to walk to Charlie Beach in the morning and perhaps see a whale (like I did this morning) then lunch at Brizo overlooking the Marina. Dinner at Charcoal on Lincoln where we can enjoy some delicious Wagyu steaks and fine allocated Kentucky Bourbon (probably BTAC, IYKYK). The next day, a hike in Malibu or the Pacific Palisades, a drive on the PCH and at night I would head to Hollywood and enjoy sushi at Izakaya on 3rd and then maybe the ROOF at the Edition. If later drinks or dancing is required, I would go to Nice Guy or Good Times at Davey Wayne’s. I also like an infrared Sauna at Perspire or may be a Yin flow at Hot 8 Yoga.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My inspiration, my hero, my north star and the exemplification of my ambition is my late father, Douglas McQuillan. My father was a Tuskegee Airman; one of America’s first Black fighter pilots. He was the first Black teacher at the Brooklyn School of Printing and then began advocating for workers and became a leader in the Teacher’s union. He then went on to help the unionization efforts in Ethiopia and Kenya (where I was born). Later, he became a leader in the AFL-CIO and eventually joined the NAACP. My father’s lifelong fight for the rights of workers and people of color inspired me every day to be better than myself. My father motivates me daily to work harder and strive to reach a higher level.

Website: https://www.higher-evolution.com/

Instagram: @andreikimani

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/higher-evolution/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/thehigherevolu2

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thehigherevolution

Image Credits
Photo Credit: @andreikimani