Chasing the Dream

Lights, camera…action!

A new TV series sponsored by JPMorgan Chase sees “pursuing your purpose” take center stage. On NBC’s new show, “Chasing the Dream,” participants from underserved communities have the opportunity to pursue their life goals and receive guidance from celebrity mentors about navigating the road to stardom.

Well-known celebrity mentors are there to give the mentees invaluable advice about performing and relationship-building as they work to break into the entertainment industry. Plus, the industry veterans were able to connect their mentees with Chase employees to help them understand the financial and business sides of their chosen careers.

The mentors and mentees gathered at Chase’s flagship Community Center branch in Harlem. Joy Butts, a Senior Business Consultant, served as one of the participating Chase employees and described taking part in the project as “an unforgettable experience.”

Butts describes her mentee as an aspiring musician and entrepreneur from Florida who is “pursuing a music career, but also wants to open a boxing gym. We discussed the importance of understanding her cash flow and how leveraging the financial tools at her disposal, including access to capital, could assist her with her business.” Butts was able to connect with and advise her mentee about the importance of using financial tools to understand her finances, as well as take control of her potential opportunities in the best possible ways.

The core of Chasing the Dream and its mentors is making dreams into a reality for the mentees taking part in the show. The mentee reacted positively to the conversation, and asked if she and Butts could stay in touch. “We’re going to continue working together towards achieving her dream,” said Butts. The overall experience was rewarding for both of them. “It means the world to me to be able to connect with somebody, identify what they need, and then help move the needle forward,” she said.

Nichol King, a Market Director for Community and Business Development at Chase, met with a mentee from Italy who’s pursuing her dream of becoming a singer and recording artist.

King said it was meaningful for her to take part in Chasing the Dream as a mentor. “Having the opportunity to do this, not only as a woman, but a woman of color, shows me this firm is truly inclusive, and it’s willing to invest in connections with communities and little girls who look like me. That’s huge.”

King said, “Like a lot of people that migrate to this country, [the person I mentored] didn’t understand the credit system. I was able to tell her that one of the most important factors in your credit score is paying your bills on time. Then, putting yourself on a budget to stay on track.” King also introduced her mentee to tools like Credit Journey^® to help her manage her credit score and other financial goals.

Understanding credit and how it affects your overall finances can often be intimidating or even overwhelming. As King mentioned, her mentee wasn’t comfortable navigating the credit system in the United States — a common concern for many, not just immigrants. Financial tools like Chase’s can help people feel more confident when it comes to managing their finances. Chase Credit Journey^® in particular helps break down the basic factors that go into your credit score, which can help people gain the knowledge to work on their financial goals. Credit Journey^® also offers services like credit and identity monitoring, which includes dark web surveillance. In addition, Credit Journey can help people set and achieve their credit score goals with a score improvement feature powered by Experian™. Best of all, Credit Journey is free for everyone.

The celebrity mentors and Chase employees also gave the mentees guidance on how to navigate other opportunities they might have as they pursue their dreams, from managing business ventures to staying on top of multiple cash streams as they succeed. At this critical stage, Chase for Business^® can help. There are options for credit cards, checking accounts, small business loans, different types of payment acceptance, and banking on the go with the Chase Mobile^® app. From banking to payment acceptance to credit cards, Chase for Business^® can help your business thrive.

Chasing the Dream launched in the United States on Saturday August 19th, on NBCU local televisions stations. Episodes will be released nationally Wednesdays this Fall across NBCLX and other streaming services. Tune in to cheer on your favorite celebrity mentor and mentee as they pursue their dreams.