Hadji Williams

Hadji Williams is a 17-year veteran of the advertising and marketing industries, having worked at Chicago and New York agencies great and small.

Throughout his career Williams has developed top campaigns and brand-building efforts targeting every audience imaginable across every category imaginable. (Think: Aleve, Absolut, Cingular Wireless, Glaxo-Smith Kline, Mercedes Benz, Radio Shack, Wm. Wrigley, Jr. Co., AT+T, Ford Motors, Sprite, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame + Museum, The Cleveland Clinic, just to name a few.)

Conversely, Williams came up on the South and West sides of Chi. Born to hardworking parents, his home life was stable but his neighborhoods were less than predictable. Typical inner-city pitfalls including: drugs, gangs, renegade police and random violence were common. But it was precisely this precarious environment tempered by his deep Christian faith that helped Hadji develop his unique business acumen, powers of observation and agile problem-solving abilities.

“Looking back, the negative aspects of that world actually prepared me for corporate life. I had to think on my feet, be more creative, form smart alliances, learn to cut your losses... all the things you should learn in B-school (but usually don’t) and need to know to make it in business, I learned for free.”

These days Williams is a emerging author having penned the business classic KNOCK THE HUSTLE (2005) and its follow up, KNOCK THE HUSTLE TWO: THE RESIGNATION (Winter 2008) along with C.R.E.A.M. (Fall 2009). Williams is also an adjunct educator, having taught over 25 introductory and advanced advertising courses at Columbia College Chicago.

Williams is currently a freelance copywriter + brand consultant. He can be reached at hadji@knockthehustle.com.