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

Hi Bruce, looking back, what do you think was the most difficult decision you’ve had to make?
It was not always easy. Many times I had to draw on my resources, such as connections, industry knowledge, and experience, to generate business opportunities for myself and the people I represented.

But I was able to persevere with sheer determination and hard work, which has been a cornerstone of my approach.

The biggest challenge has been staying abreast and knowledgeable of industry trends and developments. In the past, it was a skill that required knowledge of lighting a subject, exposing film, and having an understanding of fashion, hair, makeup, and styling.

Results weren’t available until after the film had been processed, leaving little room for error.

Nowadays, however, anyone can take great photos with their phone and use apps to correct or enhance them. Before websites were around, portfolios had to be sent out in order to be reviewed, and clients would request photos of locations that needed to be physically sent through FedEx back and forth.

Technology has made things much easier than before by providing convenience as well as being faster-paced and even disposable in some cases.

This has been a challenging yet rewarding journey that continues every day. Moreover, having an amazing team of industry experts and professionals has been invaluable in achieving success.

With our combination of experience, knowledge, and creative vision, we have created something that takes us to the next level every day. We are proud of what we have achieved and excited for what lies ahead.

What should our readers know about your business?
Buttercup Venues offers over 150 properties ranging from 1,500 SF to 30 acres for filming, events, corporate meetings, pop-ups, and photos in Los Angeles.

My career path has been full of twists and turns. Before launching Buttercup Venues in 2016, I ran ARTMIX, an artist representation company that represented photographers, directors, hairdressers, makeup artists, and stylists with offices in New York City and Los Angeles, 5th and Sunset Studios and Productions with facilities in LA, NY, Miami & London.

Before that, I was a photographer shooting fashion, celebrities, and musicians living in NY, Milan & Sydney.

Take risks, don’t back down or look back other than to learn what went wrong and how you can do it better in the future, apologize when wrong, if you don’t know the answer, say so and get it, set yourself apart, be consistent, be reasonable and always say thank you.

Experience and history matter. There isn’t a situation I have not encountered from bailing out talent to get them to set, flooding during events, talent stuck in elevators, fires, union busters, etc. Nothing phases or rattles us, and we aren’t afraid to get our hands dirty.

We have the best properties, so much so other services list our properties and take reduced commissions to do so.

Although we mainly work with content creators, we also partner with property owners. We represent as many who have an unprecedented amount of vacant properties in their portfolio as we are able to create passive income for them while the property is vacant.

We are considered asset managers in the real estate industry by creating income from underutilized properties.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Bestia, Saffy’s, Everson Royce Bar, AFURI Ramen, Detroit Taqueria, Abbott Kinney during the week, Drive PCH up north and return going through the canyons, The Virgil Bar, Sushi (too many places to mention) Palm Springs

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I owned ARTMIX representing over 100 creatives (photographers, directors, hairdressers, make-up artists, and stylists) and Marc Royce, with who I worked with Richard Avedon (arguably one of the most famous and notable photographers in the world) as his studio manager and 1st assistant and as successful advertising and celebrity for over 20 years.

Our prior experience gives us unique insight into the needs of our clients and what venue and its attributes make it a winner.

We are proud we were able to enter into an existing business, recognize its shortcomings/weaknesses, and offer a superior experience and product.

Having Marc photograph the venues with his photo skills and knowledge of how to depict a venue’s attributes in photos is second to known.

Website: https://buttercupvenues.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bruce-kramer-99649238/

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