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

Hi Evan, maybe we can start at the very start – the idea – how did you come up with the idea for your business?
Have you ever heard of the French phrase “coup de foudre?” It literally means hit by lightning. My coup de foudre grew out of my love for the use of music in films. It hit me like a lightning bolt when as a teenager I first heard OMD’s “If You Leave” soundtrack the prom scene of the John Hughes classic “Pretty In Pink.” My fascination with these sound tracked moments led me to start my own music licensing, artist development and digital marketing agency. I feel so fortunate to work with up-and-coming artists and help guide their careers.  years. I feel so fortunate to work with up-and-coming artists on their branding, imaging, messaging and help guide their careers.

What should our readers know about your business?
One thing that sets our business apart is the way we approach artist development with our clients. We always start with the ‘Why.” The “Why” needs to be well defined in order to build a strong foundation as an artist. We understand the importance of an artist needing to be remarkable and releasing unique work. We are most proud about helping our clients find their niche audiences and building real fan bases. We got to where we are today business-wise by making a ton of mistakes, learning and adjusting from them. We absolutely love what we do which has also helped us overcome most challenges. One of the biggest lessons we’ve learned along the way is the importance of being humble in the music business. One thing we want the world to know about or story is not to be afraid of change. The music business changes so much day by day that we always have to be ready to adjust on the fly. Embrace the challenge that comes with change especially during these trying times.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend was visiting LA I would take them to The Famers Market for coffee and crumb donuts at Stan’s, a matinee movie at Cinerama Dome, a quick picture in front of the Capitol Records building, an afternoon hike up the Hollywood sign, early dinner at Little Dom’s in Los Feliz and an LA Kings game at Staples Center. LA has some of the most iconic movie theaters in the world such as The Chinese and Cinerama Dome in Hollywood or The Fox or Bruin Theaters in Westwood.  I also love LA’s indie music venues such as The Troubadour, The Teragram Ballroom and The Viper Room. One of things I’ve missed most during the pandemic is going to see live shows-that communal feeling of being packed into a tight space and experiencing the electricity of a live band together.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I dedicate my shoutout to my dad Ron and my mom Elaine. My dad was the Owner and President of a Post Production facility called Crest Digital which was a family business that my grandparents started in the 1960s and lasted in Hollywood for over fifty years. My dad grew the business from a mom and pop shop in on location and a few employees to 5 locations in two cities with over one hundred employees. My love of movies came from him and through his work ethic he taught me how to be dedicated and a great leader. I had a chance to work with him in the family business for a few years which is something I will cherish forever. My mother is the entrepreneur in the family and is the one that taught me to never be afraid to take risks. She is also an artist and an interior designer and her creativity no doubt rubbed off on me. I was able to intern for her after college and she taught me the importance of staying organized and giving back to the community. Both of my parents were very supportive and encouraging early on when I started my business and that’s definitely one of the reasons why I have had Experience Music Group for almost twenty years!

Website: http://www.experiencemusicgroup.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/experiencemusicgroup/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evanjstein/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExpMusicGroup?lang=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ExperienceMusicGroup/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ExperienceRecords?feature=mhee

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