Meet JJ Cassiere | Co-Founder / Talent Agent, 33 & West

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

Hi JJ, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
At my company 33 & West, we always say “If you don’t try, you will never know.” I view risk-taking as an essential component of one’s personal and professional growth. Throughout my own life and career, risk-taking has played a pivotal role, and has been instrumental in my journey, especially given that I didn’t go to college or have any family financial support to fall back on.

My own true risk-taking began when I left my family’s home in West Palm Beach, Florida to move to New York City, after accepting my first proper job offer in the music industry at a talent agency. Although I had lined up a secure booking agent position, moving away from my family and friends to an unfamiliar place without knowing many people carried its uncertainties.

From New York, I took another leap and moved by myself to Los Angeles as I continued pursuing my career as a talent agent, landing an agent position at a talent agency called The Agency Group.

After 10 years of working for other talent agencies, I took the biggest risk yet in my career and started my own agency with my business partners Matt Pike and Dan Rozenblum. This decision involved a substantial risk, but it was one I eagerly embraced. Collaborating with my partners, Dan and Matt ,who shared my vision, values, and aspirations of building an agency together, provided a strong support system and minimized the inherent risks. These experiences have taught me that risk, when calculated and embraced strategically, can lead to personal and professional fulfillment beyond my expectations.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I started my career as a successful independent concert promoter in South Florida and also had a stint in tour management. After that I quickly realized my calling was in artist representation. After 10+ years working for other agencies, I am now the co-founder of a burgeoning LA-based independent talent agency called 33 & West. We specialize in the representation of established artists and content creators in all spectrums of entertainment including television, live music, motion pictures, comedy, and brand partnerships.

I founded the agency in 2018 along with my business partners Matt Pike and Dan Rozenblum. Collectively we have 50+ years of experience in the business. We offer a range of services to our clients, including talent development, brand partnerships, event production, and creative consulting. Our company has an unparalleled track record for developing acclaimed careers for our clients based on three foundational pillars – ownership, creativity, and transparency – these are the guiding principles that drive how we work together and with our clients.

Prior to 33 & West, I was the Co-Head of the Live Department at Circle Talent Agency, which was acquired by United Talent Agency (UTA), and I also was an agent at The Agency Group, TKO and Ellis Industries.

Starting your own business is rarely a walk in the park, but as I mentioned earlier, I was ready to take a risk in order to be my own boss. When Dan, Mike and I decided to start our own venture, we faced the challenging reality of losing clients who didn’t fully believe in our vision and mission. In an industry as competitive and cutthroat as ours, we quickly realized that learning how to not only represent talent but also run a business efficiently was paramount. From mastering the intricacies of taxes and health insurance to obtaining the necessary talent agency licenses, we had to figure it all out from scratch.

And while starting our own agency was always our North Star, we experienced an unexpected setback when we were let go from our previous agency, prompting us to navigate this journey sooner than anticipated. Yet, instead of dwelling on this setback, we embraced the opportunity to chart our own path. The three of us, who had previously been friends, united as partners with a shared passion and determination to start a business that truly aligned with our values and ideals – and 33 & West was born. This challenging but transformative experience has taught us the power of resilience, adaptability, and the strength that comes from building something from the ground up.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
My favorite LA go-to spots: – Pomodoro Trattoria for great, authentic Italian food
– El Compadre for authentic mexican food
– All Seasons Brewing is great for birthdays, after work drinks, or just a good time with friends who enjoy a variety of beers, small bites and some old fashion skee ball!
– Two Bit Circus is a really fun interactive arcade with virtual reality games
– Hollywood Improv for some great comedy
– Rainbow Room
– Catching a good concert at The Belasco, Fonda, Teragram and Palladium
– Yang Chow is my favorite for great Chinese food

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Although there are several that come to mind, a mentor of mine that has been instrumental in shaping my career and helping me navigate the complex world of talent representation is Andy Somers. Andy ran the Los Angeles office at The Agency Group.

Alongside Andy was Steve Martin, the North American President of The Agency Group at that time, who encouraged me to make the move from NYC to LA to join the agency. I’ll never forget the very conversation we had and the advice he gave me on taking risks and why I should take the leap and move to Los Angeles. Had it not been for his wise advice, I’m not entirely sure that I would have ever made the move.

Truly, they both are legendary agents who have been instrumental in my growth as an agent, and by working closely with me, they inspired me with invaluable guidance and insights that I still utilize to this day.

Additionally, I owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to business partners, Matt Pike and Dan Rozenblum. Without them, our thriving agency 33 & West wouldn’t be where it is today.

Website: https://www.33andwest.com/

Instagram: @33andwest @JJCassiere

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jj-cassiere-230036a9/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JJCassiere

Image Credits
33 & West