Meet Louisa Firethorne | Inventor/Entrepreneur

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

Hi Louisa, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
My thought process around designing and building the Sonosphere was a 20 yr long inquiry into the nature of sound, the force it has on human sensation and how to best integrate my love of art, science and music into an offering that would uplift people’s lives and possibly allow for healing to occur. It also was my attempt at answering a deep question I had always had- “Can the human body be brought into a cohesive ‘full-body’ resonance using only waves of sound?”

My idea started out rough and developed over time- I designed 3 different prototypes over a period of 20 yrs, starting with my first prototype as my final senior project in college 2002, and the most recent being completed in 2022. I gathered user feedback and experimental data each time I created a Sonosphere design and that information lead to improvements on the next design. I was so dedicated to the unfolding of this idea that I did each step that was required to create it every time, with no exceptions. Starting with vector drawings and sketches and then tackling the creation of each part step by step. I hired fabricators and metal cutting outfits to help create the body of the Sonosphere. I then brought it home to add all off the guts- the electronics, cabling, hardware/speaker mounting and lighting systems.

There were many times I had to believe in myself in a space of uncertainty, before anyone else could. IT would take at least a decade for ppl to begin to understand the language that I was using- ‘cymatics, immersive experience, vibroacoustic therapy’

After working on this machine for 20 yrs, in my 3rd prototype, I finally knew that I had created something truly special and worth sharing with the public. This step has propelled me even further into my desire to serve people with Sonosphere and restore the vitality in body, mind and spirit.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
The Sonosphere began as my senior thesis project for my bachelor degree at Fairhven College at Western Washington University. Fairhaven is a college where you can self-design your major under the umbrella of ‘integrated studies’. My integration was entitled ‘Transducing Human Consciousness Through Art, Science and Music’- and yes, after 2 years of writing about it, that was the shortest title I could come up with that fully described what I believed to be my personal mission on Earth. I was always gifted in and transfixed by science, art and music. I could never separate myself from any of these and I always knew that my life needed to include all three or my spirit would not be happy.

As a life long musician, from the age 10 I played multiple musical instruments, I was always in a band from age 16 to age 30- writing, producing and singing my own songs. I made costumes, performed at festivals and went as far as I could with it. At festivals I became privy to sound system culture. I was introduced to the body sensations of strong bass waves. I couldn’t get enough.

I worked for a metaphysical ‘sound healing’ center for 2 years and learned A LOT about the industry. I also offered my own sessions on Sonosphere #1 .

Later my art bloomed into clothing construction- I created my own style of custom made canvas jacket and made those custom for people. I learned a lot about cutting and pattern making- creating something 3D out of a 2D design/material.

I went back to school to learn more about the science of sound- I. added a minor in physics and a minor in material science to my degree at the age of 31. My art turned to painting and digital art design. I learned adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. I worked for a marketing company for 10 yrs doing graphics and web design.

Later, I created a my own company doing website design and also my own company offering sessions on the Sonosphere by appointment only. People started to get on airplanes to come see me and try the Sonosphere.

Getting comfortable with making reels for social media has been a huge part of my success in spreading my message and my vision. Learning every part of a business first and helping others was a crucial step for me.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
my favorite spots in the city are Huntington Gardens for the amazing flora from around the world, and also the Observatory at Griffith Park, particularly the Planetarium show. A truly amazing dome/sphere experience with the most breathtaking views and hiking trails in all of LA.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My biggest shoutout goes to my husband, my business partner and my Sonosphere practitioner Rowan Firethorne. Rowan joined me on this project in 2018 when I decided to begin a 3rd prototype. Rowan was instrumental in designing the computer interface that allowed us to control our bank of transducers in very incredible ways that truly expanded the sensations that the Sonosphere can deliver. Rowan has been the primary operator of the Sonosphere since we opened to the public, he has facilitated and live produced hundreds of individual sessions for a wide range of people and gotten excellent 5-star feedback for this first year we’ve been open to the public. I am eternally grateful for his love and dedication on this project and in our lives.

I also wanted to shoutout out to Rusty Oliver at Hazard Factory in Seattle, Wa who helped me fabricate the body of the Sonosphere for 2 of my prototypes and make certain improvements to my design that enhanced the strength and thickness of the machine components. Rusty made sure safety and durability were considered every step of the way. The Sonosphere was not an easy commission project and he took it on not once, but twice to help me achieve my vision.

Website: http://www.thesonosphere.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_sonosphere/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sonosphere-llc/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sonosphere

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs0336YHg55Vb6nOJtx7wlg

Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@lady_sonosphere Google reviews: https://www.google.com/search?q=the+sonosphere+google+review&sca_esv=578888506&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS1074US1074&ei=IutDZbLWNdfCkPIPgZq-6AE&ved=0ahUKEwiy75PV-aWCAxVXIUQIHQGNDx0Q4dUDCBA&uact=5&oq=the+sonosphere+google+review&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiHHRoZSBzb25vc3BoZXJlIGdvb2dsZSByZXZpZXcyBRAhGKABSIwYUIQEWMUKcAF4AJABAJgBZqABmAWqAQM2LjG4AQPIAQD4AQHCAggQABiiBBiwA8ICBRAhGKsC4gMEGAEgQYgGAZAGBA&sclient=gws-wiz-serp#lrd=0x5485a5299aed35b7:0x94a03fc97d6c9bea,1,,,,

Image Credits
Mattie Montaigu