Meet Sean Grand | Producer/Artist Manager & A&R

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

Hi Sean, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Risk is about thinking about exposure to danger. It’s situational. Danger can be big or small. Risk can be low on something very dangerous. It can be high on something very safe.

I risked everything for a new career in artist management. I had a cush career in another field. I made money. I traveled the world. I worked really hard for many years to get there, but I wasn’t happy & I thought I would never be satisfied in my life if I kept going that direction. So, I risked my physical/mental wellbeing & financial livelihood by putting everything I have into the music industry since I moved to LA almost 5 years ago.

I’ve taken risks as an entrepreneur since I was a teenager, starting with a clothing brand in college. Before that, my friends & I took major risks in our lives at times. We were reckless. Risk has always played a role in my life. It plays a role in all of our lives every day.

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?
One thing that makes me unique is that I rarely quit anything and never stop working. I have a hard time relaxing. I have a hard time not doing something to advance the careers of everyone I’m involved with – including my own. I have a real passion & drive for success. I’m writing this to you all at 4:39 AM. The producer I manage, Averi (@papercompanymusic), just finished running a session at the studio. We just don’t stop.

We got the keys to the studio a month before the pandemic hit. That was a risk none of us could have foreseen. Part of being a successful entrepreneur is luck. My clothing business @unknowns didn’t work out the way I had planned largely because of it. Simultaneously, I came up with the idea to build a music studio so that my artists could record without paying for studio time. We started offering studio services and expanded into marketing & development. I masterminded a much larger vision without ever having run a studio before. That vision (and the team) shifted many times as I saw what worked & what didn’t.

I got to where I am today business-wise by finishing an MBA in Entrepreneurship at 23 years old and working in the corporate world for almost a decade before transitioning into the music industry (I’m still paying for my degrees 11 years later). I took the knowledge & experience I gained with me into the music industry. It continues to be an advantage in many ways, especially in my artist management career. I’ve also had to learn a lot along the way. I still learn a lot every day. That growth has been really uncomfortable at times. Every day is a new opportunity to be better than the last. I overcome challenges because I don’t stop (I make sure to sleep these days though). I’ve also had the team I dedicate this Shoutout to there with me through thick & thin. You can only do so much by yourself.

I want people to know that ADJACENT STUDIOS (@adjacent.la) & its affiliated brands never stop working, growing & improving. We’re not scared to change or adapt. We’re doing that right now as we look at the next phase of our music business & careers as creative professionals with massive aspirations to take artists to the top.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

I don’t go out much these days unless it’s a cross between business & music, but these are some of my favorites for you:

If you enjoy downtown like I do:

– Grand Central Market (multi-cultural food vendors from 8a-9p)
– Bar 82 (drinks + classic video games)
– Avenue 26 Tacos (local vibe, open until 2:30a)
– Pretty much anywhere at night for food in Little Tokyo (& Chinatown)
– Las Perlas (quality mixology)
– Broadway Bar (+ Reggae Love Sundays event)
– Any rooftop bar

Hollywood/West Hollywood:

– Jamaican Gold (reggae nightclub with good vibes)
– The West Hollywood EDITION (lobby bar w/ free pool table)
– Rock & Reilly’s Irish Pub (good wings & vibes)
– Laugh Factory (comedy club)

Venice:

– The Rose (restaurant & bar)
– Great White (you’re going to feel good here)
– Venice Skate Park (that’s history)
– Tacos El Flaco (my favorite lengua burrito in the city)
– Mao’s Kitchen (good American-style Chinese food)

Santa Monica:

– The Bungalow
– Elephante

Manhattan Beach:

– Grab El Tarasco before or after watching the sun set at El Porto beach

Redondo Beach Pier:

– “Quality Seafood” (open since 1953)

Beaches (cleaner & less crowded than Venice & Santa Monica):

– El Porto (Manhattan Beach)
– Dockweiler (grab a fire pit before it gets dark, bring everything you need)

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?

Website: www.adjacent.la

Instagram: @seangrandforever @adjacent.la

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/alexandermnagy

Image Credits
@iamprahshanti @krazyarts @seangrandforever