Authorty Magazine ‘Making Something From Nothing’
Interview with Lakeside Entertainment Group Founder, Dan Pearson
Dan took his passion for music and grew it into a career. He now runs a company that has helped the careers of dozens of artists including disco legend Gloria Gaynor, singer/songwriter Jason Mraz, and popstars Lauv and Madison Beer. Dan first started out as a club DJ before moving into radio and then a record company executive working with John Mayer, Destiny’s Child, Andy Grammar and more. After years of working for Columbia Records, Universal Motown and Virgin Records, he launched his own company that now encompasses radio promotion, artist management, event production, an influential blog and a foundation that partners with nonprofit organizations whose work impacts thousands of lives every year. Find out how Dan turned his love for music into a successful company that helps others launch — and reach — their dreams.
Authority Magazine: Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn a bit more about you. Can you tell us a bit about your “childhood backstory”?
I grew up on Long Island and music and theater was always a big part of my life. My mom would take my brother and I to lots of Broadway shows, taught us about the arts, and music was always playing in the house. I got my start in the music business as a DJ at the age of twelve. I started an Entertainment Company with a childhood friend of mine which we grew together until I went to college. In college I was fortunate enough to get an internship in radio at the World Famous 92.7 WLIR. I learned a ton about radio, music, and that side of the business from a very talented team of programmers and radio personalities. I then wanted to learn more about the record business and applied for an internship at Columbia Records. That internship led to a full-time position after I graduated which then started my record career!
Authority Magazine: Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
There are so many. One quote is from my mom that used to say, “There is no can’t, only can.” She would always push us to do the best and was a big believer in the power of positive thinking. Below are a few others that I really identify with.
“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” - Albert Einstein
“A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.” - Albert Einstein
“What we have to learn to do, we learn by doing.” - Aristotle
“I became great by being good over a long period of time” - John Elway
Authority Magazine: Is there a particular book, podcast, or film that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?
A few of the books that have had an impact on me include “Good to Great” by Jim Collins, “David & Goliath” by Malcom Gladwell, and “Eleven Rings” by Phil Jackson. I also listen to a lot of the MaxOut podcasts from Ed Mylett. I love stories of overcoming challenges and learning how other people have become successful in their field.
Authority Magazine: Ok super. Let’s now shift to the main part of our discussion. There is no shortage of good ideas out there. Many people have good ideas all the time. But people seem to struggle in taking a good idea and translating it into an actual business. Can you share a few ideas from your experience about how to overcome this challenge?
For me it was the natural progression in my record career. I started at the biggest and most well-known major labels in the business with Columbia Records, Universal Motown, and Virgin. I then transitioned to the independent label side with TVT Records, Glassnote, and S-Curve. I always had that entrepreneurial spirit and was excited about the idea of developing artists under my own company and brand. The best advice I can give would be that when the time feels right for you, develop a plan and put it in motion. Don’t wait! You will make adjustments along the way but put it all in motion now!
Authority Magazine: Often when people think of a new idea, they dismiss it saying someone else must have thought of it before. How would you recommend that someone go about researching whether or not their idea has already been created?
You definitely want to do your homework. You want to do some research online and talk to others who are knowledgeable in that space. It also isn’t always about inventing something new and can be about doing it better than your competitors that can set you apart.
Authority Magazine: For the benefit of our readers, can you outline the steps one has to go through, from when they think of the idea, until it finally lands in a customer’s hands?
I think every person and business is different and there isn’t really a right or wrong answer here. For me it was about feeling the time was right to start my own business. I put together a business plan including our short and long-term goals, services, contacts, etc, and then put together a small team that I trusted had the same vision. Once I had that all together I felt like it was time to launch!
Authority Magazine: What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Started Leading My Company” and why? (Please share a story or example for each.)
Don’t feel like you need to do everything yourself. Trust your team and outsource when possible.
The difference between working harder and working smarter.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help and test your relationships. That’s what they are for.
It will be a rollercoaster with some good months and bad months but that’s ok.
Don’t forget to have fun!
Authority Magazine: Let’s imagine that a reader reading this interview has an idea for a product that they would like to invent. What are the first few steps that you would recommend that they take?
I would suggest coming up with a name and logo first. The branding is important and you want to come up with something that stands out and is easy to remember. You also want to make sure no one else has that name or website. I think the mission statement of the company is also very important. Then from there you want to get the word out, advertise, and let your contacts know you are in business!
Authority Magazine: There are many invention development consultants. Would you recommend that a person with a new idea hire such a consultant, or should they try to strike out on their own?
I think it really depends on the business but for me I relied on friends and mentors in the business to offer advice and guide me. I think you can probably get up and running on your own in most cases especially while you are trying to save on your up-front costs.
Authority Magazine: What are your thoughts about bootstrapping vs looking for venture capital? What is the best way to decide if you should do either one?
Again, I think this depends what business you are in. You may need the start-up capital to buy equipment or attract customers but for us it made sense to launch without an investment. I think if you can do without it then it gives you some more flexibility and you should give it a go. Once you’ve established yourself a bit it will also be easier to bring on an investor or partner later on.
Authority Magazine: Ok. We are nearly done. Here are our final questions. How have you used your success to make the world a better place?
It’s very important to us at Lakeside Entertainment Group to give back when we can and have a positive impact on others. We donate our time and money to foundations like the Soulsville Foundation in Memphis, The Ryan Seacrest Foundation, The Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital, The Ronald McDonald House, and many others. We are also in the process of launching the Lakeside Foundation which will focus on donating instruments to schools in need across the country.
Authority Magazine: You are an inspiration to a great many people. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.
These days I think listening to each other is more important than ever.
Authority Magazine: We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US, with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them.
Ed Mylett is an entrepreneur and host of the podcast MaxOut. I’ve really connected with him and enjoy his interviews. He’s got a lot of helpful advice to share and I’d be very interested in talking about life and business with him one day.