Today we’d like to introduce you to Ross Friedman.
Ross, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
When I was in high school, I spent a summer abroad in Madrid, Spain. While I was in Madrid I would go out almost every night to a nightclub, bar, or to a special event. When I returned to Boston, I found myself without any options as far as nightlife and events go because of my age. After a few months, I decided to run my own events for teens that were my own age in Boston.
I rented out the Middle East Downstairs and managed to bring in over 400 people to my first event on a Monday night. After that first event, it became clear to me that there was a market that wasn’t being filled in Boston, and I began to run events more and more regularly. This past year I expanded into running college events along with my high school events, and managed to sell out almost every college event I ran!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
My journey has definitely had its ups and downs, and I still face a lot of roadblocks as I continue to grow. The main challenge that I face comes from my age (19) and the fact that I run events for kids that are under 21. Almost every venue in the Boston area will not run an 18+ event, let alone a 16+ event. Fortunately, I’ve been able to find a home for my events at the Middle East complex in Cambridge, and I have been able to run events there consistently for over two years.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Sonex DJ Co. and Slacker University – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
My company Sonex DJ Group runs two brands – Sonex DJ Co. and Slacker University.
Sonex DJ Co. is a promotional company for 16+ nightlife events, and Slacker University is a promotional company for 18+ events. We rent out a venue, book the DJ’s and artists, do all of the marketing and promotion, and run the events. We are the only company in the New England area that runs 16+ events, and one of a few companies that runs 18+ event.
Our events are targeted to demographics that don’t have many nightlife options in the area, and we ensure that our events are not only fun but also safe, for all of our patrons.
The company is run exclusively by high school and college students, and I think that this is what separates our events from a school dance. We know what music kids want to hear, what internet challenges are popular, and what social media platforms kids are using, and we can use all of this to make our events fun and memorable.
Tuesday, August 28th, I will be running my last 16+ event of the summer, completing a 10 week 16+ party series. I’d like to say thank you to my staff, my fans, and of course my sponsors Shure and Sparkling Ice, for making this summer’s events so special. This year, both Shure and Sparkling Ice collaborated with us to make our events better than they had ever been before, and I would highly recommend checking out the amazing products that both companies offer. Without the help of Shure and Sparkling Ice, the summer series would not have been a huge success that it was.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
As I get older, and as my audience gets older, I plan on expanding into the 21+ market. I am also working on bringing my brands to new cities like Providence, RI, and bringing in popular musicians and influencers to my events. My long-term goal is to take over the nightlife scene in Boston and to be able to run 16+, 18+, and 21+ events in Boston and the surrounding major cities.
I have also recently started managing a local producer called Sevnth. His tracks have brought in over 40 million streams, been featured in projects by the NFL and Donald Glover’s TV show Empire, and brought him to perform at Madison Square Garden. We have spent a lot of time in his studio over the past few months, and his next few releases are sure to be hits.
Pricing:
- Public Event Ticket Prices – $15 to $20
- Private Event Prices – $200 to $500 per hour
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sonexdjco.com
- Phone: 6179975670
- Email: sonexdjco@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/sonexdjco
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SonexDjCo/
- Other: www.liveslacker.com
Image Credit:
Erik Lorch
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