Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephen and Ashley Reid.
Hi Stephen and Ashley, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
We started dating in 2016 in NYC and soon found ourselves full of restless, creative energy without anything to direct it towards. In early 2017 we began to have small ‘work sessions’ so we could accurately map out our plans and ideas. We lived by the acronym ‘2B2T’ – which stood for Too Black & Too Talented.
After a few projects that we created together, including a successful fashion blog called Fitgorithm and US Inc. – a creative consulting company called that was dedicated to helping businesses in underserved areas create their branding, marketing, and social media, Ashley mentioned that she was interested in DJing.
We both had a great ear for music but zero real-world experience in the craft, outside of my brief stint as a DJ in college playing in dorm rooms and fraternity parties. I taught myself the necessary skills and software and introduced them to Ashley, who picked up the art form at a rapid pace. Soon after a couple of months of practicing, playing in the bedroom and building our music library, we decided to start throwing our own parties in a loft I was living in at the time.
Inspired by stories of parties like Henny Palooza (now D’ussé Palooza) that started in their basement, we embarked on the mission of creating our own experiences while simultaneously providing the music and vibes. After a few loft parties, we were ready to start playing in bars and nightclubs, however we found it limiting ‘just’ being DJs. We brainstormed on how we could create something bigger than ourselves…a brand that would house all of our music-related experiences and be at the forefront for our truths and ideals, and came up with For The Culture Sound.
During the pandemic we moved to Los Angeles and began to re-build For The Culture sound from the ground up, securing residencies at venues like Blind Barber and throwing parties at some of LA’s best venues.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
As with most creative endeavors and projects, building and maintaining our business has seldom been without its struggles along the way. As most DJ’s and event curators can tell you, the industry is full of surprises that often crop up last minute and can drastically affect an experience, guest turnout, or even our relationship itself.
We’ve been told everything under the sun – from ‘your equipment is wack’ and ‘you need to dig deeper in your creative crates’ to both Ashley and I being double (and sometimes triple) booked, and finding creative ways therein to manage multiple parties on the same night with 6+ hour sets.
On top of a hectic and sometimes isolating industry, we committed one of the carnal sins of traditional business practices – starting a business with your significant other. This sometimes brings its own set of challenges including miscommunication, accountability challenges and management.
Through it all, we’ve held the perspective that all of the struggles that we face are often lessons in disguise. We’ve cultivated the skill of discerning wisdom we can learn from negative situations, tapping our LA network for community support, and applying that newly found wisdom and fresh perspective, which often leads to a successful set, event or experience.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Ashley: Alongside DJing, experiential curation and digital strategy for FTC Sound, I also do creative strategy for influencers. This involves curating unique, culturally-informed concept ideation for major brands looking to partner with diverse creators to bring their campaigns to life. What I’m most proud of is also what I believe sets me apart from others: my ability to allow both sides of my profession to inform and inspire each other.
Stephen: Outside of DJing and producing, I’m a certified herbalist and founded Medicine Man in 2020 – a response to the lack of accessible and affordable medicine and the burden it places on communities of color. I also am a certified vegetable gardener and budding garden designer with a focus on California native plants. I am proud of my ability to blend all of my passions into a seamless experience, and avidly searching for more ways to bring them to life.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
We learned that you can’t compare your journey to others. The energy you are using to focus into what other people are doing could instead be used to focus on your elevating own goals, projects and visions. We also quickly learned the power of a follow-up! So many of our opportunities have came in a 2nd or 3rd (or 4th) follow-up email or call. Finally, we came to understand how important networking is in the industry. Ashley and I are both introverts, but we’ve cultivated the ability to be ‘extrovert-passing’ when the time calls for it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ftcsound.live
- Instagram: Ash – https://www.instagram.com/ashperusual
Stephen – https://www.instagram.com/777.quartz
FTC Sound https://www.instagram.com/ftcsound - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ftcsound
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/ftcsound
- SoundCloud: https://www.soundcloud.com/ftcsound
Image Credits
Jesus Gil Sarah Haile
