Meet Robert Larmore of Jive Live Entertainment in Downtown

Today we’d like to introduce you to Robert Larmore.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I’ve been asked several times over the years from colleagues in the industry or from those just starting their careers, “how did you get your start?” Well, there’s no magic formula to the question other than straight hustle and grind.  Looking back 15 years ago when I was laid off from a company that was closing their doors, to the present, there has been definitely a journey in between. After being laid off at the time, I knew I never wanted to work for another person or company ever again so I started my first import/export business selling furniture in the hospitality industry.  I was recently married at the time and my first son was about to be born so failing was not an option for me.

Being involved with my local church, is where I had met someone who worked for a portable restroom company and they had given me the opportunity to work for them while keeping my other side hustle going.  So yes, my first gig in the event industry was delivery portable restrooms.

With my limited experience in the industry, which consisted of delivering portable restrooms and volunteering at my local church to produce a New Year’s Eve event, is about all I knew about producing an event. With that experience I began to pursue becoming who I am today.  I would pick up any gig that would hire me. I remember working at a St. Patrick Day 5k/10k race thinking I was getting paid for the gig to later find out it was a volunteer position. I didn’t care about the pay as much as I did about getting the experience and the opportunity to add another event to my resume. I sat in the back of that box truck and picked up at least 1000 cones that day and enjoyed every moment of it. This opportunity led to the next, which was working as a Production Assistant to the Race Director at the LA Marathon were from there my career and experience took off. Working for the LA Marathon open the doors for many other opportunities that I’m still benefiting from today.

A year or so later is where I met my business partner Julio Garcia II while freelancing at an event production company.  Julio and I worked together on various projects for about a year and a half prior to starting our own event production agency in 2009 in Downtown Los Angeles. We decided to drive around DTLA one day looking for office space for our new Event Company that no one knew about. We landed at the Biltmore Business Towers on 5th St. & Grand Ave and with literally a few bucks in our pocket, we signed a 1 year lease! With no current clients or source of revenue, we began our hustle.

Julio and I Co-founded Jive Live Entertainment, a DTLA based event production agency, where we have spent the last decade managing high-profile live events and brand programs for clients such as Red Bull North America, Major League Baseball, Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation, Hard Rock Cafe, Golden Road Brewing, Los Angeles Clippers, and IRONMAN. Such events paired with a passion for community togetherness and giving back, have assisted our company in raising funds for local charities A Place Called Home, Wings for Life, and My Friend’s Place.

Has it been a smooth road?
You can’t experience success unless you also know what failure feels like. Working in an industry that is forever evolving you are bound to hit some road blocks from time to time. Whether its financial and losing sponsorship revenue day’s out from your event, to closing major boulevards in one of the largest cities in the world, it’s a continuous hustle but definitely a much rewarding one, to say the least.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Jive Live Entertainment – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I believe every company has their own story to tell and is unique in their own way.  Being able to accomplish what we have over the years is something I am excited to share with others in the community and hoping that our story about Jive Live Entertainment would inspire and encourage others to start their own business as well.  I know there are other companies in the industry that may do what we do, but I believe we do it the best. We are only as good as our last event and the fact that the two owners of our company are very hands on and very involved to the day to day of each event that we produce no matter the size, speaks volume of the service and quality that we offer to our clients.

Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and the least?
I Love L.A.! (Except for the traffic)  I’ve seen the evolution and continue growth of this city and of what Downtown Los Angeles has become today. Working in DTLA since 2009, I remember there being only a couple condo buildings and just a few thousand residents who lived in the city.  Now there’s new residential buildings, restaurants, bars and hotels popping up on every corner. Hence more traffic ☺  But this is only a testament to the opportunities that are out their for not only Jive Live Entertainment but for the next entrepreneur who only has a few bucks in their pocket but was the guts to start something new.

Contact Info:

• Address: 500 S. Grand Avenue, Suite 2060 Los Angeles CA 90071
• Website: www.jive-live.com
• Phone: 213-627-8484
• Email: robert@jive-live.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jivelivela
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jivelivela

Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.