We were lucky to catch up with Alan Hyde recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alan, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

A risk I have taken was the time I transitioned from military life to civilian life, I had served over half a decade in the US Army and decided that I wanted to pursue a career in entertainment. I knew it was a risk because there’s always the known whenever there is a career change. I loved serving my country and dedicating my life to being in the armed forces, but deep down inside I wanted to pursue something that I was passionate about, and that is the world of entertainment. I have always been inspired by many prominent figures in the entertainment space. I have had an itch to dip my toes in music and acting, with music being the stronger desire. I decided to pursue being a DJ right before leaving the US Army and never looked back. I learned how to DJ when I had redeployed from my first deployment. A fellow service member in my unit had a gathering, invited many of the soldiers from the unit, and we had a blast. I noticed him having his DJ gear setup and was intrigued by how well he was operating the decks. I was intrigued to the point where I had asked how to DJ. The rest was history and since that day, i fell in love with perfecting my craft as a DJ. I would watch many tutorials on my deployment of how to DJ, spending endless hours studying. After a while, I became proficient enough to play in front of a crowd. Taking the step to DJ in front of a crowd wasn’t easy, but I was confident in my abilities to perform live. The transition phase from military life to civilian life was quite the risk, because you never know if it will pay off. However, it has been worth it thus far and is still a work in progress to further my career.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Alan, but I go by AJ for short. I got into the entertainment industry by connecting with lot of important people in Colorado’s scene. My goal has always been to be a DJ, Producer, and Podcaster. I started DJing since 2013, producing since 2018, and then started a podcast in 2020 during the pandemic lockdown. My podcast has been successful so far and I am continually looking to grow in many areas. My inspiration from podcasting started in 2016, watching many popular ones on YouTube and listening to several of them on Spotify in audio form. I not only enjoy playing music live as a DJ, but I also enjoy talking about music. I knew that this was something that would be compelling if I decided to do a podcast, so I started networking with a few friends and made it happen. What I am proud of most, are the people that I’ve met along the way being a podcaster, producer, and DJ. I’ve met so many amazing people who are content creators, business managers, artists, and everything in between. It’s been an honor being able to speak with so many interesting people from different walks of life. I’ve gained so many friendships and have established a great rapport with a lot of my peers. That’s why I made the podcast, as well as became an artist, because connecting with the people is what I value most. Creating core memories and sustainable friendships is what means the most to me.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

I feel that society should have inclusivity. The number one thing that I find lacking in the creative space is inclusivity. What I would like to see is more inclusion of minorities when it comes to the creative ecosystem. I have been finding a lack of that for the longest time, and I feel now is a crucial time to give minorities a chance. Awareness is the most important thing society can do. Spread awareness and give a spotlight to hard-working artists that are people of color. If we truly want a unique and diverse creative ecosystem, then we need to shed a light on this issue.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

I honestly wish I had an in-depth understanding of promotion and marketing. I feel like creation is only half the battle. Creators have to understand how to promo and market their artistry as well. I will say that is definitely challenging, but it really just takes time and effort.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.theraverscirclepodcast.com/
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• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheRaversCirclePodcast

Image Credits
Maybe Someday Media