We recently connected with Cameron London and have shared our conversation below.

Cameron, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

During high school, I was coaxed into a last-minute talent show performance. I had never explored music all that much but I enjoyed poetry. After that performance, I began researching how the music industry worked, and on the day of my dual high school/college graduation (May 24th, 2013) my debut album was released. The original name for the record label I created for myself was “London Entertainment Music Group” but over the years it evolved into its current iteration “1033 Records”. I didn’t have any intention of signing any artists other than myself. Still, I had met many artists that expressed gratitude and interest in the potential of me beginning to build a roster. One of those artists was Popcasso, an artist from Fayetteville, NC, who wanted to complete his debut album that he began working on 15 years prior. During the years we worked on that album I saw how passionate he was about its completion. In those moments I realized what I wanted my label to be and how I wanted it to operate. It would be about more than paperwork and forced social interactions, I wanted to help people achieve their goals. I had spent years attempting to navigate the music industry with no help, and understanding that I could help people avoid some of those pitfalls was a key motivator in how 1033 has been built over the years.

Cameron, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m a music artist, producer, and audio engineer. I have been working in music for 15 years. But outside of my business, I’m a teacher and an all-around nerd. 1033 Records was named after my childhood home and is even operated out of the home my grandparents left my mom. Having a home as a functioning studio environment helps get artists relaxed and comfortable in their creative process. When working with other artists I always try to make them feel as comfortable as possible. New artists can often be intimidated by certain aspects of the music industry. With 1033 I facilitate meaningful relationships between our network of collaborators and artists. This allows for more familial operations, resulting in better, more honest creations. I want every artist that works with 1033 to feel like their visions are being brought to life. With that being said we have a very strict moral code that ensures no artist is ever taken advantage of, and that all of their needs are met. I think what I’m most proud of is that the entire 1033 network was built from the street I grew up on. There were no investors or early supporters, it was just me trying to build something that would give people the opportunities that I didn’t have.

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

When managing a team the best advice I have is to always have clear, concise, and consistent communication. Anytime there is an unresolved issue it is usually due to a lack of communication. Making sure everyone is on the same page is paramount in keeping things running smoothly.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I had a bad habit of seeing the potential in people, rather than seeing people’s actions. This has resulted in more than a few instances of me being left to clean up a mess because I ignored the signs of poor actions & behaviors. Something as simple as recommending someone for a position, only for them to never show up, ruined any future opportunities for me to make a recommendation again. It’s definitely easier said than done, but now I am more cautious in making sure I’m viewing actions rather than potential. That’s not to say you should never see the potential in anyone, but you can’t let it blind you.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.1033records.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/cameronlondon
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CameronMLondon
• Twitter: twitter.com/cameronmlondon
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/cameronlondon1033
• Other: https://solo.to/1033records

Image Credits
1033 Records, LLC