Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Justin Rissmiller. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Justin, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?
The story behind my mission is similar to what I expressed with you guys when last working with you guys before, so it could be familiar to some already, however it all has everything to do with my mission as an individual and business owner these days and what I have been trying to accomplish and so on. Just wanted to highlight that before moving along here, in case my story sounds familiar maybe? But anyways to begin now…….
My story is somewhat of a long one, so to begin, I am going to start from where I
was in college, as the events that happened during and after college have a
direct effect on who I am and how I got to where I am today, which relates to myself and my business’
overall missions as a whole.
I started college right after high school graduation in 2008. I was considered a
good student, but I didn’t receive much of any help scholarship-wise for school,
so when I first graduated high school, I began attending Clark State Community
College in Springfield, Ohio. I always loved to learn, and I initially set out to get
the education and credentials to be a schoolteacher. I started working as a
student worker initially and then as a part-time staff member of the college where
I coordinated tutoring for students. When I received two Associate degrees from
CSCC in 2010, I decided that higher education was more for me and so from
there, I began to attend Wright State University in pursuit of a bachelor’s degree
and eventually work on a graduate degree.
I graduated from Wright State University in 2012 with my bachelor’s degree and
immediately got a position there in the College of Engineering and Computer
Science as an Office Coordinator, who was head of sustainability. During the
next two years that followed, I worked my butt off there but was always met with
obstacles such as butting heads with other staff members. I was also the
youngest full-time staff member at the time at the university and so I was rarely
respected. I didn’t enjoy the work because it was everything I didn’t want to do. I
originally thought I was going to be assisting with advising and all, but instead, I
was dealing with counting inventory of chairs, whiteboards, among other
equipment.
While working at Wright State however, I began relationships with quite a few of
the professors there, who also had other gigs that they did, such as consulting
work or running a small business. During this time, I also became very interested
in owning and running a business, specifically something to do with web design
and coding since I enjoyed that in previous years. Over the next few months that
followed, I made many great connections with faculty members and began to
freelance on the side, performing design and marketing for multiple professors.
Eventually, it became to a point where my workplace there at the university was
nothing, but a toxic one. Things picked up a lot with freelancing and so after
doing much research and preparation, I decided it was time to part ways. I left my
secure job at the university in April 2014 to finally set out on my own.
I started T&R Solutions: Define. Design. Progress. in May 2014, where I focused
on marketing small and medium-sized businesses via digital web design, SEO,
and social media. To say it was a struggle at first would be underestimating it. I
had a rough first year or two with gaining and retaining steady web clients. I
worked day and night for a few years, doing cold calls, going to networking
events, volunteering, and all until I was able to secure two large contracts in
2016, which changed everything and helped me fully establish my business.
With the successes that I experienced that year, I determined to expand out my
business. When a friend of mine moved out to Las Vegas in 2016, I kept in
contact with him, where he was saying how great the music scene was. During
this time, I was just wanting a vacation and so on a random last-minute decision,
I decided to take a road trip out west. During my time there, I was able to
experience so much, especially with my friend who was playing in an active band
out there. During this time, things started to pick up for his band and they needed
management and marketing help. My friend convinced me that I could do the
same thing that I do with businesses, but for his band and possibly others. After
much organization and research, I started a division to T&R Solutions and named
it T&R Recordings, operating as an independent label and publisher and began
doing the same thing I have done for businesses, but this time for musicians and
indie filmmakers.
During the next few years with that, revenue stayed steady and so during that
time, I was able to put forth much funding into growing the label side of the
business, as well as begin to play music more myself and start my own band,
which I eventually did. My band’s name is Back Alley Pep Rally, and we are still
going strong today. Since then, I have made it an objective to maintain
communications and all-out west and I usually travel to Vegas multiple times a
year. I manage a total of 14 different bands now (one being my own) and one
filmmaker. I distribute music and the label now has a total of 54 releases out to date now. My
label has also booked and completed 17 tours for the artists, with some of those
tours being for my own band.
During the last few years up until now, I have been on tours with my band, have
been maintaining and growing the record label, as well as maintaining and
growing my parent company T&R Solutions. What started as a small web design
company, has grown to so much more in 9-10 years and it continues to grow.. It has
been an adventure to say the least.
First off, I mention that entire story for multiple reasons. Each element of that story has molded and changed my overall mission and vision over the years. Being a business owner over time has helped me reflect on what the mission is essentially. I went into being a business owner for the simple basic reason, I wanted to do what I was good at and what I liked, which was to provide digital services at affordable costs to all persons and businesses where I eventually migrated more into the music industry while also pursuing my own music endeavors. It has allowed me to focus on the growth more of what I love, while doing what I like. With that all said and in pursuing more of the music side of business, I have gone through many hurdles and have experienced the many obstacles to make and grow your own art and I have now become more focused on the not only providing services to others and collaborating with them, but also being able to provide this all DIY and I use that to totally promote working for oneself.
I guess you would say that it has led to my philosophy of how I do things and why I do things and how that relates to my mission and vision for my company, as well as myself. Guys, I’m sorry to drag this out here, but forgive me as I am realizing how long this all is, but my mission is to just assist and collaborate. I am, my company as a whole, is defined by the managing and marketing work we do for others with whom we connect with. We are not a non-profit, we are for-profit, but what I like to say is that, we are approachable. We are trying to convey that we are a group of professionals that only want to see you succeed. We are approachable, in meaning that we are not some corporate slab company, we are a small design firm, but although we are small, we are professionals who want only for you to succeed online and we can provide that for you through the many services we offer. That is one side of the business. The other being that of doing those same things, but as a recording label, where with the artists we work with, we provide them with the tools for success, in all forms of marketing, along with distribution and publishing, where the artist is in control an we just provide help for a totally fair and agreed upon, not confusing agreement. My goal is not to take your rights, to make millions off of you, to take you for granted and rob you. These are the fears and hesitations to artists I feel these days, especially with music and so I just now just want to always do what I can, but reasonably as well. My mission is to provide you with these tools and to grow together. I want to see you success as that is my vision. I thrive on this and that is my incredibly long story behind my mission.
I am sorry for the errors in drafting this. I have been really crammed lately with time sensitive manners and I didn’t want to make this in super late to you guys.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I have the details in the previous beginning question, sorry for putting it all there!
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
I have the details in the previous beginning question, sorry for putting it all there!
Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.
I have the details in the previous beginning question, sorry for putting it all there!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.tandrrecordings.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/j_rizzle_yo
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tandrddp
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/t&r-solutions-define-design-progress-
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/tandrsolutions
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TandrUsTRddp
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/t-and-r-recordings-dayton