We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ray Lynch a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Ray, thanks for joining us today. Can you tell us a bit about who your hero is and the influence they’ve had on you?

My hero is my mother Gloria Lynch. She was beautiful, smart, and tough. She raised me and my three brothers by herself in East Harlem, one of the toughest places to grow up in New York City.

My mom went to college and got her Bachelors & Masters Degree and went on to become a Social Worker for over thirty years. When we were very young she had her own clothing store and later on she ran her own cleaning company that would clean offices after work hours.

The way she lived her life was our blueprint. We saw firsthand someone who had a passion for knowledge, a tremendous work ethic, an excellent communicator and a great listener. She was truly a remarkable woman who poured into me and my brothers daily.

I remember when we were young my mother took my brothers and i to the main strip, called Third Avenue. She set up a table to sell these trinkets and accessories that she purchased from a wholesale store. My brothers and I only stood out there for a short period of time because we were so nervous and embarrassed because we didn’t want our friends seeing us out there selling stuff. We didn’t want to look like we were poor or like we needed money.

What’s funny is looking back at that moment we didn’t realize what she was trying to show us. Now as a business owner I clearly understand that she was teaching us how to go out there and do for ourselves. She was showing us how to be entrepreneurs and self-sufficient. I’m forever grateful for her Love, guidance and Leadership. May she Rest In Peace.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I got into the music industry right after graduating from college. I knew that being in the music industry would be the perfect job for me. I wanted to be engulfed in music daily. Specifically, I always wanted to be a music manager or CEO whose gift was finding and cultivating talent.

Coming up I studied all the top Music managers and executives who were a few years older than me Like Erick Sermon, Chris Lighty, P Diddy, Irv Gotti, Dame Dash, Master P and Tony Draper. I watched what they were doing and knew I had the skills to do the same. I think what sets me apart from others is my approach to music and how I handle and connect with creatives. I encourage artists to be themselves and to always have fun.

What I’m most proud of, is not giving up on myself and sticking with it. The music industry can be extremely grueling, and you have to have thick skin to survive in this business because you hear more “No” than “Yes”.

I’m also proud of all the talented people I have assisted along the way and who have gone on to become very successful. I feel extremely blessed to do what I love every day.

Tha Connect Mgt. is a brand that has been around for over 20 years and has done some amazing things. I’m currently revamping the company, working with some new artists and working on a new compilation project called “Test of My Faith”.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

The time I had to Pivot in business was in 2021. I was spending money on things I felt I needed to do to develop and promote these artists like mixing and mastering, promo & marketing,shooting videos, renting Airbnb’s & Hotels, paying for flights, etc.

The pivotal moment was when I had shot a video for some artist, and they didn’t even post or promote the video. This is when I told myself that I “Can’t Want it” or work harder than my artist. I had to pivot in a sense to make smarter financial decisions as it related to my business because it was severely affecting my personal life.

I couldn’t continue to operate that way because what I was doing was hurting me financially and I wasn’t getting any return on my investment. I learned that I have to find artists who want to promote themselves, who are self-motivated & are committed to the process. Lastly, I realized that I can’t go out “saving the world” and not take care of home.

Like my brother, New Child would always tell me “You have to work with the willing, people who are willing to participate in their own success”.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

What has helped me build my reputation within my market is my ability to always find great talent, being resourceful and being approachable. I think naturally people want to be associated with winners and be in a situation that’s moving and progressing. The fact that over 25 years I have been able to consistently find talent year after year says that I have my ear to the street and eyes on the internet.

I don’t get stuck in an old school vs. new school mindset. I just focus on what sounds good and resonates with my spirit. Music evolves so I have to evolve with it. Also, I love working with the younger artists and producers and I’m not afraid to listen and learn from them.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/Thaconnectmgt?fbclid=PAAaajniYtZmUmKItYYsBbQM9EdSvwWuMdAyMfDER4rh437dgKT7VfZUkjDiw
• Instagram: @raylynchmgr1
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD3yiaCbu9Mnv2OF1-7D3UA

Image Credits
Chantel Lynne New Child Jake Carter Vargas Visuals juanito Twist