We were lucky to catch up with Ross Friedman recently and have shared our conversation below.

Ross, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

The catalyst for my business came about when I was 16. I had been DJing since age 11, and I wanted to find a place to perform and go out with my friends. After some searching, I found that there were several successful brands running “teen nights” in other cities in the US, but none in the Boston area (where I lived). Determined, I set out to organize my own. After contacting nearly every nightclub and event venue in the Boston area, I was finally able to lock down a date at the legendary Middle East Downstairs in Cambridge, MA, albeit on a Monday night. Despite this, my first event was a huge success, and spawned what would become Slacker Media Group.

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

My name is Ross Friedman, and I’m the founder of Slacker Media Group — a live entertainment company that produces nationally touring themed DJ events and music experiences. I got my start in the music industry when I was just 16, throwing parties for my high school classmates in real venues. I rented out the legendary Middle East Downstairs in Cambridge, MA, booked DJs, promoted the event myself, and brought out over 400 people. That experience lit the spark. I realized I could create something that brought people together through music, and I never looked back.

Today, Slacker Media Group operates three fast-growing event brands: Slacker University, It’s A 2000s Party, and Sploinky Rave, with events in over 70 cities across the U.S. We’ve sold over 250,000 tickets to date, and we’re just getting started. We also run a large network of university-focused Instagram pages to promote our tours and help us stay tapped into youth culture and local scenes.

At our core, we specialize in high-energy nightlife events that are deeply themed and community-driven. We provide unforgettable nights out — and we do it while giving underground and up-and-coming DJs a massive platform to shine. We’re solving two problems: giving fans a better alternative to the typical club scene, and creating opportunities for insanely talented DJs who deserve a bigger spotlight.

What sets us apart is our approach: we build brands and events that feel like movements. We’re not just throwing parties — we’re building identities, aesthetics, stories, and a fan culture around each brand. Every event is a curated experience with attention to visuals, sound, and vibe. And we move fast — producing hundreds of events per year with a small but mighty team, constantly evolving with culture and tech.

I’m most proud of how far we’ve come while staying true to the underground. We’ve grown organically, without major investors or a huge machine behind us. We’ve helped launch the careers of several DJs, brought our events to thousands of fans across the country, and stayed nimble, scrappy, and creative.

If you’re just discovering us, I want you to know this: Slacker Media Group is about energy, originality, and community. Whether you’re a fan looking for the best party in town, a DJ looking for a platform, or a brand looking to tap into the pulse of youth culture — we’re building something real, and we’d love to bring you into it.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

A major turning point in my journey was the COVID-19 shutdown – and how I chose to pivot during that time. Before everything came to a halt, I was throwing college nights in Boston, still working out of the Middle East Downstairs. I had just locked in a weekly Thursday night residency and had gone all in on making it work. Then, out of nowhere, the world shut down.

With in-person events off the table, I didn’t slow down – I just shifted gears. I threw myself into learning everything I could about social media, audience growth, and brand building. That’s when I launched the Slacker University network: a series of school-specific Instagram pages that allowed me to grow the Slacker brand nationally, even while live shows were on pause.

So when events came back, I hit the ground running. That social network became the engine behind my first national tour – and we sold it out. It proved that even in the middle of chaos, there’s always a way forward if you’re willing to adapt and hustle.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

For me, it all comes down to quality and consistency. Those are the two pillars that shape a brand’s reputation – and they’re the foundation I build everything on across all of my event brands. It’s honestly wild how often those basics get overlooked in the live events space, but focusing on them has helped me carve out real brand equity and create lanes that feel uniquely ours.

Every event we throw has to hit a certain standard – not just in terms of production, but in how it fits into the bigger picture of what we’re building. Whether it’s the vibe of the DJs, the look and feel of the venue, or the moments we know our fans live for, everything is curated to deliver a cohesive experience. Our fans know what they’re getting when they walk into one of our shows – and more importantly, they know it’s going to be fire every time.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.slackermediagroup.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/slackerpresents
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/slackermediagroup

Image Credits

Timothy Mo
Shotbyed
Nulasphotography