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

Slater, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

Honestly, it began back when I was about 10 years old. I had found my first Louis Armstrong CD with ‘The Best of Louis Armstrong’ in a Goodwill store somewhere in Tampa, Florida. I remember sitting on the floor of my room, amazed by the music I was hearing, and how it put me in a euphoric trance that I didn’t want to end. That was my introduction to the chills I would get while digesting and meditating on the music I’d end up listening to throughout my life. As life did progress, music became an escape. As a lot of us know, we go through moments where we didn’t believe we’d reach to see the light of the next day. In those quiet hours that mattered we found ourselves in books, music, shows, and stories, watching the pioneers of our hearts break through barriers and struggles themselves. Reminding us that we’re not truly alone; we only must live to see the next day. And it was in that zone of my mind that I began creating and thinking of how I would want life to be for everybody on the planet who could make it through.

So as the years went by, I began exploring what life had to offer, and I powered through to create the life I wanted to live and step into. Throughout this process, I ended up creating LCD Entertainment with my friends. In our short journey so far, we’ve expanded to about 20 of us now across 4 cities and 3 states in America.

Creating LCD Entertainment was both a combination of life coming together and the mashup of a beautiful playground of passions and creativity. We made LCD as a medium to channel our lives, to express ourselves, and put ourselves out into the world together dressed up as a Multimedia Entertainment and Record Label Company. Our mission is to change the world, to make sure there’s a story for every individual to relate to across the world no matter what race, creed, religion, gender, or background you come from. We believe that the people who’ve been writing the story of the world so far have been incredibly lazy, uncreative, and demeaning to people across the globe. We endeavor to change the world, we’ll become the greatest creative team on the planet, and will attract individuals who are looking to challenge themselves artistically and creatively. Together we will help bring the world closer together through the understandings and revelations that only life and art can provide.
So, in short, our mission is to change the world!

Slater, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

How I got into this industry is just a wonder of life. What began as just making friends and going through life, turned into me happening to meet the right people at the end of 2019 where we ended up grouping together at my apartment in Tampa, Florida. Through 2020 and the beginning of 2021, we were able to create LCD Entertainment together as a team. I believe music is what you make of it, and with the understanding that life is always evolving, you also understand that it is bigger than music. Similarly, LCD Entertainment was designed to be much larger than a record label.

We established LCD as a Multimedia Entertainment and Record Label Company with the purpose of going beyond music. In addition to offering a wide range of media services like photoshoots and video shoots for weddings, artists, films, and more, we also specialize in creating content for artists, companies, media influencers, and live events. As we’ve been able to grow our skillsets and take on new opportunities, we also now provide audio recording services for films, other artists, commercials, and even games.

There’s plenty that we apply ourselves to with LCD Entertainment, and it begins with each individual member. Empowering them to pursue their unique passions and talents that build the larger picture of what LCD represents and stands for. This shows in the way we apply ourselves to any internal and external business endeavor, such as our partnerships with other companies such as Sage Wave, Dark Door Spirits, and All New Spice. We make sure that we listen to each other, hear the goals and dreams of clients and partners for their projects and careers as we work in tandem building our own at the same time.

How do you keep your team’s morale high?

A positive attitude is necessary. Earlier in the journey, I approached many objectives with a strict realistic mindset. However, as I’ve gained experience and overcome numerous challenges, I realized that God will always support you when you believe in yourself. When applying this to managing a team, it’s important to foster understanding among your people, while affirming the positive inclination to overcome any odds and emerge victorious. Truthfully, I initially struggled to instill this mindset in others, even though I never doubted it in my own mind. Through learning to communicate more carefully and intentionally, I have had greater success in managing my team and maintaining high morale.

Another major lesson was understanding how to break down larger goals into smaller milestones. As the CEO, you possess the main vision, and not everyone will immediately see or agree with it. Which is why breaking it down into smaller achievable tasks is crucial to keep individuals motivated amidst uncertainty. This uncertainty doesn’t necessarily stem from overwhelming factors, but rather from people overcomplicating things in their own minds, which can discourage them. Therefore, coupling clear, exciting, and challenging goals with smaller milestones is a necessity for maintaining high morale.

Now, in terms of some management tips, I always make sure to lead by example. If you expect your team members to give their best, you must always be present and available to facilitate their success. Additionally, proactive communication is crucial in catching potential issues and assisting your team members when needed. Seek learning opportunities to develop and enhance your team, and don’t hesitate to delegate leadership responsibilities to others on your team to empower them and give them the chance to take charge of projects. When players have a thorough understanding of each position and how they contribute to the larger game plan and the expectations of their teammates, they will instinctively perform at the desired level. When this understanding multiplies across the team, success grows exponentially.

Always take responsibility as the manager to ensure that your team follows through. Teach and promote the practice of extreme ownership, so that every individual understands the importance of fulfilling their responsibilities to achieve collective success. Don’t fear failure and encourage your team to take risks when necessary while fostering a culture of innovation. Finally, develop strategies and, in the words of my good friend Andre Mullen, “Plan the Work, and Work the Plan.”

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

Real life has been my greatest influence. I have been fortunate to grow up in diverse environments and experience various situations that have shaped my management style. Observing and navigating intense, stressful, situations in my personal life has taught me valuable lessons that I apply every day.

From a philosophical standpoint, I have studied Malcolm X extensively. His teachings of perseverance and determination resonate with me. The idea that if you are not given a seat at the table, you should build your own has been a guiding principle for me. Which is why I have been proactive in developing strategies to ensure sustainability and prominence without relying on external influences or obligations.

Life has made me extremely determined and focused on what I really want out of life, and that’s to be the greatest to have ever done it. Whether you are a manager, an artist, or in any position with a vision and drive, it is important to collaborate with the people around you, and those drawn to your cause. They may not always have the skills you wish they had, but through development and collaboration, you’ll find that people’s innate talent and drives will always surprise you. Give them the chance to surprise you. The only thing you’ll ever really need to do is manage your own expectations to create the bridge between your dreams and your reality. Because the path you pave ahead of you will most certainly end up exceeding what you could have ever had imagined for yourself; that is the very least of what I can promise to anybody.      

Contact Info:

• Website: https://lcdentertainment.co/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/slater.colt/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/slater_michaelc
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/lcd_entertainment/

Image Credits
Amber Cyan Eswin Chan Donna Permell James Shackleford Lydae Jurvel Slater Colt