We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Stefan Schecter. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Stefan below.

Stefan, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

Stepping away from a 9-5 job and betting on yourself and on your abilities, is one of the most courageous yet risky decisions you can make, and one which I made in 2012. The ‘courageous’ aspect is undeniable, by virtue of the perception around taking that leap of faith and the result of failing, but the level of risk it poses is directly related to the amount of preparation and skill development you have done and are willing to do. When I made that decision in 2012, I knew I had a legitimate path to being self-sufficient, making my own daily schedule, closing deals and fostering the right partnerships, and I simply had to ‘put it all together’ — so to speak. It didn’t come without external challenges, from chaos in my personal life to trauma within my heart, to family loss, and of course the always monstrous thoughts associated with self-doubt and self-sabotage, via substance abuse to cope. After about 3 years, I had been swimming but not thriving, making money through the music industry but still in a ‘check-to-check’ lifestyle. By re-evaluating, eliminating toxic habits, toxic people, and completely reimagining my plan, after a 5-year reboot and retooling, the risk was beyond worth it. I took to the time to acquire a real estate license and build that business, all while going full force with music endeavors and working on a Billboard #1 Rap Album in 2020, “Pegasus” which subsequently reached RIAA-Certified Gold status in 2022. The ‘risk’ is always going to be worth it if you dedicate yourself to discipline, development, and constantly learning.

Stefan, 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?

I run Creative Dissent LLC, and operate in the music industry, real estate, and in the sports media realm. Musically, I’m a Philly-based producer and writer, Premise. Alongside my music production company and work, I’m a licensed Realtor with Berkshire Hathaway Prime in Philadelphia and possess a diverse clientele, while in the sports world I co-produce a weekly show, which has been featured on Fox 29 Philadelphia, The Vet Alumni Podcast. I grew up in a musical household. My Father was a drummer in a well-known Philly band, and from the moment I could stand up, I played with music equipment. At 14, I produced my first record. From there, I went on to attend college at the University of Pittsburgh, receiving a B.A. in Communication with a focus in Psychology. By 2003, I had decided I was going to push whole-heartedly into the world of professional music production and built my catalogue through independent work across the country. I still had to maintain a day job until 2012, but by then, the business structure was built. After 20+ years in music overall, working with hip-hop artists such as Mac Miller (RIP), the legendary Kool Keith, Wu-Tang’s Cappadonna, and new school stars Trippie Redd, Future, Caskey, Hi-Rez, among others, and being accepted into The Recording Academy as a voting member for The Grammy Awards in 2024, the crossover into real estate has been seamless. Building and maintaining client relationships is a universal skill, so there is much crossover between lines of business. I offer an attention to detail in both fields. My clients become like family and I genuinely care about results. The one thing that separates someone from others is going above and beyond, and while that may be a broad concept, people know it when they see it. That’s what puts my company Creative Dissent LLC in a class by itself. Whether you are an artist or producer trying to find your way, or a young investor in need of some expertise regarding property investments, there is a route with my company.

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

Personal touch is essential. Authenticity cannot be taught. I build rapport and maintain it in a natural and fluid way through a genuine nature. A phone call is worth the equivalent of gold as far as communication styles, and people value that. Loyalty is built through an authentic approach and it is more effective in the long-term, than someone who employs an A.I. conversational model, for example, to do client management on their behalf. Time invested equals client belief. Client belief leads to longevity, in any industry.

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

Building on my previous thoughts, authenticity is currency. It has to come natural, it cannot be forced or emulated. The quality of your work has a face value that cannot be devalued once it is established. Work via that concept like your livelihood depends on it, because it does as an entrepreneur. It takes years to build a reputation, but it can certainly be ruined in a moment. I have lived and operated by these principles for 2 decades now.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://myphillyrealtor.co/
• Instagram: @premise_
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/premisesnn
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shs83/
• Twitter: https://x.com/vetalumnipod
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYk3XhkRxqcF9PW4wqT2M3Sp-9jhZhXI_
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/premisesnn
• Other: https://www.prems-denn.com/
  https://linktr.ee/premise

Image Credits

Berridge Media, thrillcollins, Riva Diva