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

Thomas, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your business sooner or later

Absolutely! Starting FDS Drum Services has been the best thing I’ve ever done both personally and professionally. Before officially moving to Nashville in 2019, life was a whirlwind. I was in and out jobs one after the other, struggling to keep my head above water. The simple fact is that we are all meant for something in this life. We all are made differently with different goals, dreams and skill sets. Some are able to work 9-5 behind a desk in a quite office with nothing but the hum of an air conditioner and clacking of the keyboards, and do this for 30 years. I simply was not made for that. Music and drumming was the stone I was cut from and not being able to work within my passion, in a state that was not conducive to my passion, made life very difficult and unstable for me. So much so, that I eventually became homeless. I refused to give into social constructs of getting up everyday and going to work a job that provided no sense of satisfaction, feeling like just another cog in the machine. A lot of the pressures of working a miserable job instead of following my passion came from a familial stand point from the time I was legally able to work and that just didn’t sit well with me. Different generations always project their beliefs down to the younger generations and fail to realize that times are different. We all need stability…yes, however the world works differently now. Being is a dreamer and goal chaser is how we give-way to new wonderful things in the world. How we reach beyond and create positive change. Bringing FDS to Nashville and being a positive resource for our amazing drumming community is something I wish we could have brought years ago.

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

I was born and raised Northern New Jersey. A mountain town called West Milford. Full of lakes, woods and wildlife. Huge in square mileage but small if you messed up! Drumming was the way I spent my time. While the other kids were outside playing. I was inside drumming. For hours per day. It’s what most people in school and life have known me for mostly because I got detention every other day for drumming and tapping on the desks! I was a restless kid. Always moving. So drums gave me an outlet to go wild! That led me to my first talent show in the 6th grade, then another talent show, then a school play and then my first band RED 13. Our band became very popular on the local scene. We watched our crowds grow bigger and bigger and venues got better and better. Then a record label showed up. We made friends along the way, which lead to another gig, then studio sessions, then fly out dates for live shows and the artists got bigger and bigger. Before I knew it all my childhood dreams were being lived out. That how I got into the music industry from a drumming standpoint.

Fast forward many years later, a few years spent in the US Army and lots of life’s ups and downs, the move to Nashville came about – FDS Drum Services was born. Created to be a full service drum tech business and cater only to the drumming community of Nashville, FDS has actually reached internationally. Our custom bass drum heads, snare and cymbal restorations, custom rack builds and tour drum teching services have reached from the East to West coasts, Canada, Mexico even as far as Italy, Germany, the UK and Switzerland. It’s super humbling to think about as just a few years prior, I was living out of a vehicle.

How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?

I like this question simply because I’m a very personable person. I enjoy being there for others as well. If I have a chance to leave someone better than how I found them, I won’t hesitate to take action. FDS Drum Services was created to have the same kind of heart. Outside of keeping in touch via social media channels, our clients become our friends. And we call them our friends. We never call them clients. Things are kept personal and personable. We never treat people as if they are a number or as if they’re walking up to a service counter and we care about who they are as people. They have our personal cell numbers and they know that when they need something, they can text or call and we’re there for them. I’d like to believe that fostering these types of relationships with “clients” are the best not only personally, but for any business.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

Absolutely. I have this view on books, thinking that all of life’s knowledge, true and powerful information and insight is passed on to each one of us through books. My collection of books and audio books span from self help, sales, business and management, spirituality, focus and just about anything that can teach me or help me become better. Here are a few of my favorites.

Think & Grow Rich
How To Win Friends and Influence People
As You Think
Seat of the Soul
The Master Key System
The Power of Now
H3 Leadership
Life After Life
Journey of Souls
The Power of Habit
Discipline Equals Freedom

Contact Info:

• Website: www.fdsdrumservices.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fds_drumservices/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fdsdrumservices/