We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Wes Gilliam a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Wes, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about your team building process? How did you recruit and train your team and knowing what you know now would you have done anything differently?
I think about this a lot, we’ve been really lucky to have such a great team with us for a while, with very little turnover. My lead sound engineer Logan has been with us about 5.5 years now, our kitchen manager has been with us about 2.5 years and was a regular patron before that. It really does make it easier for everyone when you have a great staff, and we’ve been very lucky to have a small but dedicated staff with us for several years.
Wes, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I think my partners and I got into this by happenstance, just kind of the right place at the right time. I was a film major, my partner Geoff worked for the city in the planning department, and David was a bartender.
I think the thing that sets us apart, is we really go for it. We work really hard to bring great music to a relatively small music market on a consistent basis. Some days its obviously easier to bring your “A” game than others, but I think we’re all super appreciative that we get to do what we get to do for a living.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
I think the fact that me or one of my partners is at pretty much every show has definitely helped us keep in good graces of most music acts playing. They never have to worry too long about who’s paying them, or hunting down someone for answers to their questions.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
My biggest literary inspirations are probably “Rebel Without a Crew” by Robert Rodriguez and “Get In The Van” by Henry Rollins. Both are a true testament to the DIY attitude that fortunately/unfortunately runs through my veins,
Contact Info:
- Website: radioroomgreenville.com
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Image Credits
Chloe Dalton