We recently connected with Derrick Ames and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Derrick, thank you for being such a positive, uplifting person. We’ve noticed that so many of the successful folks we’ve had the good fortune of connecting with have high levels of optimism and so we’d love to hear about your optimism and where you think it comes from.
Finding my optimism was always a difficult situation for me. I always tried to adapt from a glass half empty or a it is what it is approach to always trying to see the best in whatever I do. If i put on a concert or event doesn’t draw as well as I thought it may I try to see well did the people who were here have a great time? If they did encourage them to tell their friends so we double or triple the attendance of the next one.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
So my job is running a small promoting and event booking company. Primarily I book at Tilty Mcflipperz Pinball Arcade and Bar in Martinsburg WV. What I enjoy the most about what I do is with running shows in an arcade I can really mix up what I’m presenting to a crowd. I don’t have the stigma that other venues may have such as that’s a punk rock bar or a metal venue. I could have a jazz band open for a metal band and it goes over huge. I’m working on a lot of huge things for 2026. I’ve got a stacked January featuring some of my best friends as well as some people I’ve been wanting to work with for a long time. I’m also in the works of putting together a 2 day music festival hopefully in June featuring bands you may know from the area but also ones who’ve never been to the area.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
One of the most important things I learned is hindsight is 20/20. There’s been plenty of times where I think when I’m done I should have done this or that. But what I do from there is adapt and improve for the next time. I also learned to start checking the local scene a lot more thoroughly to see what’s going on but expanding it even further than I was and to venue’s much larger than mine. The third thing that is most important is to make sure I’m always staying positive.
What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
One of the most impactful things I learned from my parents was to never give up. If I’m passionate about something apply myself 100% to what I’m doing. Because even if something doesn’t go well the first time I can keep improving upon it until it runs like a well oiled machine. And if you don’t strive to constantly improve the complacency will break you. Rome may not have been built or fallen in a day but it did fall. So never stop trying to do better.
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Derrick Ames
Stephany Jackson
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