Meet Erick Ramos

We recently connected with Erick Ramos and have shared our conversation below.

Erick, so great to have you with us and thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts with the community. So, let’s jump into something that stops so many people from going after their dreams – haters, nay-sayers, etc. We’d love to hear about how you dealt with that and persisted on your path.

I persist by standing firm in my values—honor, community, virtue, and the belief in a balanced world where everyone has a fair chance. Haters and nay-sayers are often loud because they fear what they don’t understand or can’t control. But I don’t answer noise with noise. I answer it with action, integrity, and results. When you move with purpose and stand for something greater than yourself, their doubt becomes irrelevant. My duty isn’t to prove them wrong—it’s to keep building what’s right.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I am the President of Kaizen KC – a Kansas City–based events promotions company that creates and produces themed pop‑up events, helping local alternative, indie, and underground artists, DJs, dancers, and venues gain visibility and thrive. We specialize in serving the city’s alternative arts and entertainment scene by building creative experiences that bring together musicians, performers, and fans across the KC metro. We like to focus on crafting immersive alternative‑scene happenings—from karaoke nights, trivia, and themed dances parties such as “Anime Dance Night” and “Afterlyfe”. These events are designed to support up‑and‑coming creative hosts and keep the community vibrant.

I am also Co-Owner of the Otaku Lounge – Kansas City’s first ever anime themed lounge/bar venue. Together with my partners and staff, we’ve created a fun, all-inclusive, home base for the alternative scenes and for those who love anime, comics, and anything in the nerdy realm.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

To be successful in such a business, one must have these qualities:

Creative Vision – You need the ability to conceptualize unique, engaging themed events that stand out, resonate with niche audiences (like Anime, K-pop, Goth), and feel authentic to subcultures. One thing people tend to underestimate and fail to acknowledge is that just because one person has succeeded in hosting a certain creative theme, doesn’t mean you will be successful in it as well. There are several other promoters and venues who’ve tried hosting the same themes we do and all have failed simply because they didn’t do their homework on what those themes consists of or what kind of people and personalities they attract. Which leads to my second recommended quality.

Community Connection – Building trust and loyalty with performers, artists, venues, fans, and customers is crucial. Success comes from fostering an inclusive, supportive environment where people feel seen and valued. We are servants of the alternative scenes we love and it is our job to make sure they are understood and taken care of. If one does not value the scenes they love or hold a strong connection with its community, you will not last in this business at all. Don’t focus on making money, focus on helping your clientele and customers. Afterwards, the money will follow just out of loyalty and respect the community built for you.

Logistical Hustle – From coordinating vendors and DJs to managing budgets, permits, and last-minute issues, you have to be highly organized and adaptable under pressure to keep events running smoothly. There will be many times when things will change last-minute or partners will bail due to many unforeseeable reasons. So you must have back-up plans on standby. And I mean have a Plan B, C, D, E and the whole alphabet if possible. Life happens and there will be no one there to save you sometimes, so it’s important to be prepared as much as possible. And most importantly, keep a cool focused head.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?

Yes I am looking for more people to collaborate with. I always love and prefer to collaborate with others because not only does it make the workload lighter, but it also promotes all parties equally, thus grow together.
I am also looking for an actual business partner, one who shares the same love as I for the alternative scenes and familiar with this line of business.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaizenkc913/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KaizenKC913

Image Credits

Kayley Tolle Design
Q Fox Photo
Vista Versus