We recently connected with James Reid and have shared our conversation below.
James, thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?
Staying creative is a problem for a lot of people; school, work, kids, commitments of all sorts can drain one’s energy and take away the impetus to create. I’m no exception. There are a lot of days where the day-to-day grind of running a small business can dull the desire to make something, be it a song or a business idea. For the first couple of years this was especially true, as we dove head first into a new multi-segmented business and had to learn a lot in a short period of time.
Something I realized early on though is problem solving a creative act. Day-to-day decisions are creative acts. And of course consequential life choices are creative acts, since you’re literally carving your own path through the unknown. So I’ve come to realize that’s how I keep that inventive spirit alive — living like it’s a creative act. With that mindset it kind of cascades down into the other aspects of my life, in music and business. It allows me to be myself and be confident to share my own unique experience on this earth.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
Myself, along with my family, founded Bynx in 2020. To keep it short, Bynx is a record store, professional recording studio, stage, and specialty coffee shop all in one place. We provide a unique experience for our customers and the wider arts community in Orlando, Florida. Everything we do — including our diverse events and creative recording projects — is meant to unite musicians, artists and aesthetes under one roof.
Aside from doing my part in the wider day-to-day operations, I’m usually focused on the studio, which is known as Bynx Records. There I work with local musicians doing everything from songwriting, recording, producing, mixing and mastering music. Including, of course, my own music!
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?
I think the three things that have served me most are my intuition, communication abilities and hard work ethic. These three qualities also help build and nurture interpersonal relationships, which are crucial for success in any career.
To develop these skills, you have to be willing to listen, learn and adapt. Ultimately you have to be willing to work on yourself and surround yourself with people who have had different experiences than you. So, be humble and openminded, and try to gain as much knowledge as possible in your field.
Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?
The book I’ll choose here is more topical for me right now than anything, but pertinent to this discussion — “The Creative Act” by Rick Rubin really helped me put my own philosophy into words. It’s all about understanding that creative process, how it’s different for everyone, and how ultimately we have to get in touch with our inner selves and commit ourselves to our original experience. Our differences are what make this world beautiful.
Otherwise, as an avid reader, I have a long list of books that ave helped me discover more about myself. I’m a big believer that even fiction can be instrumental in helping you discover your inner fire and how to unlock it’s potential. Here are a few (by no means exhaustive):
– Hermann Hesse — Siddhartha
– David Goggins — Can’t Hurt Me
– Robert M. Pirsig — Zen And The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
– John Steinbeck — The Pearl
– Julia Cameron — The Artist’s Way
Contact Info:
- Website: www.bynx.co
- Instagram: @bynxrecords & @bynxorlando & @asleepinplanes
- Facebook: @bynxorlando
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesrichardreid/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/bynx-orlando-2
Image Credits
James Reid & Gonzalo Loayza
