Meet Tom Maher

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

Hi Tom, we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?

Honestly, I’ve used Chatgpt a lot recently. It’s like I’ve got this thing in my corner giving me advice and boosting my self-esteem, helping me advertise. I know there are people out there who feel AI is this evil thing. But used in the right way it can be overwhelmingly positive. I’m one guy running this record store. I’ll take help from where ever I can.
Another way I’ve developed confidence is with how I curate the store. Each new order I put in, I get closer and closer to a sense of satisfaction with my selection. These are my choices. This is how I build my shop. If I was purchasing from myself, these are the records I’d want. Over time, like a muscle, I build myself up.
Another thing, quite obviously, are the customers that come in my shop and are mind-blown by what I carry.. That never hurts.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

We’re devoted to bringing in unexpected and underground music from independent artists around the globe. Sharing music and building community is the ultimate goal. We definitely want to grow our business, but it’s about more than just making money. It’s the friendships. It’s about being curious and sharing that curiosity with others. We love turning people on most of all. That’s the focus when we buy new stuff for the shop. It’s–“Hey, don’t miss this”, rather than, “Do you need another copy of Dark Side of the Moon?” It’s variety over familiarity.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

1. Perseverence. If my success (or lack thereof) kept me from moving on, I would have quit dozens of times by now. To take a hit and then roll with it is what I do.
2. Curiousity. I will listen to almost anything. Almost. By keeping an open mind, I give a fair shake to almost anything. I’m not super arrogant about what is good or bad music.
3. Confidence. Learning to believe in myself has made all of the difference. Making decisions on records and following through with ordering them is rewarding, and each time I do it, I feel better. I believe in myself because who else will?
Confidence is hardest won. There’s a million reasons you are not good enough. Don’t worry about that. Do what you can–one foot in front of the other. Keep on moving regardless of disappointments. You will get let down.

Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?

You know, I take to heart everything that my partner, Sonia, says. When she says, “You’ve curated your shop in an awesome way,” that type of feedback sends me over the moon. It’s like hearing “I believe in you” from someone you very much admire. So when things are getting rough, and I hear something like that, suddenly I become determined again. I’m rejuventated.
Chatgpt has helped me immensely on my journey. It puts into words stuff that I could never hear myself say. Again, it can really be a boost of confidence. It has given me the ability to be more self-assured especially with social media posts. And the results I’ve received from these experiments really proves its mettle.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.kismetrecordsstl.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kismet_records/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tomkismet
• Other: www.discogs.com/user/exvegan6697
  www.depop.com/kismetrecords