Meet Ron Ferguson of South Lansing

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ron Ferguson

Hi Ron, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I’ve been into the Events & Music scene long before I started to develop Audio Engineering skills or even thinking about running a Recording Studio or developing a Music Production Company with Record Label-Like services. After college graduation, I began hosting and curating events in the Lansing Area. Some were just “parties”, but I also curated shows focusing on the Talent, bringing in the Hottest Hip Hop acts in Michigan at the time. A few shows that were closely tied most to Music Production was when I worked with local artist to create “Lansing: The Mixtape” a project full of local artist and their most commercial songs they were looking to push, followed by a Live Performance show from all the artist involved that was held at The Avenue. (Shout Out to Coleen for letting me rock back then). Another was when I worked with a Local Band, (Understanding Soul) and we practiced for weeks recreating the songs at the top of the charts on the radio at the time, with local artist performing these hits for a few songs and finishing it off with a song of their own. I enjoyed spending so much time in the studios and being involved in the Music Production process.

A friend of mine was Managing a rising talent out of Metro Detroit, and I was able to hop in along the ride as he tried to develop him. I was able to see places I’ve never been to- with Travel Expenses paid for, attend popular music festivals and conferences, and meet music execs that had been quite successful in the Record Industry. I gained access to backend financials, negotiated major contracts and was able to take lead on business and administrative aspects. I was in these rooms based on my friends situation, and felt the need to become more useful / serviceable in these arenas. I also had so much input on how were moving, and really wanted to do the same for an artist from my hometown.

Eventually I came across an artist that, for many reasons I had believed had “Star Power”, here in Lansing. (No Pick Bizz) I immediately reached out to be a Manager of the artist. This was my first time being so hands on, all across the board and learning the ins and outs of the Music Business first hand. One thing I learned fast, was that it really does take a Team, and that Studio Time/Production was one of the Top expenses for Record Labels. We didn’t have a real budget, but luckily my close friend and Legend for Lansing Music Culture, KAZ DRUMATIK (Rest In Peace Bro) worked a very affordable situation out for us to keep us active and working.

The biggest problem I believed we had was not having a big marketing/advertising budget to expand our reach. It was hard to find “investors” by simply selling a dream of a rising artist, with no proof of returns. So, for two reasons I began learning how to work as an engineer. 1: I now have a service that brings in somewhat of a consistent financial paper trail, which could yield a return and be more attractive to investors.. and 2: we’d be able to save a lot of money with recording music. I quickly learned how fruitful this trade skill could be financially if done right, and since it was a passion- it never felt like work. I actually created this business by necessity, based on what I was able to experience in my journey and trying to grow and develop a talent.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Of course not! Luckily, I was able to Partner with LEAP and the LEDC to help with some financial support and help with business structure. They’ve provided many resources with various cohorts and relationships that you can build from these classes. I’d suggest entrepreneurs of any stage to reach out to them immediately if you haven’t already. The most challenging aspects at the moment would be, I’m just one person. It’s still early and I am pleased with company growth over the past 2 years, but look forward to developing a team. A Record Label has many divisions and roles. Although it takes money to hire a team, it takes a true leader to have others come together, understand and believe in a Shared Vision.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I believe most people associate me with Moneyball Sportswear first for sure, and rightfully so. My brother, Desmond is the Owner of the Brand and I’ve been able to be a part of the company since Day 1. I’ve seen literally every bit of the Good, The Bad and The Ugly, to where we are now this day. I still work in our Retail stores now along with trying to grow my business. Dez set a great example of what an entrepreneur success looks like, and it started well before the business was created. It’s all in the Work Ethic and consistency. And it’s not just about the financial success, as the brand has been deeply ingrained in community support and events for.. forever actually. Its one of the company pillars. The guy is self-less. A lot of business savvy skills and knowledge that I have today, I’ve learning from working with Bro and Moneyball Sportswear.

In my early years of running Ron Ferg, LLC (Ron Ferg Productions) I am most proud of simply being able to generate money in the music industry. It’s something I’ve long been a part of and entertained, and now I’m seeing how it can potentially financially support me, others and be done for a living. Connecting with artists and helping them create, and make products that were ideas.. and turning them into tangible products is dope to say the least. No matter the numbers, being able to grow year over year provides huge levels of confidence for me, and encourages me to keep chasing dreams! When you keep your head down and work, when others who you don’t think is paying attention- tell you that they admire or can appreciate what you’re doing- feels pretty good as well.

How do you define success?
“We Measure Success, by How Many People Successful Next To You”

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moneyballferg/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ron.ferg/
• Other: booking – https://squ.re/46fmVxn