Founder, CEO, Musician
Current City: N/A - Nomadic lifestyle
Current Job and Entrepreneurial Focus: Hamsa Projects Co-Founder and CEO;
Lift Every Voice Nonprofit Board President
Notable Prior Jobs: Performer at STOMP NYC; Founder at Sugarbabies Inc.
When I Started Performing: I was 10 when I started drumming, 12 when I started dancing, and 16 when I started stepping and doing choreography.
Performing Arts Background:
10yo - Began drumming with hopes of joining STOMP someday.
13yo - Began gigging as a jazz drummer, fortunate to play behind such greats as Benny Golson, Nicholas Payton, & Reggie Watts.
19yo - Attended Berklee College of Music.
20yo - Cast in STOMP NYC (left college).
21yo - Touring cruiseship orchestra drummer.
22yo - Co-Founded Phly Boyz European touring/busking band in Nice, France.
23yo - Returned to Berklee - co-wrote/published Boston anthem song, and formed Sweet Tooth & the Sugarbabies event band.
Over a decade this company grew into 5 bands, trained dozens of musicians, and had thousands of performances (up to 60,000 ppl live and even for the 2012 Presidential Election). I still perform on occasion and consult for bands and performers.
How did your performing arts background supercharge your entrepreneurship? Definitely the abilities to collaborate, unite and connect with an audience, and improvise within a framework are music/performance skills that have translated directly to my entrepreneurship.
Also significant are the desire to create something that’s never been done and making those creations resonate with people.
Favorite Performer: Michael Jackson may be the best performer I never saw live, and Bruno Mars may be the best performer I have seen live.
Follow Eytan Nicholson:
Personal Social Media - @eytannicholson
Hamsa Projects - @hamsaprojects
