Today we’d like to introduce you to DeRon Drummond.
DeRon, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My entrepreneurial journey began in 2003. It wasn’t planned either. It grew from a necessity. Me and my team are recording artists and we started making music in 2001. Around 2003, we began to garner a pretty large following in our home state that had some pretty important people paying attention. With that attention came questions that we had never heard before. We started being asked about press kits, photos, music videos, a website…..all things we didn’t have. So we decided to look into these things and found that, at the time, the cost for these services was very expensive. We were young, so we didn’t have that kind of money at the time. Instead, we found ways to acquire the equipment needed to do these things ourselves. So we got computers, cameras, lighting equipment, etc. We then started studying and practicing photography, cinematography and graphic design. It was rough at first but after a few years of trial and error, we became really good at all of this. So good that people began inquiring about the services. As our clientele grew, so did our skillsets. We eventually made it to the point that we could be considered professionals in those fields. We were doing so well that it changed our dream from being recording artists to now wanting to become film directors. That led us to creating our first film which debuted in 2018 called “No Loose Ends.” That was a huge local success and now we plan to continue on that path and grow the brand even bigger
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t been smooth by any means. In the beginning, there were times where, financially, you didn’t know how you were gonna be able to keep working on a project and take care of your responsibilities in your household. There were, and still are, plenty of days where your body just wants to shut down from exhaustion due to the long hours it takes to fulfill this dream. There are times when you miss things with your children, your family or your friends because you’re booked or you have a project. It can create a lot of tension in relationships due to the nature of your work and the time you spend on it. It’s definitely not a walk in the park.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about LeaRoc Media?
LeaRoc Media is a film production and media company that specializes in bringing visions to life. What makes us stand out amongst our competition is that we are the most relatable, fun, energetic, well-dressed and in-your-face team around. Typically people in this line of work are not seen on the other side of the cameras. We are different. We want you to know the faces behind the work. We want to be seen mingling with the people and our clients. We want you to see our faces everywhere. That means we are always touching the people. That is why our work can resonate with our clients and viewers the way it does. You can use all the data you want to figure out what people like and dislike or how they think, but nothing can compare to actually being in their presence and learning first-hand. The thing that I’m the most proud of about our journey is that we accomplished all of this without any help. We learned professional-level skills all on our own. We never attended school for film, photography or graphic design.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
Never let the world convince you that you have to do what they say to be successful. There are a million ways to become successful. You just have to find your path. We are always taught that college is the only way to make it in life but the reality is, there are plenty of millionaires that don’t have degrees or certificates. If college is your path, follow that. Just know that it’s not the end of the world if you don’t choose that. You just have to be willing to work really hard, study your craft and find ways to present it to the world.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: young_h_330
- Facebook: DeRon Drummond
- Twitter: young_h_330
- Youtube: LeaRoc Films
