Inspiring Conversations with Scott Brown of Flam 7 Percussion

Today we’d like to introduce you to Scott Brown.

Hi Scott, 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?
First of all, I’d like to thank VoyageOhio for affording me an outlet to tell my story!

My music career began back in 1999 when I auditioned for the Oak Hills High School marching band’s drumline after only having picked up drumsticks about 6 months prior. I ended up making it my Freshman year, and for the next four years, I opted into absolutely every musical opportunity I could; I found music was my strongest and most enjoyable form of expression, and I really took to it. While at Oak Hills, I met several people who introduced me to the higher levels of the marching percussion activity: drum corps & winter percussion.

I became obsessed with watching VHS tapes of these high-level groups performing in stadiums & gymnasiums, and vowed to become a part of one one day. At the same time, I was also playing drums for several local bands that were gaining popularity, and so I eventually reached a fork in the road around 2005. I mustered up the courage to travel to Columbus and audition for a now-defunct drum corps called Capital Regiment. It was at this audition that I realized just how unprepared I was. Amidst all of the hype & validation I always received from friends & loved ones I played for at home, I had no idea what I was getting into. I wasn’t prepared mentally, I wasn’t prepared physically, and most of all: I did NOT have the right attitude to enter a program of this caliber.

Needless to say, I didn’t make it, and I ended up putting all of my eggs into the “become a rockstar” basket. The bands I was a part of experienced minor success in the recording studio and on a few self-booked and self-funded tours of the East Coast, but broke up soon after. It was at this point that my career in music took a pause, when I decided to enter the workforce and “grow up”.

Fast forward over 10 years. In early 2020, I was having a conversation online with a friend of mine who plays drums in a successful local band called Settle Your Scores (shoutout to Caleb Smith!), and I mentioned in passing that I no longer even owned a practice pad or drumsticks. He politely offered to sell me some that he had sitting around, so I met up with him and we spent about an hour chatting and drumming; it was now that it all came rushing back to me. I missed music, and I wanted to be around it again. About a week later, it hit me: there was absolutely no place in the Cincinnati metro area for those interested in marching percussion to learn about it, let alone obtain the gear necessary to participate. This is where the idea for Flam 7 Percussion was born, and it was all up from there.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Starting a business in the onset of a global pandemic was a decision I doubt I’d make again! But, I’m very fortunate that I’ve been able to meet the folks I have who have made it all more bearable. Above the standard pains of running an internet-based retail business, there have been two major hurdles throughout this process:

The pandemic, of course. But more specifically, the closure of most scholastic programs (read: “Marching bands!”) and competitive circuits. Basically, this meant that my demographic was on standby. While the brand has evolved into far more than an e-commerce outlet, it wasn’t at first. The entire industry being placed on hold was a blessing in disguise in the end, as it afforded me the opportunity to search for alternative methods to reach my audience, and in-turn, become captivated by their stories and shift my focus entirely.

And secondly, the supply chain. As a small retailer, every penny counts. That, and the customer experience has to be flawless in order to compete with the online retail giants, most of whom you can probably name. I wasn’t able to place these enormous stock orders, and I was the last to receive the scraps from the table when back ordered products came back into stock. There are still increasingly painful residual effects from this occurring daily, but just as before, it has given me an opportunity to double-down on customer experience and provide more than just a product for sale.

Overall, the saying I’d use to describe our first 18 months in business is this: smooth seas don’t make skilled sailors. Anchors aweigh into 2022!

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Flam 7 Percussion is a brand based in Cincinnati, OH offering equipment, advice & world-class instruction to individuals & programs nationwide. We have a constantly-expanding catalog of products geared towards the marching percussion activity, and offer free education & clinics from a highly-experienced staff to all who need it. No subscriptions, and no grants – you can go onto our website right now, and book a free lesson with one of our Education Team members. Furthermore, you can even book several of them for a clinic for your marching band, community drumline, or just you and a couple friends!

As we continue to expand, our focus will always be putting community first, and that’s where our motto originated: Community over everything. We hold ourselves to this standard every day, even when nobody is watching.

What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
The marching arts activity took a huge hit with the pandemic & ensuing school/program closures, so we’re really hoping to see a renaissance going through 2022 where a lot of programs spring back into action and hopefully start drawing younger musicians into the mix.

Contact Info:

• Email: helpdesk@flam7.com
• Website: www.flam7.com
• Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/flam7percussion
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/flam7percussion
• Other: http://www.discord.gg/Flam7