Today we’d like to introduce you to Mark Banks.
Mark, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I started my career in event and artist management as an assistant to the assistant A&R for Atlantic Records in Studio City, CA, back in 2014. I worked in the studio booking artists for showcases, studio time, and so much more. We held large showcases all throughout Hollywood and brought in some major up-and-coming artists at the time. After holding this role and being an artist myself, I saw an opportunity to create my own brand and branch out to begin my own business. In 2018, I received a call from an older sibling letting me know that my. Father was not well, and I needed to come sees him soon as it may be the last time he would remember me. It turned out he was diagnosed with dementia, and the prognosis was not good. I left LA and moved back home to Ohio to spend time with my dad before his day came. He was a brilliant man, a lawyer former Mayor Mike White, and the RTA system. In his retirement, he began working for SCORE which helped to advise small business. I remembered the last time I’d spent time with him he had given me a packet of information from SCORE, and he encouraged me to follow my passions.
After coming home and seeing him far from his former self, I knew I had little time to show to him that I appreciated his vote of confidence even though it was a career path that was unfamiliar to him. Now back in Cleveland, I began ramping up my business and begin hosting artist showcases and creating income opportunities for them. I am grateful for the Phantasy Night Club for being the first location to even allow me to book an event when most places turned me away because of the genre of music we promoted. Nowadays, you can catch our monthly events at Exotic Cuisines on Lorain Ave every month. We are also launch an animated Youtube series called “Moke” that will feature independent artists and their music.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
As a business owner, I have faced a great deal of peaks and valleys. I’ve had events where everyone that was supposed to show up showed up, and we make money, and events that put me in the hole. Every event, good or bad, was a learning opportunity that helped shaped my business. I had nights in LA that I had to sleep in my car or in my office. I pulled money from my 401k to create a pilot for a reboot of Family Matters that fizzled out because of covid. Through it all, I became more determined and persisted, and I’m grateful for the lessons life has taught me.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Mark Banks Entertainment?
Mark Banks Entertainment produces events, media and manages artists. We exclusively work with independent artists and small businesses/venues. Our goal is to help elevate other small businesses and artists and create spaces and opportunities for their development. We have unique industry experience and a team of talented artists and professionals.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
The industry is definitely continuing to shift to short-form media (e.g., TikTok, Youtube shorts, Reels, etc). A.I. is also playing a larger role in scriptwriting, songwriting, and other forms of media. This will create a major disruption in the industry and will challenge artists’ way of life. It’s important for artists to take heed and prepare for the future.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/markbanksentertainment?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/markbanksent?mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@markbanksentertainment7023
