Alumni Feature: Adel Rashid (BA ’15)
Adel Rashid is a recent graduate who took the entrepreneur route with his career, launching Tour Buddies, a service based organization designed to help musicians meet their tour-related needs. With influences such as professors Ajay Gosain and Jeff Steele, Adel feels very prepared for the music-related industry he is involved in to fully launch Tour Buddies.
What degree did you earn from Columbia? When did you graduate?
I earned a BA in Music Business Management and graduated in the fall semester of 2015.
What is your current job and how did you get there?
I am currently working on a startup called Tour Buddies. It’s in the infant stages of development right now. It’s a crowdsourcing website that offers affordable solutions such as accommodation and gear rental for touring bands. The idea came about during my entrepreneurship class with Jeff Steele. As the CEO of the company, I wanted to come up with a business that would be beneficial for artists and bands.
What field are you working in?
I would call the field I am working in a hybrid of the technology and service industries. We use the internet and technology to provide a marketplace where music fans can provide a service to bands.
How did the business program at Columbia prepare you for what you do now?
The business program prepared me in many ways when it comes to starting a business. From Accounting and Finance to Entrepreneurship and Economics, these “not-so-glamorous” subjects were key to helping me understand the “nuts and bolts” of starting and running a business. As a music business major, classes like Music Publishing and Business of Music gave me a rare look into the financial and corporate aspects of being an artist or band, which is crucial for me to know since they are my target audience.
What was your most valuable Columbia experience?
It would definitely be the friends and connections I’ve made, not only with fellow students, but also professors who are currently active in the music industry. I’ve had the opportunity to discuss potential collaborations and ways to work with other people from school and it’s been nothing but inspiring.
Were there any particular professors who have made a significant impact on you?
Ajay Gosain – Music Publishing I and II. Ajay is super cool and supportive. A subject like music publishing can be quite complicated especially with legalese but he made it fun and easy to understand. I actually wanted to go into music publishing but I figured it could wait for a while since I had already started Tour Buddies and wanted to prioritize it.
Jeff Steele – Entrepreneurship. I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit, so this class was very enjoyable for me. Jeff shared many secrets to starting a company on top of what he covered in the syllabus. The most important skill I learned was actually pitching an idea to an investor because it was a skill I lacked due to my introverted personality.
In what way did your Business degree help your career?
The degree definitely adds a layer of legitimacy to my professional portfolio. More importantly, the skills and knowledge I gained during my education at Columbia has helped me develop a deep understanding of the music industry. This has proved to be an advantage for me when starting my music-related business.
Do you have any advice for current Columbia students?
Plan ahead with what you want to do after graduation.
Don’t think about what you want to do, but think about what you can do for others.
Don’t waste your money on Starbucks. Buy the dollar coffee from the library instead.