Music mogul and recent angel investor, Sean Combs, is helping a group of Philadelphian think-tankers expand their vision of providing resources for creatives looking to move from idea to commerce.
The Bad Boy founder has invested $2 million from his Sean Combs Capital firm into a Philadelphia-based startup called Resources for Every Creator (REC).
Founded by Will Toms and Dave Silver, two alum of Forbes 30 Under 30, in 2015, REC is “an ecosystem designed and dedicated to providing creative people with the resources, communities, and opportunities to pursue their passions and entrepreneurial goals.”
They have given out $2 million dollars to their members to pursue their dreams, bridging brands to those who have the vision to take it to the next level.
REC Philly boasts over 1,000 active members, who have all subscription memberships, and have access to a 10,000 sq ft creative facility, educational programming, and a pool of creatives like themselves to network with within the hub.
Brand partnerships linked in with REC Philly are Live Nation, Comcast, Cash App, WXPN, WSFS Bank, Amuse, Red Bull, T-Mobile, Ballard Spahr & Temple University.
When talking about the investment, Combs said, “Our goal is to make sure that independent creators have the information, tools, and resources needed to win and level the playing field.”
He continued, “This partnership is about the future of the creator economy and helping REC expand to serve more creators in cities and countries around the world.”
Toms said, “Our key focus is turning artists and creators into creative entrepreneurs. We’ve known since the beginning that we weren’t just solving a Philadelphia problem. Access to resources, strategies, and opportunities is a global challenge for creatives everywhere, and with Diddy’s support, we’re excited to bring our solution to communities beyond our hometown of Philly.”
Now, the two are moving REC to Miami, an expansion made possible with Combs’ investment, opening a 12,000-square-foot creative facility equipped with multiple recording studios, photo/video production studios, editing bays, podcast studios, dance studios, design studios, an event venue, coworking space and the in-house production equipment needed to create high-quality media.
“In Philadelphia, much of our success comes from our ability to empower & convene the local creative community, making it easy for both local & global brands to know where they can find & hire creative talent,” Silver said. “Getting artists paid has always been our most impactful metric, and I’m excited to bring that same energy into Miami.”
Toms and Silver are not done with just Philly and Miami locations but hope to expand to other cities throughout the world. In the words of their new investor, “Can’t Stop. Won’t Stop.”