What’s On My Desk: Deckstar Co-Founder Lawrence Vavra

Lawrence Vavra is the co-founder and President of Deckstar, a leading artist management company representing a diverse roster of musicians that includes the likes of Jane’s Addiction, who have earned five Grammy nominations and an MTV Video Music Award; Grammy and MTV Video Music Award winners Smashing Pumpkins; and Blink-182, who have received multiple MTV Video Music Awards and Teen Choice Awards.  Vavra and fellow-co-founders Matt Colon and Paul Rosenberg have also nurtured some of the EDM world’s biggest DJs and producers, including leading EDM DJ/producer Steve Aoki, who has topped a multitude of “best of” media lists, received Grammy and World Music Award nominations for Best Electronic Dance Music Album. The company, which launched in 2007, today has 14 artist managers and an additional 50 person staff to accommodate the needs of the quickly evolving music landscape. Here, Lawrence (also known as ‘LV’), an entertainment and technology entrepreneur who has also produced and invested in numerous high-profile companies such as San Francisco hospitality group Vintage415 which owns and manages several popular San Francisco Restaurant properties including The Tipsy Pig and Mamacita and who was an early investor in prominent tech companies including Spotify, Uber, Eventbrite, Munchery, and Postmates, shares his desktop essentials with Haute Living. 

1. Notebook: I believe that the act of writing down a thought is the first step in executing that thought so I always keep a notepad within arms reach.

2. Computer: It’s really just become a tool to do emails more efficiently and to review and edit documents for me.

3. Triple iced espresso: I work with musicians, no further explanation necessary.

4. Family photo: It’s nice to look up and remember what really matters.

5. Sloth from the Goonies: Goonies never say die.  It’s our company motto and personal theme.