The mindful promoter: Seth Hurwitz on finding balance in business through meditation and values-based leadership
In the high-pressure world of live music promotion, where success is often measured in ticket sales and bottom lines, Seth Hurwitz has carved out a unique path guided by mindfulness, authenticity, and a steadfast commitment to his values. As the founder of I.M.P. and co-owner of Washington D.C.’s legendary 9:30 Club, Seth Hurwitz offers valuable insights into maintaining balance between commercial success and personal fulfillment in a competitive industry.
The journey to mindfulness
Hurwitz’s path to mindfulness wasn’t born from a spiritual quest but rather from a pragmatic need to manage the stresses of his industry. “It was the agents that drove me to this,” he admits with characteristic candor. Despite achieving considerable success as a promoter, he found himself continually frustrated by interactions with agents who “were still driving me crazy.”
The turning point came when he realized that his success hadn’t immunized him from stress. “Here I am, should be enjoying my life, which I was, I am, I do. But these conversations, these people just were getting to me still,” he recalls. This recognition led him to explore meditation, beginning with Transcendental Meditation (TM) classes and supplemented by reading Eckhart Tolle’s “The Power of Now” and “Meditation for Dummies.”
What struck him most was the simplicity of the practice. “When I first went to a TM class, it’s like, ‘That’s it? That’s really it?'” he remembers thinking. “‘You repeat a word and therefore you don’t think of other things. That’s the whole deal. That’s what the Beatles went to India for?'” Yet despite his initial skepticism, he discovered that this simple practice had profound effects on his daily life and business approach.
Today, meditation forms the foundation of his daily routine. “I do that first thing 20 minutes every day,” he says, followed by coffee—a ritual that bookends his day along with reading in the morning and evening. This practice has helped him develop a present-focused mindset that informs every aspect of his business decisions.
Learning from human nature
Alongside his meditation practice, Hurwitz credits Dale Carnegie’s “How to Win Friends and Influence People” as one of his most influential reads—though he admits he “read it too late in life, and it could have saved me ton of feuds and arguments.” The book’s insights into human psychology, particularly the universal aversion to criticism, helped shape his approach to business relationships.
“It’s really helped me understand dealing with people and trying to find common ground, which should be the basis for any deal,” he explains. This understanding has been crucial in an industry built on relationships between artists, agents, venues, and fans.
The combination of meditation and applied psychology has allowed Hurwitz to develop a leadership style that balances assertiveness with empathy. While he remains “relentless” in pursuing his vision—taking “no” as a challenge rather than a conclusion—he has also learned to be more attentive to others’ perspectives. “I’m trying to become a better listener,” he acknowledges, recognizing that stubborn determination can be both a strength and a limitation.
The “work in progress” mentality
Despite his decades of success in the music industry, Hurwitz maintains a “work in progress” mentality that keeps him open to growth and improvement. “I don’t think you ever want to think you don’t need improving,” he states. “I get up every day with the intent of improving my business and myself.”
This commitment to continuous learning explains his voracious reading habits—he typically reads “eight books at once,” spanning genres from philosophy and self-help to classics like Charles Dickens and memoirs like Ben Franklin’s autobiography. “If you spend a day complacent or not learning anything,” he believes, “it’s really a waste of a day.”
This philosophy extends to his business practices as well. Rather than resting on his laurels after establishing successful venues like the 9:30 Club and The Anthem, he continues to innovate, as evidenced by his recent creation of The Atlantis—a new venue that pays homage to the original 9:30 Club while serving contemporary audiences and artists.
Values-based decision making
Perhaps the most instructive aspect of Hurwitz’s approach is his unwavering commitment to values-based decision making, even when it comes at a financial cost. “If I think something’s wrong, I say no. If I lose the show over it, that’s fine,” he states, exemplifying a principled stance that’s increasingly rare in the business world.
This approach is particularly evident in his stance on ticket pricing and the secondary market. In an era where dynamic pricing models and resale platforms have driven concert tickets to unprecedented heights, Hurwitz remains an advocate for accessibility and fair pricing. He has never engaged in scalping, explaining: “I just don’t believe in it. And I don’t want to take more money from people if in fact they could pay the going rate and go to the show, I don’t need any more from them.”
His solution to the industry’s pricing challenges is straightforward: place a percentage limit on resale values. Without such a cap, he argues, “It’s whack-a-mole…you will never prevent other people from making money on the show you booked and worked on.” This stance led him to testify before Congress against the Live Nation/Ticketmaster merger, warning of the consequences of consolidation on pricing and consumer choice.
What’s notable about Seth Hurwitz’s position is that it stems not from abstract idealism but from a practical concern for the long-term health of the industry. “The more people pay for tickets, the less shows they’re going to go to,” he notes. This fundamental insight drives his approach: by keeping prices reasonable, he ensures that fans can attend multiple shows rather than being forced to choose just one premium experience per year.
Creating meaningful experiences
At the heart of Hurwitz’s business philosophy is a deep appreciation for the transformative power of live music. When asked about the “why” behind his work, he responds with characteristic simplicity: “I like to have an influence on the city. I like to have an influence on people’s lives in a good way.”
He describes his favorite moment as standing at the stage line in his box at The Anthem, having greeted the band and watching as the audience fills the venue: “Everyone is happy and there’s this joy there, and I know what the people went through, they bought tickets and waited for the show and waited in line, and now they’re here and the show starts. That’s the best moment ever.”
This focus on creating meaningful experiences extends to his venue designs. From the iconic 9:30 Club to his newest venture, The Atlantis, each space is crafted to foster authentic connections between artists and audiences. He deliberately avoids the corporate approach that prioritizes premium experiences and high-margin add-ons, instead focusing on creating spaces where music can be experienced in its most immediate and powerful form.
“I don’t want to do anything to dilute the live experience,” he explains. “I want people to need to go see the bands to experience this.” In his view, the essence of live music lies in that irreplaceable connection that happens when performer and audience share the same space.
Lessons for leaders across industries
While Hurwitz’s insights are rooted in the music industry, they offer valuable lessons for leaders in any field. His integration of mindfulness practices into his daily routine demonstrates how cultivating presence can enhance decision-making and reduce reactive stress responses. His commitment to continuous learning through reading and reflection shows the importance of intellectual curiosity in maintaining relevance and adaptability.
Perhaps most significantly, his values-based approach to business provides a compelling alternative to purely profit-driven models. By prioritizing authentic experiences, fair treatment of all stakeholders, and long-term sustainability over short-term gains, Hurwitz has built venues and relationships that have endured for decades.
His willingness to forego immediate profits to maintain these values isn’t just admirable—it’s been strategically sound. The loyalty he’s earned from artists, staff, and audiences has created a foundation of goodwill that sustains his business through industry fluctuations. In an age where consumers increasingly favor businesses that demonstrate authentic values, Hurwitz’s approach seems increasingly prescient.
Finding your own balance
For those seeking to apply Hurwitz’s wisdom to their own lives and businesses, his message is clear: success without balance isn’t success at all. By combining mindfulness practices with honest self-assessment and principled decision-making, it’s possible to build something that’s both commercially viable and personally fulfilling.
“Try and enjoy every moment,” he advises. “Can’t go wrong if you do.” This simple perspective, combined with his commitment to continuous improvement and authentic values, offers a refreshing alternative to conventional notions of success—one that measures achievement not just in financial terms but in the quality of experiences created and relationships fostered.
In a world that often equates growth with expansion, Hurwitz reminds us of the wisdom in Marcus Aurelius’s advice: “If you seek tranquility, do less.” Sometimes, the most successful path isn’t the one that leads to ever-expanding empires but the one that allows us to excel within boundaries we’ve thoughtfully chosen, creating depth and meaning rather than mere scale.