Be good at what you do:

At a Brooklyn vinyl plant, art meets machine.

WHEN I visited a vinyl plant in Queens, NY, in 1998, the product consumed my whole life. Something about seeing the process up close and holding a record captured my soul.

I didn’t have a career at the time, but I made money working for electrical and mechanical contractors. I solicited money from family and acquired the equipment needed to make vinyl, including two more-than 100-ton hydraulic presses. Their condition wasn’t great, but they allowed me to get started.

That first batch took a tremendous amount of energy. The system crashed after making two records. It was, of course, disheartening, but I knew it wouldn’t be easy. Everything I’d read indicated that it was like jumping through hoops on fire that got higher and smaller as you went. Once you get through them, though, the feeling is beautiful.

I may not be the artist, but I do feel connected to the art through what I do. You are creating the vessel for an artist to generate their idea. When it goes out into the world and people enjoy it, nothing could be more rewarding.