Have A Strategy

The music industry is an ever changing landscape and now more than ever it requires an entrepreneurial  spirit to win. Gone are the days of becoming a rich rock star funded by a record company. The industry now belongs to tech savvy kids with more creative abandon than talent. These kids fully understand how to navigate the Internet and reach their demographic or even create it. Without even realizing it, they are following basic business practices. As musicians we have spent thousands of hours honing our craft but most of us haven't put in the time learning the business of how to market, promote and sell who we are and what we do in this new digital age. We must all have a strategy. First of all, decide what you want and design a business plan that deals with time lines, strategy and numbers to help you begin to truly see the path. Once this is done, let the plan guide your decisions in all aspects of your career. Most of us waste a ton of time by associating with people that we know don't contribute to our plan. This doesn't mean that these are bad people, just that they will not help us realize our larger goal. It is also important to do a time spent assessment. No matter what you think you are doing, the truth lies in where you invest the bulk of your time. If all of your time is spent playing $100 club gigs then that is about the extent of what you will achieve. The way to make it all make sense is to only take gigs that will add to your plan. It's really not even about the immediate money. You should mind every association and person you work with to be sure that they are a part of YOUR plan. Success is a house built day by day and we must be careful not to waste time on things that don't contribute to the building of this house. Take some time today and evaluate your goals. Design a schedule that will allow you to spend time on the business side of getting your career to the next level. Remember time is money and if you want to make some REAL money you have to invest some REAL time into the business of YOU. There are no days off. You are a walking, talking billboard for your business. Every show you play, every conversation you have and every social network post you make must all speak to who YOU are and be in line with your larger plan for success. Now go make your plan and above all. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth

All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2013

Just Change It

As musicians and creative people we often fly by the seat of our pants. I mean we live mostly for the moment and we most times make decisions the same way. Living in the moment works great for creating art but it doesn't always fair as well when it comes to making business and life decisions. Yet it's never to late to improve or do something different. Many of us have made and continue to make decisions that don't contribute to our advancement and we constantly complain or blame others for our condition. Well the easiest thing to do is often the hardest thing to do . . . just live stress free and BE HAPPY. If you don't like something in your life or business, then just change it. Yes, it's that simple. We are always complaining about the the guy that doesn't pay us enough or doesn't handle business the way we would like. Well, instead of continually involving ourselves in those situations and increasing our level of stress, just say no or change the way you deal with it. If you accept a job with someone that you know is not on the up and up then you have NOTHING to complain about because YOU took the job. Stress is one of the biggest killers in the world, especially in our industry but we won't face it. By the time we realize that the stress of misinformation, long hours on the road for little money, disorganized management, blatant brow beating and disrespect have severely effected our health and quality of life, it's too late. Every decision we make must serve our well being. If something in your life is making you unhappy or causing you stress, just change it. Negative thoughts and energy can be toxic to your soul and physical being. We have to practice making better decisions and not beating ourselves up over mistakes. If you realize that something is not working then change it and move on. The truth is that not many of us really want to be happy. We are so  used to being toxic that we don't truly want to rid ourselves of the condition because once you do that, you then have all of this time to focus and work toward REALLY being successful and happy. As crazy as it may sound, not many of us really want to be happy and free. That's why we keep making the same wrong choices. I challenge you to be free. Simply change anything in your life and business that isn't contributing to your advancement and enjoy the journey. 

The Truth

All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2013

Business Acumen

The one thing that seems to be true about the music business, and any other business, is that when it comes to success, there really is no mystery. I mean there are many different routes to success but the principles are always the same. I've noticed that your level of success is directly related to your level of business acumen. I work with a lot of really talented people and I sometimes find myself asking why these people aren't household names but after working with them, I get it. You see talent is just not enough. Just being great at something doesn't guarantee success. Success is gained by mastering business and organizational skills and you have to ALWAYS be on every aspect of your game ALL the time. For example, I've seen artists get a lot of work but hit a wall when it comes to moving to the next level because, as good as they may be, they are inconsistent. Some nights they are great and others they are just ok. They dress sometimes and sometimes they don't. They like to drink and party sometimes in excess in full view of the decision makers. Now most of you may say hey man loosen up there's nothing wrong with a good time. Well I beg to differ, especially if that good time paints the wrong picture of who you are and what your larger goals are. Remember that people are ALWAYS watching us, on and off stage and it is OUR BUSINESS to always be aware of the type of image we are putting forth. If your goal is to grow your career into a multi million dollar business, your business and presence must say this in every way. So no, there are no surprises. There are tons of talented people that will wallow in mediocrity because of there lack of business acumen. Trust me, this is a business like any other and there are no days off. Every performance is not only an audition but an opportunity and as much as it is about art, it is about business and pushing your career to the next level. This is a highly competitive game but there is room for anyone who's not afraid to work. So decide what you want and start walking down the path toward that success NOW. Remember to always be sincere and passionate. Stay focused on YOUR goals and learn from the mistakes and missteps of others. Success is yours, you have but to reach out and grab it. Enjoy The Journey.

The Truth

All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2013