The StartUp Podcast

If you’ve ever thought about turning something you enjoy into something you get paid to do for a living (i.e. artists and most people in the entertainment business), you need to download and listen to every episode of the StartUp podcast.

It’s a podcast about a guy from This American Life starting a podcast company. 

He’s incredibly transparent about his fears and insecurities, the way it’s effecting his marriage, the way the money works in the business.

But one of the most important aspects that they don’t really mention directly in the podcast is that….he didn’t wait. He started.

And that really ends up being paramount to the whole thing succeeding, was that he just started DOING it, while a majority of the questions were unanswered. The hard parts and the easier parts.

You are the key. You are the talent, the lightning rod.  And if you operate out of this place, you will also become a magnet. 

I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com

Keys Are Important

You have a place where you set your keys so you don’t forget the keys. Because keys are important. Those little pieces of metal (or plastic with a computer chip inside) give you access and allow us to participate in the world around us.

Keys are important because they give freedom. And because that message is so ingrained in our brains, and we believe it so deeply, we set up mechanisms to make sure that freedom is never lost.  

Why is your music important? 

Why is your band, team, organization important?

Do you even believe it is, in fact, important?

I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com

Artist Development

A lot of people say that artist development is gone. A thing of the past.

It’s not.

It used to be development was something the label did for you, or did to you. It was their responsibility.

Now it’s the artists responsibility to develop a knack for growth and also learn to surround themselves with people who help them grow.

Artist development is alive and well for those who desire it.  If you’re having trouble finding how to get it started, pay someone you trust $50 and tell them to give you an honest opinion of your landscape. Start there. Build from there.

You can release music whenever you want to. From your bedroom.

You can talk to you fans whenever you want to. From your bedroom.

You can make a video whenever you want to. For next to nothing.

It used to be that artists complained because they needed the labels to make the above things happen in order for them to develop.

Now artists can.

Now the gym is open 24/7. And you’ve got a membership. 

Pass It On

A couple weeks ago I put up a free eBook called 6 Things You Need To Know Before SXSW.  A bunch of bands and artists have downloaded and it seems to be helping and making a difference.

So with only a few days before the music part of SXSW starts, I thought I’d ask you to help me extend the reach of this material to a few more artists.

If there is one musician, artist, band, manager, blogger you care about who is heading down that way, send them this link and hopefully the book can be a good resource for them too. (Or feel free to post on FB/Twitter etc)

Click this link: 6 Things To Know Before SXSW

SXSW in no way is a make-or-break situation. But any situation you’re going to spend five days doing, it’s worth it to pay attention and do a good job. 

I hope this helps.

The Golden Rule-ish

The sentiment behind “treat others how you want to be treated” is good. And sometimes it’s accurate even in the literal sense.

But rephrasing it will help apply it to your band or team or organization…

“Treat others with love and respect, and that’s going to look a little different for everyone.”

This is a difficult thing to do, but you’re the leader so it starts with you. Today.

p.s. I could write an entire book on the times I’ve taken the golden rule literally and had it blow up in my face, while hiding behind it (the golden rule) all the while as my excuse.

The Plastic Grocery Bag In The Road

A plastic grocery bag is not a threat to your car. Your car will crush it. Your feet could crush it. Even a baby’s tiny, weak feet would crush it.

But a plastic bag 100 feet away from you, in the middle of the road while you’re driving poses a threat.  Why? Because you can’t tell what it is. It could be a rock or a bag of nails. And those would do some damage if you don’t swerve out of the way.

If you’re a giant Chevy Tahoe you don’t have the ability to get close enough to the object before making your decision to swerve or not. If there’s anything in the road you have to get out of the way as soon as it comes into view,  because by the time you see what it actually is it’s too late to make a decision.  You’re heavy, not maneuverable and sluggish

It might have turned out to be a plastic bag…so you just got knocked off course by something that poses no actual threat to you.

On the other hand, if you’re a Ferrari, you can get a lot closer to the potential threat before figuring out if you need to change course.  If it’s just a plastic bag, you can identify it as such and you don’t even have to slow down. If it’s a bag of nails, you slow down a tiny bit, swerve, and then your back to 100mph.

The object in the road 100 feet away says a lot more about you than it does the potential problem.

How quickly can your team swerve? How efficiently can you make important decisions that have consequences (positive or negative)? When you see a potential problem is it immediately debilitating, or can you maneuver to find out more and react/respond more accurately?

I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com