Activity Soothes Rejection

Activity soothes rejection.  It’s healthy distraction from the nay-saying.

If you want to be in the entertainment business, you better be ready to be rejected.  Early and often, and then still more and more as you go.

You already knew that.

Getting turned down for the gig, the meeting, the endorsement, the producer you wanted, the tour you were promised.  Lots of rejection in this business.  

It stings, but you have a say in how long it stings.

The remedy for the emotional toll of this rejection is activity.

Things going on. Movement (i.e. not sitting around).

The sooner you smack some activity on top of the rejection, the sooner it’s soothed and the burn goes away.

But if all you do is sit and stare at the burn and whine about how much it stings, you are giving fuel to the negative part of rejection.

Don’t do that.

Move. Do something. Go buy someone coffee. Write with someone. Help someone else.

You’re going to need a healthy amount of self-induced activity if you’re going to survive the inevitable emotional burn of rejection in this business.

Pass it on.


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

More Money? Or Worth More?

Do you want more money for your services or are your services worth more than you’re receiving?

Artists spend a lot of time wanting to get paid more.  Striving, desiring, complaining, focusing on, wanting more money for their services. 

But the more important thought process, the one that will take you further into the future is…will you over-deliver…are your services worth more than you’re receiving?

If someone can come to your show for $20 but walk away feeling like they just experienced a $40 show…you win.

You win because they feel like they got a deal…and a good time.

And they’ll buy that $20 ticket EVERY time.  Because it’s worth $40.

After realizing this, you might think you can charge $40 for your show (because artists want more money, and believe they should be paid “what they’re worth”).  But if I pay $40 for your show and also feel like I got a $40 show, I’m not disappointed, but I’m certainly not pumped up about it.

The hope is to always deliver services that are worth more than you’re charging.  That’s the long game.

Don’t worry about getting more money…worry about being worth more.

p.s.  If someone buys your $25 t-shirt and because it’s a cool shirt, they feel cool and get a compliment from some friends on it…the t-shirt just became worth $1000.  Now they’ll buy ALL your $25 t-shirts. Make good t-shirts.

If someone buys your VIP package and you wink at them and they get to tell that story hundreds of times throughout their life, the VIP package is priceless and they will always buy it no matter the cost.  Over deliver.



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

Getting Noticed And Believed

Getting noticed and getting believed are very different takeaways. 

Belief comes when the potential fan CHOOSES to notice you rather than you standing right in front of them. 

Subtlety is key. 

Hint at the facts, don’t tell them.  Tell a story that evokes a change, a story they can step inside of. 

It’s difficult to get believed, as opposed to simply noticed…but…

Once they prove to themselves you’re an artist worth noticing, listening to AND believing, everyone wins, and it’s unlikely they’ll ever stop noticing you.

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

Tax Time...There’s Still Time

Now is the time, while there’s still time, I will implore you to not do your business taxes yourself.

Artists make money so many ways, so many revenue streams.  T-shirts, streaming, sales, BMI/ASCAP, show guarantees, sync/license fees, private events, SAG, hired musician pay, selling gear, renting out gear…

And artists spend money so many ways, so so so so many different ways the money leaves artists.  Management, agents, publicity, making a record, paying players, putting gas in the vehicle, gear, photos, graphic design, food.  The list goes on into the wee hours…

There are business managers who you can (and should) hire for year-round services…but if you won’t swing that, you can hire most any of them to at least file your taxes.

They are professionals.  They specialize in music and entertainment business taxes.

YOU NEED THIS.

This is wise money spent.  And it’s not a lot of money either.

If you don’t have a business manager who comes to mind, who you can sit down with, email me.  I have three off the top of my head here in Nashville who do an amazing job and I will pass you their info.

This is usually the cut off week to get all your info to them in order to give enough time to have everything wrapped up by April 15.  There’s still time, but not much.  Act now.

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

Use Four Words

“Don’t use seven words when four will do”- Rusty (Brad Pitt), Ocean’s 11

Artists are so starved for attention, that when given some, it’s an endless episode of blathering and overstated opinions.

The great artists have a way.  A way of sizing up the interview or situation and delivering the goods with a sharp knife.  Making the point without over indulging their self indulgence.

We don’t care about all the things you have to say…we care about THAT thing that you communicate so clearly, so convincingly, that it flows through everything you say…so you don’t need to go overboard with words.

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

Why March Madness Works

Lots of people who are only kind of into college basketball can act like they’re really into it, and no one will balk at them or laugh at them.

March Madness is more fun when your friends participate too.  Like Facebook.

Everyone understands how a tournament works.

When you pick an upset correctly, you feel superior. Like you knew, you had the pulse.  And no one can tell you otherwise. It feels good.

All the teams are trying really really hard.  True intensity and passion are pleasing to watch.

As with all underdog victories, they make us feel like we can win too.  Because regardless of the bravado and puffy chests we constantly present to the world around us…we all believe we’re underdogs.

March Madness happens…well, in March.  Football is over, baseball hasn’t started, the NBA is far from playoffs, most people don’t care about the NHL.  People who love sports need something to get behind.  A single elimination college basketball tournament is perfect.

In division one college basketball there is only one team who ends the season with a victory.  It’s a pure winner take all.  Everyone has a chance, only one ends with a smile.  (Ok, there is the winner of the NIT too…if you want to count that. I don’t.) 

There are a lot of people involved in March Madness. 68 teams, all the coaches, fans, announcers, TV stations, advertisers, cheerleaders, graphic designers, vendors.  And people are magnetic.  If there’s a lot of people involved, there is more magnetism.

It makes people feel connected (less lonely) and hopeful.

 
p.s. Go back and read this again.  It has everything to do with your career in the entertainment business.


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