Good day to you! How are things? Have you had a fabulous week? I hope so. Plans for the weekend?
Okay so over the past five weeks I have been studying. Not music! Ha! tried that one once. No…
IN BUSINESS!
Holy moly what?
ME: “What do you study?”
THEM: “Business Management.”
ME: “Oh, wow, sound’s so interesting, business and stuff, with all the papers, and managing and that. Wow. Oh! Hey is that…? Sorry need to dash…”
How wrong was I?!
I want to say right now, business is the tits. The balls. The other body parts that are good. I am feeling bouncy and enthusiastic about all my business shit.
Okay, I understand “business shit” doesn’t sound very ‘businessey’ but that’s ‘cos I found something else out. I am an entrepreneur. HELL YES.
I am doing a course with the University of Maryland in Entrepreneurship and Brian Tracy, Dani Johnson, Warren Buffett and Dale Carnegie have all just changed my life. I am learning how to increase my productivity and self discipline as well as apply ALL this shit to my music career. And, I think, yes it might be, it is working!
So I suppose this is:
A. An apology if I ever zoned out if you have ever tried to talk to me about business management. Soz.
B. One of my usual “Hey, this is cool, I am doing this thing, listen to me” posts
C. And a chance to say the following…
Just because you are a musician and doing what you love for a living does not mean people can take it from you for free.
When you do a gig you trade your musical services AND your precious time. You don’t get that shit back. That trade makes you a business.
Sometimes it is worth it for free, and you know, it’s not always about money, not at all. Maybe the venue is ace or you want to be part of something that is a bit bigger than yourself. I like that about London, lots of ‘scenes’ kicking around, and being part of a scene, some social capital, can be more beneficial than finance at times. Or, perhaps your trade is ‘time for prints’ with a photographer, or a session for a friend where you can use the recording for promo.
The point I am trying to make is it is not a favour. It is a trade.
It’s all business. Let’s rise up musos!
R x