TEM150: How to 10x your progress and moving on quickly from your bad ideas - A conversation with Modacity's Marc Gelfo

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TEM150: How to 10x your progress and moving on quickly from your bad ideas - A conversation with Modacity's Marc Gelfo

Marc Gelfo is the CEO and co-founder of Modacity.

I can't believe we made it to 150 episodes together! Thank you to each and every one of you for listening and for giving TEM your attention. I wouldn't have made it past the 10th episode without you!

Next stop: 200!

 

What You'll Learn:

  • How Marc used his experiences with cognitive science to approach practicing his horn more efficiently

  • The need for an embouchure change after Marc was already making a living as a professional horn player that inspired him to create software to help himself and others practice more efficiently

  • How different his first idea in this space was compared to what Modacity is today

  • The startup accelerator he joined in Silicon Valley that really forced him to question whether his ideas were viable business ideas

  • Why you need to kill your bad ideas as fast as you possibly can (and how to go about starting that process if you're not good at it)

  • The difference between visionaries and integrators and why those two types of people work so well together (and why partnering with someone is frequently a better idea than trying to change your type)

  • How any musician can up their progress up to 10x

  • The two different kinds of expectations and the four reactions we can have to them (really good stuff!)

  • How Marc discovered the importance of team as he developed Modacity

  • Why bringing on advisers as teammates can compliment your weaknesses (and how to pitch them)

  • How he achieves balance in his life (this was a different answer than I’ve ever heard to this question)

  • Where Marc sees software for musicians going in the future

 Links:

Want to help the show? Here's a couple of ways you can do that!

1. Help me get to my next goal of $100 per episode on Patreon by pledging as little as $1 per episode to support the show: https://www.patreon.com/tempodcast.

2. My next iTunes goal is 100 ratings and 75 reviews. Take just a minute to leave a rating and review on iTunes to help me get there. Thank you!

And finally, a huge thank you to Parker Mouthpieces for providing the hosting for TEM.

Produced by Andrew Hitz

Show notes for all episodes of TEM including topics discussed, links to all books and websites referenced can be found at:

http://www.andrewhitz.com/shownotes

TEM128: The one thing you should NEVER outsource

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TEM128: The one thing you should NEVER outsource

Never, ever let anyone else define what success "should" mean for you.

What You'll Learn:

  • Why it is so imperative that we always define success for ourselves

  • How our parents can have a huge impact (not always in a good way!) on what we view as success

  • The pressure, both real and perceived, that colleagues and co-workers put on our views of success and how that can lead to conforming rather than proactively defining it for ourselves

  • Why comparing the online presence of others to our real selves can have a very negative impact on our perception or reality

  • How our egos shape what we pursue and what we don't pursue which prevents us from doing the work we were meant to do

  • Why it's important to regularly (at least every quarter) define in writing what success means to you and how that helps us to identify and to take the best next step, whatever that is

1. Help me get to my goal of $50 per episode on Patreon by pledging as little as $1 per episode to support the show: https://www.patreon.com/tempodcast.

2. I'm up to 60 ratings and 41 reviews on iTunes. Help me reach my goals of 75 ratings and 50 reviews by taking just a couple of minutes on iTunes!

And finally, a huge thank you to Parker Mouthpieces for providing the hosting for TEM.

Produced by Andrew Hitz

TEM126: Cathy Heller on getting a major record deal yet still failing, being analytical about your approach to the music business and persevering until you close the gap

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TEM126: Cathy Heller on getting a major record deal yet still failing, being analytical about your approach to the music business and persevering until you close the gap

Cathy Heller is a hugely successful singer-songwriter, the owner of Catch the Moon Music and the mother of three children under the age of six (!) living in LA.

What You'll Learn:

  • How getting two different major record deals in LA still didn’t lead to any commercial success for Cathy

  • How cycling through “real” jobs for two years helped her realize that she had to be true to herself and make music for a living

  • The very thorough research method she used to get her songs successfully placed on television and film

  • The various things she offers today including her own agency, an online course and a podcast “Don’t Keep Your Day Job” which is all about reverse-engineering your dream job (which led to a book deal with a major publisher)

  • Why intentionally writing for commercial success is not selling out

  • How the key to commercial success in business is making something that someone else wants

  • Why self-perception is such a powerful thing and can easily derail even the most successful person

  • How ever though a stadium full of people listen to each episode of her podcast, she really is only talking to one person at a time

  • A songwriting exercise she does to help get ideas out (which is applicable to anyone doing anything)

  • The importance of sticking with something until you can close “the gap”

Links:

Show notes for all episodes of TEM including topics discussed, links to all books and websites referenced can be found at:

http://www.andrewhitz.com/shownotes

1. Help me get to my goal of $50 per episode on Patreon by pledging as little as $1 per episode to support the show: https://www.patreon.com/tempodcast.

2. Thanks to everyone who helped me get to my goal of 50 ratings on iTunes! I appreciate it very much!

And finally, a huge thank you to Parker Mouthpieces for providing the hosting for TEM.

Produced by Andrew Hitz

TEM118: Rob Knopper of the Metropolitan Opera and Auditionhacker

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TEM118: Rob Knopper of the Metropolitan Opera and Auditionhacker on the many remaining blue oceans in the music business, time management and how Auditionhacker developed from a personal method to a product

Rob Knopper is a percussionist with the Metropolitan Opera and is the founder of Auditionhacker.

*****Want to make more money in the music business? Contact TEM Coaching for your free consultation today to see if we are a good fit. Find out more at: http://www.andrewhitz.com/coaching*****

What You'll Learn in TEM118:

  • How observing fans at Yes and King Crimson concerts informs how he interacts with the customers on his website

  • Why he ignored everything else and focused solely on audition prep before winning the job with the Met

  • How rewarding it was after winning his gig to give himself permission to pursue the other passions in his life that he had been putting off

  • How getting involved with the Met Orchestra Musician’s website and social media channels showed him it really wasn’t that hard

  • A recording project he completed that was a textbook example of finding a blue ocean, harnessing passion and the principle of scarcity

  • The incredibly honest writings he did about his successes and failures with auditions that really resonated with his customer base

  • Why it is so important to identify exactly who you are writing or speaking to when producing content (and why it is awfully easy when that person is you)

  • The incredible number of blue oceans there still are in music since we have far fewer specialists than a profession like the medical one

  • How Auditionhacker went from a personal method to a product as the result of a demonstrated need by potential customers

  • How he came to partner with Noa Kageyama of The Bulletproof Musician on an online course

  • How Rob is able to manage his time efficiently and keep his playing at a world class level while maintaining so many entrepreneurial pursuits

Links:

Show notes for all episodes of TEM including topics discussed, links to all books and websites referenced can be found at:

http://www.andrewhitz.com/shownotes

Don't miss the debut of the TEM Newsletter! Sign up to receive a free copy of 7 Lessons Learned from the First 100 Episodes of TEM.

1. Help me get to my goal of $50 per episode on Patreon by pledging as little as $1 per episode to support the show: https://www.patreon.com/tempodcast.

2. Help me get to my goal of 75 ratings at iTunes by leaving a rating and review.

Follow TEM on Instagram and Twitter and Facebook

And finally, a huge thank you to Parker Mouthpieces for providing the hosting for TEM.

Produced by Andrew Hitz for Pedal Note Media

TEM115: Kristen Sheridan of the Sheridan Studio of Music on building a large and sustainable teaching studio, advocating for yourself and the importance of not being a jerk

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TEM115: Kristen Sheridan of the Sheridan Studio of Music on building a large and sustainable teaching studio, advocating for yourself and the importance of not being a jerk

Kristen Sheridan, one of the premier private studio teachers in the Washington DC area, talks about everything that went into building her sustainable business.

***** Want to make more money in the music business? Contact TEM Coaching for your free consultation today to see if we are a good fit. Find out more at: http://www.andrewhitz.com/coaching *****

-----

What You'll Learn in TEM115:

  • How when Kristen moved to town she contacted every middle school and high school band director in all of Fairfax County, what she offered in that letter and why only getting one “Yes” out of the 50+ letters sent got her foot in the door which led to the success she enjoys today as a teacher in the area

  • How networking led her to be involved as an artist with both D’Addario and Backun

  • The struggles of being in business while being a people pleaser

  • How to know if you are charging the right amount for your services

  • How she legally structured Sheridan Studio of Music when she launched

  • Where she got a great logo for not much money and how just adding a logo can make a website look really professional

  • How Kristen has figured out that being a DIY-type person doesn’t mean she should try to do everything herself

  • What she uses to keep track of the incoming money for her teaching studio

  • What she would do if she were moving to a new town and wanted to establish a studio and how she would figure out what to charge

  • The importance of just showing up

Links:

Show notes for all episodes of TEM including topics discussed, links to all books and websites referenced can be found at:

http://www.andrewhitz.com/shownotes

Don't miss the debut of the TEM Newsletter! Sign up to receive a free copy of 7 Lessons Learned from the First 100 Episodes of TEM.

1. Help me get to my goal of $50 per episode on Patreon by pledging as little as $1 per episode to support the show: https://www.patreon.com/tempodcast.

2. Help me get to my goal of 75 ratings at iTunes by leaving a rating and review.

Follow TEM on Instagram and Twitter and Facebook

And finally, a huge thank you to Parker Mouthpieces for providing the hosting for TEM.

Produced by Andrew Hitz for Pedal Note Media

TEM112: The one thing every musician must have

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TEM112: The one thing every musician must have

Why every musician in 2017 must have a website and some tips on how to make a great one.

What You'll Learn:

  • Why your website is your electronic storefront and why you have to own your own store (and not just rent one on social media)

  • How a website helps you cut through the noise and get found by potential customers

  • Tips to choosing a good URL for your website and where to get one

  • Why checking the availability of URL's and social media handles should be one of the first things you do when brainstorming a new idea

  • The importance of initially developing a website that is a Minimum Viable Product rather than putting it off to make it "perfect"

  • The different platforms you can use to build your own website

  • Solving specific problems for very specific people (your potential customers) through your website and how that can lead to income

Links:

Show notes for all episodes of TEM including topics discussed, links to all books and websites referenced can be found at: 

http://www.andrewhitz.com/shownotes

Don't miss the debut of the TEM Newsletter! Sign up to receive a free copy of 7 Lessons I Learned from the First 100 Episodes of TEM.

1. Help me get to my goal of $50 per episode on Patreon by pledging as little as $1 per episode to support the show: https://www.patreon.com/tempodcast.

2. Help me get to my goal of 50 reviews on iTunes by leaving a rating and review (and thanks to everyone who helped me get to 50 ratings!)

Follow TEM on Instagram and Twitter and Facebook

And finally, a huge thank you to Parker Mouthpieces for providing the hosting for TEM.

Produced by Andrew Hitz for Pedal Note Media

TEM110: Jazz-Pop Duo 23rd Hour on treating your band like a startup, pulling off a successful album launch and how to rock an email campaign

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TEM110: Jazz-Pop Duo 23rd Hour on treating your band like a startup, pulling off a successful album launch and how to rock an email campaign

23rd Hour is a jazz-pop duo comprised of Sherry-Lynn Lee and George Paolini.

What You'll Learn:

  • How this unlikely pair met and ended up working together (Sherry-Lynn had the courage to ask)

  • Why they ended up targeting the wine industry by using the #WineWednesday hashtag (and the many benefits that have come from it)

  • How they treat their band as a startup

  • How they pulled off a successful album release party at a venue and in a city they had never played in before

  • The benefits of partnering with a local charity

  • How to send a very successful email campaign with much higher than average open rates and click rates

  • The importance of knowing your strengths, delegating and using deadlines when you are in a partnership

  • How they managed to climb all the way to #10 on the iTunes Jazz Chart through a combination of a little good luck and a lot of calculated, specific actions

  • How a physical guest book can be a great tool to getting people to sign up for your mailing list

Links:

Show notes for all episodes of TEM including topics discussed, links to all books and websites referenced can be found at:

http://www.andrewhitz.com/shownotes

Don't miss the debut of the TEM Newsletter! Sign up to receive a free copy of 7 Lessons I Learned from the First 100 Episodes of TEM.

1. Help me get to my goal of $50 per episode on Patreon by pledging as little as $1 per episode to support the show: https://www.patreon.com/tempodcast.

2. Help me get to my goal of 50 ratings at iTunes (I'm one away!) by leaving a rating and review.

Follow TEM on Instagram and Twitter and Facebook

And finally, a huge thank you to Parker Mouthpieces for providing the hosting for TEM.

Produced by Andrew Hitz for Pedal Note Media

TEM108: Seth Hanes Quotes (TEM Short)

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Seth Hanes is a horn player, digital marketer and author of "Break into the Scene: A Musician's Guide to Making Connections, Creating Opportunities, and Launching a Career".

This TEM Short features thoughts on my favorite Seth Hanes quotes from TEM107.

Quotes:

  • "The tactics don't dictate the strategy. The strategy should dictate the tactics."

  • "I think the first step that anyone should take, before they do anything...don't make a Facebook page, don't even make a website, don't do anything. The first thing you should do is first figure out what is the product or service that you have that solves an actual problem that people have? You have to identify a problem that you can solve."

  • "That's how I got on all of these (podcasts and blogs.) How can I be even kind of useful to this person? That's how I did that. And it cost me zero dollars."

Show notes for all episodes of TEM including topics discussed, links to all books and websites referenced can be found at:

http://www.andrewhitz.com/shownotes

1. Help me get to my goal of $50 per episode on Patreon by pledging as little as $1 per episode to support the show: https://www.patreon.com/tempodcast.

2. Help me get to my goal of 50 ratings at iTunes (I'm only two away!) by leaving a rating and review.

And finally, a huge thank you to Parker Mouthpieces for providing the hosting for TEM.

Produced by Andrew Hitz

TEM105: Corey Brown of No Treble on working with Seth Godin, having the courage to reach out to people you want to meet and launching the world's top online bass magazine

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TEM105: Corey Brown of No Treble on working with Seth Godin, having the courage to reach out to people you want to meet and launching the world's top online bass magazine

Corey Brown is the founder of the online bass magazine, No Treble, and worked with Seth Godin to build Squidoo, one of the most visited websites in the history of the internet.

What You'll Learn:

  • How Corey fell in love with music and ended up majoring in music at North Texas

  • How not thriving within the formal structure of college pushed him towards one of his other loves, graphic design

  • How he ended up working with Seth Godin to run Squidoo, one of the most frequently visited websites in the world, when they didn't know each other beforehand

  • The importance of architecting a website when building it so you have a clear idea of how it is all going to function together

  • How he launched No Treble so he would have something waiting for him whenever his run at Squidoo ended

  • Why he worried entirely about content and traffic and not about monetization (and the parallels there with launching a podcast)

  • How he's monetized No Treble after the fact

  • How every time they hit a traffic benchmark at Squidoo Seth Godin challenged them to add a zero as their next goal

  • How he came to be in charge of the official Jaco Pastorius website (and why when given the chance to connect with someone you should just reach out)

Links:

Show notes for all episodes of TEM including topics discussed, links to all books and websites referenced can be found at:

http://www.andrewhitz.com/shownotes

Don't miss the debut of the TEM Newsletter! Sign up to receive a free copy of 7 Things I Learned from the First 100 Episodes of TEM.

1. Help me get to my goal of $50 per episode on Patreon by pledging as little as $1 per episode to support the show: https://www.patreon.com/tempodcast.

2. Help me get to my goal of 50 ratings at iTunes (I'm two away!) by leaving a rating and review.

Follow TEM on Instagram and Twitter and Facebook

And finally, a huge thank you to Parker Mouthpieces for providing the hosting for TEM.

Produced by Joey Santillo for Pedal Note Media

TEM104: Dr. John Parks Quotes (TEM Short)

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TEM104: Dr. John Parks Quotes (TEM Short)

This TEM Short features thoughts on my favorite Dr. John Parks quotes from TEM103.

Quotes:

  • "I wasn't good at this thing, and I wasn't good at this thing, and I was kind of good at this thing and then realized it was really hard. So instead of quitting, I just decided, 'I'm gonna practice my butt off'. And so I did and I started getting a lot better and then I started getting addicted to being better."

  • "I think the goal for every teacher is to teach your students to be their own teacher and there's no better way to do that than by listening to recordings of yourself. It's always humbling. No matter how well you are playing, it's always humbling because it never lies to you.”

  • "We've recorded several CD's of the percussion ensemble and it's amazing. We get in there to record and the red light goes on and they don't even flinch. You can take really good guys and put them in a recording situation and say you're rolling and all of sudden they (are freaking out.)"

Show notes for all episodes of TEM including topics discussed, links to all books and websites referenced can be found at:

http://www.andrewhitz.com/shownotes

1. Help me get to my goal of $50 per episode on Patreon by pledging as little as $1 per episode to support the show: https://www.patreon.com/tempodcast.

2. Help me get to my goal of 50 ratings at iTunes by leaving a rating and review.

And finally, a huge thank you to Parker Mouthpieces for providing the hosting for TEM.

Produced by Joey Santillo

TEM97: Mark Rabideau of 21CM on being authentic, remaining curious and straying from traditional career paths

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TEM97: Mark Rabideau of 21CM on being authentic, remaining curious and straying from traditional career paths

Mark Rabideau, Director of DePauw University's 21CM, joined me for Episode 97 to discuss being authentic, remaining curious and straying from traditional career paths.

Topics Covered:

  • 5:18 - Mark's incredibly interesting and diverse path through the music business and what eventually led him to stray from the traditional path he began on (including leaving a tenured position more than once)

  • 19:53 - How giving close access to great artists through house parties led to him starting a nonprofit with a very narrow focus

  • 23:21 - How doing post-doctoral work at Rutgers University's Center for Creativity completely changed his way of thinking about the arts

  • 24:30 - Mark's trombone quartet, CTQ, which he traveled the world with for 10 years

  • 30:45 - The beginning of 21CM at DePauw University and the many different faces it has today including a monthly online magazine, a semi-annual symposium, an upcoming institute and community outreach

  • 38:25 - How Mark is able to take so many ideas to fruition and ship them rather than have them die just as an idea

  • 46:55 - The book he is finishing right now which is a curriculum for musical entrepreneurship aimed at teaching both the students and the professors

  • 56:00 - The upcoming 21CM Institute which prepares people to teach music entrepreneurship

  • 59:55 - The advice Mark would give to a musician looking to become more entrepreneurial

  • 1:08:12 - Resources he would recommend for a music entrepreneur

Links:

Favorite Quotes:

"I think one of the mistakes we make is we spend a lot of time teaching slide positions and alternate saxophone fingers and we don't really teach them to be creative. We don't really teach them to be collaborative. We don't focus them on chasing down their own curiosities through an education in the arts. So when they leave it they're not hungry for artistic experience."

"If you care about classical music, you don't care about the institutions of the past, you care about the art of the past and making them relevant institutionally today."

"For me there's nothing more frustrating but even more so, dull and boring, than sitting around and talking about wildly creative things and not do anything about it."

"In the real life game of musical chairs, there is a seat for everyone. But you have to actually build that chair."

If you are a fan of the show you can help me reach some specific goals I've set for TEM:

Help me get to 50 ratings and 50 reviews on iTunes. It takes just a minute and really helps people to find the podcast. Thanks to everyone who has already left a rating!

You can also help me get to 20 patrons on Patreons (and I'm really close!) 

Thanks for all the help spreading and supporting TEM. It means the world to me.

Produced by Joey Santillo

TEM80: If it's not a $#%& yes, it's a no (TEM Short)

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TEM80: If it's not a $#%& yes, it's a no (TEM Short)

This TEM Short is in response to my interview with Emilio Guarino in Episode 79.

The surefire way to decide whether you should take on a project or anything else.

It would mean the world to me if you felt like making a small donation to support what I'm doing with TEM. You can find out more at:

https://www.patreon.com/tempodcast

Produced by Joey Santillo

TEM78: The Savvy Musician's 10 Tips for 2017 with David Cutler (Part 2)

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TEM78: The Savvy Musician's 10 Tips for 2017 with David Cutler (Part 2)

David Cutler offers up 10 unusual and incredibly thought-provoking tips for 2017. Part 1 is the first five. Guaranteed to make you think and give you some actionable ideas to move your art forward in 2017!

6. Success isn't what it used to be
7. Whatever you do, don't earn as much as possible
8. Build your portfolio (career)
9. Hang out with the wrong crowd
10. Avoid working your way up

(Check out Episode 77 for Tips 1-5)

And don't forget to click on the link below for the 2017 Savvy Arts Venture Challenge. It is a phenomenal, career-changing event and scholarships are available. 

Links:

Savvy Arts Venture Challenge
Parker Mouthpieces
Lauren Pierce: Episode 57
Susan de Weger: Episode 71

Favorite Quotes:

"I am a big advocate of having specific concrete numbers that you write down so you know what constitutes success and then you can see how you did. So you actually know whether you were successful."

"Make yourself famous."

TEM74: Write it for them, not for you (TEM Short)

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TEM74: Write it for them, not for you (TEM Short)

This TEM Short is in response to my interview with composer and violist Jessica Meyer in TEM73.

This episode explores how whenever writing anything, from a bio to a grant proposal, we always have to keep the recipient in mind when choosing the channel, wording and messaging and have to avoid writing as if we ourselves are the intended audience.

Show notes for all episodes of TEM including links to all books and websites referenced in this episode can be found at:

http://www.andrewhitz.com/shownotes

It would mean the world to me if you felt like making a small donation to support what I'm doing with TEM. You can find out more at:

https://www.patreon.com/tempodcast

Produced by Joey Santillo

TEM72: The who and the what make the how pretty straightforward (TEM Short)

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TEM72: The who and the what make the how pretty straightforward (TEM Short)

This TEM Short is in response to my interview with Susan de Weger of IgniteLab in Episode 71.

I discuss the two things you need to put into focus in order to figure out how to proceed with your business.

Links:

It would mean the world to me if you felt like making a small donation to support what I'm doing with TEM. You can find out more at:

https://www.patreon.com/tempodcast

Produced by Joey Santillo

TEM71: Susan de Weger of IgniteLab on why selling yourself as an artist is not selling out, the danger of the word "should" and her specific advice on applying for a grant

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Susan de Weger is a thought leader and change agent for 21st century creative careers in Melbourne, Australia who has had tremendous success in both the music business and the IT world. She brings a unique perspective on today's music business that is must hear.

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TEM65: Impact people around you and your phone will ring a lot (TEM Short)

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TEM65: Impact people around you and your phone will ring a lot (TEM Short)

This TEM Short features thoughts about being interviewed by my Pedal Note Media colleague, Lance LaDuke, in TEM64.

Links:

Lance LaDuke: Episode 17
A Conversation with Lance LaDuke on Marketing: Episode 34
Andrew Hitz of Pedal Note Media: Episode 64

It would mean the world to me if you felt like making a small donation to support what I'm doing with TEM. You can find out more at:

https://www.patreon.com/tempodcast

Produced by Joey Santillo

TEM64: Andrew Hitz of Pedal Note Media on leveraging your unfair advantage, using a business model canvas and transitioning from one main gig to doing lots of things

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TEM64: Andrew Hitz of Pedal Note Media on leveraging your unfair advantage, using a business model canvas and transitioning from one main gig to doing lots of things

The tables were turned for this episode of TEM and I was the one interviewed for a change! I thought this would give those in the audience who didn't know my entire backstory the chance to get to know me a little better.

A huge thank you to Lance LaDuke for interviewing me!

Topics Covered:

  • How I got started playing the tuba

  • The moment I realized I wanted to become a professional musician

  • How instrumental my parents were in my success

  • How my lack of being even remotely entrepreneurial while in undergrad lead to me playing only two paid gigs in four years despite receiving a lot of praise

  • At what point in my career I started to veer from focusing primarily on being an orchestral player

  • What my two college teachers instilled in me that "gave me permission" to follow my own path

  • How I got my first big break in the music business and how my training had me prepared for it

  • What led me to start thinking like an entrepreneur after many years in Boston Brass

  • Why my first two ideas for a website were failures

  • How Lance and I used a Business Model Canvas to come up with the idea for Pedal Note Media

  • How we identified our "unfair advantage" to give us a head start

  • How the Band Director's Guide Series came about

  • How and why Hitz Publications has morphed over the last five years from selling through traditional channels to directly selling to customers

  • What's next for Pedal Note Media (Spoiler: It's ecourses)

  • How both Lance and I have gone from doing one thing 100 times a year to doing a whole lot of things a few times a year and how that is a different challenge

Links:

Favorite Quote:

  • "The key to having great ideas is having lots of ideas."

You can help offset the ongoing costs of producing the show by making a small donation at http://www.pedalnotemedia.com/support-the-entrepreneurial-musician. Your support is greatly appreciated!

Produced by Joey Santillo

TEM59: Garrett Hope of the Portfolio Composer Podcast on the skills needed in the freelance economy, thinking about art as a business and the power of outsourcing

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TEM59: Garrett Hope of the Portfolio Composer Podcast on the skills needed in the freelance economy, thinking about art as a business and the power of outsourcing

Garrett Hope is the host of The Portfolio Composer Podcast, a composer, a bass player, owns a piano tuning company and is a consultant.

Note: Since we recorded this interview, Garrett has rebranded his podcast, Composer On Fire, as The Portfolio Composer Podcast.

Topics Covered:

  • How entrepreneurial thinking led him to ultimately choose bass over guitar as his primary instrument

  • The factors that led to him getting turned off by academia which led him to becoming an entrepreneur

  • How starting a piano tuning business made him realize he needed to apply the same entrepreneurial principles to his music career

  • The skills musicians need as the world moves more and more towards a freelance economy (and they don't teach them in music school)

  • The challenge of thinking about art as a business

  • Why it's imperative to identify exactly who your audience is

  • The importance of having a rich network to utilize when trying to serve a specific niche

  • How Garrett came to have world-renowned thought leader Seth Godin as a "guest" on his podcast

  • The audacity of asking

  • The power of asking "And then what?" to get to the bottom of fear

  • The Brand Fascination Assessment Test

  • The power of outsourcing (even though it can be scary to spend money on things)

  • Understanding cash flow as a small business owner and the importance of keeping good records

  • Why we've all networked already on some level

  • How networking is the bread and butter of a musician's life

  • How to create a spreadsheet to get organized about your networking

Links:

Books:

Favorite Quote:

"In 10 years, more than 50% of the workforce will be freelancers. That's where we're heading and musicians need to be prepared for that."

You can help offset the ongoing costs of producing the show by making a small donation at http://www.pedalnotemedia.com/support-the-entrepreneurial-musician. Your support is greatly appreciated!

Produced by Austin Boyer of FredBrass

TEM58: Are you willing to change course? (TEM Short)

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TEM58: Are you willing to change course? (TEM Short)

This TEM Short features thoughts about my conversation with Lauren Pierce, bass player, teacher and entrepreneur, in TEM57.

Links:

Lauren Pierce - Episode 57

Want to help "keep the lights on" and make future episodes of TEM possible? Please visit our Patreon page to see how you can help:

https://www.patreon.com/tempodcast

Produced by Austin Boyer of FredBrass