Derek Sivers - Creative Ways to Pursue Your Music Career, Life, Challenging Yourself, and Breaking the Habits of the Traditional Music Business

You can also listen to this episode on iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher |

One of my favorite things in life is having conversations with people that challenge the way I think and inspire me to break old habits to explore new ways to approach different situations in life. Derek Sivers has become one of my favorite thinkers when it comes to living a fulfilled life, breaking the habits of how we are “supposed to” do things, and living outside of the box, really never even allowing yourself to be in the box in the first place. One of his first ventures was the pursuit of becoming a professional musician, playing multiple instruments at a very young age. Eventually his journey lead him to the Berklee College of Music in Boston, and shortly after joining a circus as ringleader/MC musician.

 Derek was a professional touring musician, who was looking for a way to release his music online. At the time, the only way artists could sell their music online was being on a major label, or a label that had distribution through a major. This inspired him to the creation of CD Baby in 1997, which for the first time gave all musicians an opportunity to release their music online, and has become the biggest distributors and seller of independent music. In 2008, Derek sold CD Baby, giving the proceeds to a charitable trust for music education. Since, Derek has written several books, articles, frequent TED Speaker, has become a master programmer, philosopher, teacher, and inspiring creative thinker.

 In this conversation, you’ll learn about Derek’s story, philosophies and strategies on how artist can approach the music business in new and creative ways, and much more. It’s such a gift to have Derek on the podcast, and to share this conversation with the world. My tagline for the podcast is “go see shows, meet people, make stuff.” I hope this conversation inspires you to go make stuff and pursue the things that “interest you the most at this moment.”  

Quotes from Derek Sivers
“I like the idea of your site as the definitive source of information about you.”  
“It feels kinda cool, punk, and indie, to just do it myself.”
“When I look back at my career, so many great things happened because I was right there in the game. Right there in New York City where everything is happening.”
“It’s a huge benefit, it’s actually still underrated benefit, to be in New York, LA, and maybe Nashville.”
“When you go to these conferences you’re meeting people who are usually in the game right now, making things happen right now.”
“Hell, yeah or no is a mindset to use when you’re already successful and you’re overwhelmed with opportunity.”
“Have your shit together so that when you’re encountering people for the first time, it shows that you’re serious, you got it going on.”
“Always do whatever is interesting you the most at this moment.”
“For most of us what you need is right there already in your head and in your fingers, and it’s just a matter of mastering distraction.”
“Whoever works the hardest and work the smartest and master distraction instead of having distraction master you, that person is going to win.”
“Real change will feel like it’s not you. You’ll be acting like someone else. It will feel weird when you’re doing it right.”
“You have to try everything yourself. Feel the pain of making mistakes, and then feel the deep happiness of coming out on the other side of something difficult.”
“The fountain of youth is to make more mistakes.” 

Highlights from this Episode
[4:00] About Page and What I’m doing Now page
[7:35] What’s happening NOW with Derek Sivers
[11:36] Getting started in his Music Career
[15:15] Working at Warner Chapel Music
[19:35] Pursuing a Music Career in today’s Music Industry
[25:00] Moving to New York or Los Angeles, and Conferences
[27:36] Training your personal Self-Awareness
[30:33] Saying Yes
[33:11] Hell Yeah or No
[36:20] Tasks musicians can outsource
[38:58] Building your team – Strategies on how to get peoples attention
[44:10] Derek’s writing process
[51:20] Building your craft with experiments
[55:13] Experiments in personal life
[57:25] Writing and telling your story
[1:04:10] Getting unstuck from your current season
[1:07:20] Imitating your role model
[1:11:35] Note taking from reading books
[1:14:35] Mentors
[1:18:30] Advice for parents looking to build a creative environment
[1:27:00] Getting to Know Derek Sivers - Quick Questions 

Links to people, places, and things mentioned
Now, Now, Now
Ari Herstand
Kimo Williams
ASCAP Music Expo
SXSW
Moby
Bono from U2
Experiments in Music and Life – Article by Derek Sivers
Fela Kuti
Derek Sivers Book Notes & Book Reviews
Seth Godin
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
Frank Zappa
Learning Programming 

Books mentioned
 “Your Music And People” by Derek Sivers
 “How to Make It in the New Music Business” by Ari Herstand
“22 Immutable Laws of Branding” by Al and Laura Ries
“U2: The Definitive Biography” by John Jobling
“The Alter Ego Effect: The Power of Secret Identities to Transform Your Life” by Todd Herman
“Brain Rules for Baby” by John Medina
“Playful Parenting” by Lawrence J. Cohen 

Get in touch with Derek Sivers  
https://sivers.org/
https://sivers.org/contact
Twitter: @sivers 

Derek Sivers’ Definition of Making It
“You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do.” 

Related Articles and episodes
Ari Herstand, Episode 096 - Strategies for DIY Musicians
Bree Noble, Episode 082 - A Path to Being a Profitable Independent Musician
Kyle Lemaire, Episode 54 - Disrupting the Traditional Music Business
Mark Schaefer, Episode 073 - Strategies to Building Your Personal Brand
Brad Mason, Episode 067 - Finding Motivation by Being Full Engaged
Best Music Business and Marketing Podcasts in 2020

Keep in touch:
chris.goyzueta@gmail.com
www.makingitwithchrisg.com
https://www.instagram.com/chrisgoyzueta/
https://www.facebook.com/makingitwithchrisg

Credits: 
Host: Chris Goyzueta (Chris G.)
Producer: Jason Trosclair
Executive Producer: ONElive Creative Agency  
Music: Emily Kopp

Strategies to Playing Live & Building Your Email List featuring Lessons from Ari Herstand, Bree Noble, Cheryl B. Engelhardt, and Shannon Curtis

You can also listen to this episode on iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher |

The questions I receive the most are related to touring and building a fanbase. Regardless of where you are in your career, whether you’re just starting out or have been grinding for a long time but you’re just not where you want to be in your career, this episode is ideal for you. In this episode, I expand on and string together some clips from past guests to help you build your most ideal strategy for playing live and building your email list. These strategies are beneficial for all genres. In this episode, we discuss utilizing house shows as a strategy to building your audience. House Concerts are not just for singer-songwriters and folk artists. There are and have been artists from all genres performing in people’s houses. From Hip-Hop artists performing at and organizing house parties, to metal bands playing in people's garages. This episode features valuable lessons from Ari Herstand, Bree Noble, Cheryl B. Engelhardt, and Shannon Curtis.

Guests Featured in this episode
Ari Herstand from Episode #016
Bree Noble from Episode #082
Cheryl B. Engelhardt from Episode #083
Shannon Curtis from Episode #038

Quotes from this episode
“When there is excitement, people want to come and be part of the show.”
“Nobody ever got signed just because they played the cool venue in town.”
“Facebook people doesn’t want people leaving Facebook, on email you can send them
wherever you want.”
“When you have email subscribers, send them an email that you would send to a friend.”
“Send an email that people would want to open and look forward to reading.”

Links to people, places, and things mentioned
Steve Aoki
Email Marketing Stats from Mailchimp
Pre-Writing Your Automated Emails
Rick Barker
Anthony Snape
[BOOK] How to Make It in the New Music Business by Ari Herstand
[BOOK] All You Need to Know About the Music Business by Donald Passman
[BOOK] No Booker, No Bouncer, No Bartender by Shannon Curtis

Keep in touch:
chris.goyzueta@gmail.com
www.makingitwithchrisg.com
https://www.instagram.com/chrisgoyzueta/
https://www.facebook.com/makingitwithchrisg

Credits:
Host: Chris Goyzueta (Chris G.)
Producer: Jason Trosclair
Executive Producer: ONElive Creative Agency  
Music: Emily Kopp

June Millington - A Fearless Pioneer for Women in Rock N’ Roll and Co-Founder of the All Girls Rock Band Fanny

You can also listen to this episode on iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher |

June Millington is one of the founders of Fanny, the first ever all-girls rock band to release an album on a major label. In 1970, Fanny released their self titled debut album on Reprise Records, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Records. All together Fanny released four albums on Reprise Records. As a young girl, June and her sister, Jean, moved with their family to the United States from the Philippines. From a very young age, June had to overcome many challenges being from a different country and being a female musician in the 60’s. Along with these challenges, June discovered a little later in life that she was deaf in one ear. However, she was determined to not let anything hold her back and be a musician. Playing music was something that always felt natural to her, and her courage has made her a true pioneer and someone who has made an impact on the history of music.

In 2018, Fanny reunited as Fanny Walked the Earth, and released a brand new album. Over the years, June has met some of the many legends in the music industry, and has some amazing stories and lessons she learned along the way. June is also the co-founder of the Institute for the Musical Arts (IMA) along with her partner Ann Hackler, where they provide music camps, lessons, a studio and much more for young aspiring girls in a positive and inspiring environment to create music and learn their voice. In this podcast episode, June shares some of the amazing stories and lessons from her journey, before, during, and after the original line-up of Fanny. I hope these stories will inspire you, and you enjoy listening to them as much as I did. June just might inspire you to overcome your fears and not let anything hold you back, and KICK SOME FANNY!

To learn more about June Millington visit https://www.fannywalkedtheearth.com/  and http://www.ima.org/.

Contribute to Jean Millington’s Go Fund Me Campaign

Highlights from this Episode
[8:15] What does Rock N’ Roll Mean to June Millington
[14:40] Being the First All Girl Rock Band to Release an Album on a Major Label
[18:38] June’s Rock N’ Roll Girls Camp
[24:32] Making Decisions at Turning Points
[28:05] The Night at the Troubadour that Fanny got Signed
[39:50] Memorable Moments after first getting signed
[43:00] Working with Allen Toussaint
[51:27] Advice for Young Musicians
[53:50] Working as a Producer
[56:25] Which relocation made the biggest impact on June Millington
[59:00] Lesson young girls can learn from June’s journey
[1:02:10] Lessons that took June the longest to learn
[1:04:00] Rapid Fire Questions - Getting to know June Millington

Quotes from June Millington
“Rock N’ Roll is a Spiritual Calling”
“We were not fooling around, this was take no prisoners”
“When you play a part, you have to find a part when people play it later, they have to find your part.”
“Go for it, but get enough sleep”
“Take care of yourself, and never give up.”
“It’s not going to get any easier for you...it’s all going to take work.”
“You have to find your courage”
“You can’t give up, tomorrow is another day.”
“There are going to be high points, there are going to be low points, hopefully the average is something you can live with.”
“It’s magic and technology when you’re recording.”
“Life and death where that snare hits on 2, it be better be in the pocket, because I’m not going to stamp your passport.”
“Learn how to work with the fear.”

Links to people, places, and things mentioned
Fanny Walked the Earth
Sly & the Family Stone
The Troubadour in Los Angeles, CA (Music Venue)
Angela Davis
Ann Hackler
Grateful Dead
Jefferson Airplane
Buffalo Springfield
Jimi Hendrix
The Monkees
Frank Zappa
Ella Fitzgerald
The Kinks
The Fillmore West (Music Venue)
The Fillmore East  (Music Venue)
Whiskey A Go Go (Music Venue)
Dr. John
Allen Toussaint
ISIS (All Girl Jazz Band)
David Bowie
Lady Marmalade
Patti Smith
Marry Watkins
Cris Williamson
Tina Turner
Ike Turner
[BOOK] Land of a Thousand Bridges by June Millington

June Millington’s Definition of Making It:
“Everything when it gets really good, no matter what’s going on around you, it gets really quiet, and that’s the place I like.”

Get in touch with June Millington
https://www.fannywalkedtheearth.com/
Follow June on Facebook
IMA.org
fabjune@aol.com

Keep in touch:
chris.goyzueta@gmail.com
www.makingitwithchrisg.com
https://www.instagram.com/chrisgoyzueta/
https://www.facebook.com/makingitwithchrisg

Credits:
Host: Chris Goyzueta (Chris G.)
Producer: Jason Trosclair
Executive Producer: ONElive Creative Agency  
Music: Emily Kopp

Cheryl B. Engelhardt - Building, Managing and ROCKIN’ Your Email Subscribers for Musicians

You can also listen to this episode on iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher |

When you post on social media, on average, anywhere from 0% to 5% of your audience see your post. The acception to that algorithm rule is when people are actually engaging with your post by commenting, sharing, and liking it. However, the less engagement, the lower the impression rate. Meaning, if you have 1,000 followers - 0 to 50 people see your post. However, the average open rate on emails is closer to 20%, and if you write really good emails that percentage can be significantly higher. This means instead of 0 to 50 people, 200+ people are actually opening and reading your email, and 66% at least see your email. That’s 660 people on your list of 1,000. With those kind of odds, don’t you think email management and building your email list as a musician, and really any business, should be part of your strategy? Maybe even one of the main focuses of your strategy? What has been holding you up from building, managing, and ROCKIN’ your email list? Is it lack of creativity on what to send or do you think it’s to time consuming? Today’s guest Cheryl B. Engelhardt raised over $40,000 from an email list with less than 2,000 subscribers. Motivated now?

Cheryl B. Engelhardt is a true pioneer in the world of DIY Musicians, and one the only or very few people that extensively talks about building and managing your email lists. In this episodes, she shares some amazing insight on creating a welcome series or welcome sequence for your email subscribers. Also, she shares some of the strategies she used for her crowdfunding campaign to raise over 5 figures on consistent basis with less than 2,000 subscribers. We discuss some amazing insight on the right time to start asking your audience for money, and when to start a crowdfunding campaign. The beauty of it all is that Cheryl is a fellow musician and songwriter at the core. She started her journey writing jingles and scores, and continues having a successful career in synch licensing. One of my favorite things about Cheryl is that she used the tools that have helped her with her career to teach other musicians on how they can do the same. She offers some amazing courses to teach you how to ROCK YOUR EMAIL LIST, writing a Perfect Pitch, and so much more.

There are so many ways to make a full time and fulfilling living being a musician in today’s world. You don’t have to wait for a label, manager, or agent to give you permission. Give yourself permission to educate yourself, learn new thing, and becoming a practitioner in the things you learn. The only way to get better is to start doing. Cheryl is a great example of how so many musicians today can find creative ways to “live the life they love.”

To learn more about Cheryl check out http://www.inthekeyofsuccess.com/ and https://cbemusic.com/

Highlights from this Episode
[4:05] Working with Ari Herstand
[7:40] Writing Bio’s, books, and more
[12:57] Sharing your story and journey
[17:25] Scuba Diving for the United States Government to a Music Career
[21:48] Coaching Resources for Musicians
[29:45] Communicating with your audience over email instead of social media
[33:00] Strategies to building your email list
[38:42] Email welcome series
[43:15] Sending a regular newsletter or broadcast
[50:42] Creating a Year’s Worth of Content with 30 Emails
[54:35] Crowdfunding through your email list and asking fans for money
[1:00:00] Rapid Fire Questions - Getting to Know Cheryl B. Engelhardt

Quotes from Cheryl B. Engelhardt
“It’s so easy now days to find the person before you even find the music.”
“The things that makes the story and the bio really interesting, is the points of transition.”
“What were the transitions, and what then were the decisions.”
“It’s awesome to not have to be full-time on the road and still have an artist career.”
“Get clear on what you want so it’s very obvious on your website and emails.”
“You get undivided attention when you’re reading an email.”
“Emails are way more likely to get delivered and seen than a Facebook post.”
“66% of people are more likely to purchase something through your email than the same ad over social media.”
[About Email and Social Media] “It’s not one or the other, it’s about how we can make these things work together.”
“Every email should have a call to action even if it’s not a promotion.”
“Your welcome series is meant to train them [subscribers] and engage with you in a certain way.”
“The most opened email will be the first email, because people sign-up for a thing, and they want the thing.”
“The key is to be consistent, so they can manage their expectations of you, and you’re not surprising or disrupting them.”
“The once a month rule, is a very outdated music industry rule.”
“If you can write 30 emails, and send one out every 2 weeks or 3 weeks, that’s a years worth of content.”
“When someone is reading a newsletters with so many things in it, you’re distracting them from yourself.”  
“If that person said no, Fuck It, on to the next.”

Links to people, places, and things mentioned
Ari Herstand
“Inevitably” by Cheryl B. Engelhardt
United States Geological Survey
Cornell University
Lou Playa
ReverbNation
SXSW
Anthony Snape
Pre-Writing Your Automated Emails
Sara Bareilles
Dave Matthews
Tim Reynolds
Amy Porterfield
Key Conversations with Cheryl B. Engelhardt

Cheryl’s Definition of Making It:
“Where I’m constantly participating in projects that allow me to be fully self-expressed in partnership and creative.”

Get in touch with Cheryl B. Engelhardt
All the stuff I offer musicians lives: inthekey.co/results
Rock Your Email List course: inthekey.co/emailcourse
The Perfect Pitch course: inthekey.co/perfectpitch
Free Checklist on Pitching Music: inthekey.co/prime
MX4 course: inthekey.co/mx4
Podcast: inthekey.co/keypodcast
Cheryl’s music: cbemusic.co/official
Instagram: cbemusic.co/cbegram

Keep in touch:
chris.goyzueta@gmail.com
www.makingitwithchrisg.com
https://www.instagram.com/chrisgoyzueta/
https://www.facebook.com/makingitwithchrisg

Credits:
Host: Chris Goyzueta (Chris G.)
Producer: Jason Trosclair
Executive Producer: ONElive Creative Agency  
Music: Emily Kopp

Bree Noble - A Path to Being a Profitable Independent Musician

You can also listen to this episode on iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher |

The beauty of today’s music business, is that there are so many ways musicians can make a living. It’s important to remember that every artist is a business, and with being a business there are certain fundamental and advanced techniques that everyone can build a successful career with. Bree Noble is a singer-songwriter, podcaster, coach and co-founder of the Profitable Musicians Summit. Bree is focused on mentoring and coaching musicians through a step by step program that helps guide musicians through their journey of making a living doing music. In this episode, Bree discusses some of her principles on how to build email lists, touring and show strategy, and much more.

To learn more about Bree Noble http://femusician.com and get the free guide of 19 sources of income at http://femusician.com/income.  

Highlights from this Episode
[4:45] The Profitable Musicians Summit
[11:17] Resources available for Musicians by Bree Noble
[12:44] Projects Bree Noble is involved in
[17:37] How Bree got started in the music industry
[21:05] “The Music Industry Game” and common mistakes artists make
[22:46] How to know if an artist needs a manager or when to get one
[24:55] How often to play when first starting out
[27:08] When to transition from playing open mics and coffeehouses to house concerts
[29:28] Building the first 100 email list subscribers
[34:40] How often to send email newsletters to fans
[36:35] What to send to your mailing list
[40:40] Writing engaging posts on social media
[43:30] Facebook Groups versus Newsletters
[45:45] Touring strategy and when to start playing outside of your hometown
[51:25] Rapid Fire Questions

Quotes from Bree Noble
“I just started getting out there and got scrappy.”
“We get into these tracks with all these gatekeepers out there, and getting them to open the gate.”
“You need to be doing is not going to get a manager, you need to get customers, fans.”
“Become an entertainer, instead of someone who just does music.”
“Every fan that you get, you need to feel thankful and lucky for them.”
“In the foundation stage, you’re building your email list to 100 people.”
“Once you get that ball rolling with house concerts, it becomes easier.”
“Some people think you have to earn every single fan through blood, sweat and tears, that’s not true.”
“It doesn’t have to be as complicated as most of you are making it.”
“I wasn’t afraid to ask for a referral.”

Links to people, places, and things mentioned
Femusician.com
Profitable Musicians Summit
Angela Mastrogiacomo
DIY Musician Conference
Female Indie Musician Community
Tyrone Wells
Zac Brown Band
Carlene Thiessen
Dawn Beyer
Rick Barker
Wham!
The Pointer Sisters
[BOOK] “The E Myth” by Michael E Berger
[Documentary] 20 Feet from Stardom
[Documentary] Metallica “Some Kind of Monster”
[Documentary] Metallica “This Monster Lives”

Bree Noble’s Definition of Making It:
“Doing what you love that gets you excited to get out of bed everyday, and not doing it on anyone else's schedule.”  

Get in touch with Bree Noble
Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
Musician's Profit Path Masterclass: www.musiciansprofitpath.com
Income Guide: http://femusician.com/income
Main site: http://femusician.com

Keep in touch:
chris.goyzueta@gmail.com
www.makingitwithchrisg.com
https://www.instagram.com/chrisgoyzueta/
https://www.facebook.com/makingitwithchrisg

Credits:
Host: Chris Goyzueta (Chris G.)
Producer: Jason Trosclair
Executive Producer: ONElive Creative Agency  
Music: Emily Kopp

Dawn Beyer - Building a Music Career on Your Own Terms with Live Video as the Foundation and How You Can Do It Too (S02, E01)

You can also listen to this episode on iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher |

The Podcast is BACK with Season 2!! This season, we’re coming back with a deeper focus on education and lessons for independent musicians and music business students across the country. The podcast will range from inspiring independent musicians living a career on their terms, to influential marketers and entrepreneurs, and highlighting many of the different careers within the music business.

The first guest of the new season is the return of Dawn Beyer! Dawn Beyer is a true pioneer and living proof of how you can build a career as an independent artist in today’s music industry. In the last episode, we learned about her journey as a struggling musician in Nashville making the rounds on Broadway, where she was playing for tips. After getting sick and worried about how to make ends meet by not being able to play on Broadway, she discovered Facebook Live. This discovery was a career changer for Dawn. In her first year, she made over $74k from tips with Facebook Live and a PayPal tip button. This new journey has led to true fans of Dawn’s music, who went from watching on Facebook Live to paying her to play in their living rooms, parties, and so much more. Today, Dawn offers some amazing coaching to teach other musicians on how she did, and how they can do it too.

After my first conversation with Dawn, I was really inspired by her amazing spirit and positive attitude to take on the music industry and find her way to push through and live her dream. Dawn didn’t wait around for a manager, label, or agent to give her permission to make a living doing music. She gave herself permission, and she went out and did it. In the first episode, she shared her amazing journey on how she made a living and built the foundation of her career after discovering Facebook Live. Today, she is touring the country playing for fans she made from her Facebook Live videos, but is also giving back and teaching other musicians how they can make a full time living playing music, and do it on their terms.

To learn more about Dawn Byer, please visit https://www.therealnashville.com/ and http://www.therealmakingit.com/

Highlights from this Episode
[4:12] What’s new in the life of Dawn Beyer
[7:28] Dawn’s 30-Day Tour
[8:55] Structure of Living Room Concerts
[10:58] Finding people to host you for a house concert
[15:26] Dawn’s content strategy
[17:03] What types of emails do people want to read?
[18:18] The programs Dawn is offering for musicians
[25:32] Songwriting process
[28:53] How often Dawn writes
[34:00] Details about Dawn’s courses and what people can expect
[36:48] Success stories from the program
[40:10] Creating a virtual tip jar
[46:35] Common mistakes musicians make  
[50:34] Philosophy on Touring
[58:00] The lesson that took Dawn the longest to learn
[1:00:11] Rapid Fire Questions

Quotes from Dawn Beyer
“You have all the opportunity, and all the platforms available today.”
“I didn’t even have a laptop when I first started this.”
“Gather your core group, figure out who they actually are, and send them to where you can connect with them.”
“Figure out what making it really is for you.”
“There might be some other way, there might be some other making it.”
“It’s about not caring what other people think you should do, and making it for you.”
“The best way to play your own music is to get off Broadway.”
“The platform is what puts us out there and lets us connect with someone.”
“You have to have the ability to come through someone’s phone and be in their living room.”
“Once they are connected, they will be there for every album, every show, and everything you do.”
“If you’re writing about something you don’t care about, people will feel that.”
“Being real and raw, and just putting it out there, is the thing that anyone can do.”
“I don’t see any reason why you would start out playing bars first, when I can play in front of 50 people on Facebook right now.”
“If you’re going to go on the road driving from place to place, make as much out of that online as you can.”

Links to people, places, and things mentioned
Dawn Beyer - First Episode on the Podcast
The Real Making It
Rick Barker
Mailchimp
Garth Brooks
Cosmic Contract
Pearl Mae Foundation
Jim Palmer

Connect with Dawn Beyer
dawn@therealnashville.com
https://www.facebook.com/dawnbeyermusic/
https://www.instagram.com/dawnbeyermusic/
https://www.therealnashville.com/
http://www.therealmakingit.com/

Keep in touch:
chris.goyzueta@gmail.com
www.makingitwithchrisg.com
https://www.instagram.com/chrisgoyzueta/
https://www.facebook.com/makingitwithchrisg

Credits:
Host: Chris Goyzueta (Chris G.)
Producer: Jason Trosclair
Executive Producer: ONElive Creative Agency  
Music: Emily Kopp

Jim Mallonee - 35+ Years of Booking and Promoting the Greatest Artists of our Lifetime at the Highest Level

You can also listen to this episode on iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher |

One can’t do a lot of things great at one time, but one can do a lot of great things over a lifetime. Jim Mallonee is the Senior Vice President of Southeast Booking for Live Nation and House of Blues Entertainment. With over 35+ years of promoting concerts in the Southeast United States, he has worked with some of the greatest artists in our generation. Any reputable booking agent that has booked a show in the Southeast over the last 35 years, has worked with Jim Mallonee. He is a true legend of our industry, and established longevity in the music business through kindness, mentorship, and building amazing teams around him. This podcast was recorded live from University of Central Florida (UCF). In this conversation we cover some of the many stories that Jim has to share, his journey, advice on getting into the business, and much more.

I met Jim Mallonee prior to working at House of Blues in New Orleans. It was while I was still at the Plaza Live. At the time, I had already interviewed for HOB New Orleans the first time, and didn’t get the job offer. From that interview I learned a lot, and the importance of relationships. I really wanted to get to know Jim Mallonee, and learn what characteristics it would take to get a job with Live Nation in the future. When I reached out, he invited me to lunch at House of Blues. From the first minute, he was one of the kindest people I’ve ever met in the business full of wisdom, passion to teach, and wanting to empower others. I remember him ordering multiple desserts, just because he wanted me to try them. That was such a fun meeting. It was 2 years later, when I finally got a job offer to come to House of Blues New Orleans, where I met so many amazing people who have become my mentors. It’s a real blessing to have been able to work for Jim Mallonee’s team, and still having him as a friend many years later.

To learn more about the shows Jim Mallonee is booking visit http://www.houseofblues.com/orlando or http://www.houseofblues.com/myrtlebeach.

This episode was recorded LIVE form the University of Central Florida - the National Football Champions!!

Highlights from this episode:
[3:54] How Do You Stay Motivated
[5:47] Good traits of a Talent Buyer
[12:58] Background of Musician Days
[18:53] Day to Day Schedule
[23:09] Low Turnover Rate @ Live Nation
[26:24] Life Lessons
[28:23] Changing A Show Lineup Last Minute
[31:36] Social Media
[31:47] Small Artists Blowing Up
[33:33] How Artists Change Over Time
[35:20] Some Things Students Should Work on to Build Resume
[37:11] Booking Artists
[42:57] Balance Between Personal and Work Life
[46:34] First Concert
[46:53] Something Jim is Excited About
[48:28] Guilty Food Pleasures
[50:22] Hollywood Vampires
[52:15] Storytime

Quotes from Jim Mallonee:
“You need to listen with your head, not your heart. You’ve got to be able to be profitable."
“You’ve got to listen to what other people say about this artist.”
“Show em, be truthful, be ethical. Be ethical every minute of every day.”
“If they can count on you, they will remember that next time when something good comes along.”
“People by and large, people don’t forget when they see you take hard times and make them into as good as they can be.”
“I make myself manually a list of my goals for the day. And these change a lot. We work in a business that is very so peaks and valleys. You win big and loose big.”
“I don’t like to hire people that I have to boss and tell what to do everyday.”
“You’ve got to respect different styles. I want people of varied opinions, different backgrounds.”
“I bug the crap out of everyone I deal with. I say 'REALLY give me your opinion on this or that.’”
“Don’t get blind-sided. This is about a hell of a lot more than you. Quit being a bull-head SOB and move forward.”
“Take the first thing that makes sense with the company you are with, take the lowest level dog, work like a mad-demon. Make sure you take on 3-people’s jobs. Make yourself indispensable at all times.”
“It will take you 2-3 years to do 2-3 people’s jobs so you will be of value.”
“80 hours a week, every week without fail.”
“I generally do listen to every artist before we book them.”
“With breaking artists, it just don’t work with radio anymore.”
“Sometimes you just have to take the weekend off."
“Michael Rapino gives a damn about the people.”
“I’m inspired by moments.”
“Music industry needs heart."

Links to people, places, and things mentioned
House of Blues
Live Nation
Tabernacle
Fillmore Miami
Foo Fighters
Lady Gaga
John Mayer
Dillon Francis
Dua Lipa
Imagine Dragons
Black Sabbath
Masters Tournament
Ceviche
Jimi Hendrix
John Bonham
Donald Fagan
Steely Dan
Dave Grohl
Justin Timberlake
Michael Rapino

Jim Mallonee's Definition of Making It:
"To get those (exceptional) moments"

Keep in touch:
chris.goyzueta@gmail.com
www.makingitwithchrisg.com
https://www.instagram.com/chrisgoyzueta/
https://www.facebook.com/makingitwithchrisg

Credits:
Host: Chris Goyzueta (Chris G.)
Producer: Jason Trosclair
Executive Producer: ONElive Creative Agency  
Music: Emily Kopp

S’von - A Musician's Journey Through the Music Industry Performing with Legends on the World's Biggest Stages

You can also listen to this episode on iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher |

S’von is currently the keyboard player for the legendary Smokey Robinson. Prior to that his journey began playing in clubs and small tours, until his journey one lead him to the inaugural American Idol Tour, where he met Kelly Clarkson. Since that tour, S’von has toured with many legends of the business such as Kelly Clarkson, Rihanna, and Smokey Robinson. He has performed on some of the biggest TV Shows in the United States such as Saturday Night Live, The Today Show, Good Morning America, Ellen Degeneres, Jay Leno, and many more. In this episode, S’von shares his journey along with many lessons for musicians such as what gigs to take, how to not get taken advantage of, tour etiquette, and much more.

To learn more about S’von, visit http://www.svononline.com/.

Highlights From The Episode:
[3:10] Inspiration to speak with students
[5:19] Day to day schedule on Tour
[6:40] Early musical inspirations
[8:00] Local Community & Growing Up
[8:29] Practicing
[10:56] Current Listenings
[11:47] What it takes to learn keys
[13:37] Favorite Gear
[15:40] Doing music full-time
[20:20] Before first big tour
[21:33] Choosing Gigs
[26:08] Advice on What to Ask For (Money-wise) 
[30:41] Relationship Building/ Being A Good Hang
[35:54] Lessons/Advice
[39:26] Storytime
[50:58] Frist Concert Experience
[51:39] Favorite Venue
[52:10] Interests
[52:51] Cryptocurrency
[53:39] Spotify IPO
[56:34] Guilty Pleasures
[58:28] Hollywood Vampires 

Quotes from S'von:
“I love interactions.”
“I would be gone for 6/7 weeks at a time, every time is different, it depends on how you manage it (tour).”
“To be honest, I was inspired by local musicians, I was inspired by local players, local clubs, churches.”
“When I went to college, the music was more-so about the people I went to school with."
“I practice less now, because I don’t want to loose the love of it. I felt like if I did it all the time, it would become more like a job and more mundane. I have to step away and not touch the keyboard for a bit.”
“If I keep trying to be a virtuoso, then my way of communication would be so complex in order to keep me interested, that the average person might not relate. I keep it less to keep the love there.”
“I’ll listen to other things, I didn’t grow up listening to a lot of keyboard players, I listened to a lot of other musicians."
“I try to create my own colors I don’t try to copy musicians work word for word, note for note.”
“On the keys, you have to spend time on it, it doesn’t have to be super complex. Start off with the basics, learn your scales, chords in every keys, 1,3,4,5 in every key. Play things in every key.”
“When you start to become comfortable with the instrument, and you are fluid with it, anything is possible."
“Take 30 days to commit to it, it will do wonders for you.”
“Once you learn how the instrument speaks, then you can play anything. I can play anything.”
“Literally I had a cell phone and a credit card. That was it. I had absolutely nothing, but I was really determined to get in.”
“I was really just looking for any opportunity. I was just lucky that my opportunities were at a bigger scale.”
“Say yes to mostly everything.”
“New people are trying to overvalue themselves. They X themselves out of a lot of opportunities.” 
“I’ll take whatever makes sense in the beginning. You have to pay your dues. Thing don’t just come in a straight line like that.”
“Once you get in the game, you figure out OK what’s worth my time, and what’s not worth my time.”
“If you have no experience, take the gig offered. If you feel like you are being exploited, then leave.”
“You learn from your experiences.”
“Ask your friends and contacts in the industry about what to ask for for money.”
“That’s what counts at the end of the day in the music business. You can be as talented and crafty as you want, but it matters how you handle your business. And people see that.”
“People choose you because they like to hang around you.”
“If you’re not a person people don’t like to hang around, that’s how it’s going to be in the business too”
“If a production has a million dollar budget, they don’t want to deal with a keyboard player with an attitude.”
“Work on your personality, play friendly with others, and you will be good."
“I treat a regular gig like it’s a big gig.”
“Just keep doing it, if you keep doing it, and you stay consistent, you will make it.”
“Patience is key. I was broke on Monday, and then I’m rich on Friday. It’s all the stuff that happens in between. If you don’t, you will burn out, and you will compare yourself to everyone else. What you see is not what you get.”
“Sometimes you think that you are ready, and you’re not. If you’re not ready, you’ll lose it quick.”
“You have to learn other rigs really fast sometimes.”
“I’m really into investing, stock trades and commodities, to leverage myself to not have to take certain gigs when I don’t want to.”
“Do your homework.”
“If your interpretation is off, you will make bad and emotional decisions.”
“I try to stay as healthy as possible, but catering will get you, man. You can’t smell celery!"

Links to people, places, and things mentioned
Smokey Robinson 
Clay Aiken 
Rihanna
Kelly Clarkson 
American Idol 
Roland Instruments
Korg Kronos 
Yamaha Motif 
Hammond B-3 
Randy Jackson 
CD Baby 
Chris Stapleton 
Saturday Night Live (SNL) 
Ellen DeGeneres 
Ryan Seacrest 
Chris Smith Podcast
Los Angeles Lakers
Spotify IPO
John Lennon

S'von's Definition of Making It:
"When you feel you happiest and your at peace." 

Get in touch with S'von:
http://www.svononline.com/
IG: @svon1
Twitter: @svon1

Keep in touch:
chris.goyzueta@gmail.com
www.makingitwithchrisg.com
https://www.instagram.com/chrisgoyzueta/
https://www.facebook.com/makingitwithchrisg

Credits:
Host: Chris Goyzueta (Chris G.)
Producer: Jason Trosclair
Executive Producer: ONElive Creative Agency  
Music: Emily Kopp

Opportunities for DIY Musicians with Airbnb Concerts, the State of Social Media, Spotify Going Public, iHeart Media Bankruptcy and more. - Headlines and Q&A #001

You can also listen to this episode on iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher |

This episode features a new format. It is our first ever news/headlines that musicians and students of the music business should pay attention to, along with a listener Q&A. In the listener Q&A we go in depth with specific questions that our listeners ask. If you’re interested in having your question heard and answered on the show, please visit www.makingitwithchrisg.com/ask.

Highlights From The Episode:
[5:25] Airbnb Concerts
[14:02] iHeart Media Debt & Radio
[23:38] Spotify IPO
[35:23] Social Media Use Declining
[39:00] Review of the Month
[42:16] Working with other Musicians
[46:45] Favorite Podcasts
[54:39] How do you choose your Podcasts
[59:48] How to reconnect with fans after shows
[63:31] Lineups

Quotes from Show:
"Airbnb is valued at 30 billion dollars, which would make them the second biggest promoter in the world, competing with Live Nation."
"Monetize your emotional connections.”
“Who knows where the limit it, it’s this really wide open idea that’s really refreshing.”
“Jump on this Airbnb opportunity right now.” 
“I don’t know if radio stations will ever disappear.”
“A Media company can be on many different platforms.”
“Podcasts are actually outpacing social media.”
“Video streaming is a very big thing in Sports Radio.”
“Spotify is about to go public. It’s a company valued at 23 billion dollars.”
“There’s interactive streaming and non-interactive streaming.”
“Social Media experienced a 79-67% drop.”
“Work with other musicians who are serious about their business and are excited to play in front of people, not just their 4-5 friends.”
“If I see an artist that blows me away the first thing I do is like their pages or sign up for their mailing list.”
"The average email open rate is 12-15%, if you’re sending a good one, it’s 40-60%.”
“Send them an email you would want to open. One of my favorite ones was from the Foo-Fighters, and it was a handwritten note to their fans.” 
"The first band 30 min, second band 40-45, the headlining band is playing an hour set. Last two bands should have a significant draw.”
“Most DIY bands want that middle slot. They get to mingle afterwards and beforehand as well.”
“If you can headline, and keep people there at the end, then you’re worth money, you’re worth people buying tickets.”
“We make sure our headliners are on no later than 9:30PM/10:00PM.”
"For hip hop shows it’s different. Keep it to max 5 artists, first 3, 10-15, co-headliner is 30 min, headliner 45- an hour.”

Links to people, places, and things mentioned
WrestleMania 34
Shannon Curtis 
Airbnb Concerts
Jack Antanoff 
Fran Snyder 
Concerts In Your Home 
GigSalad
Spotify 
Pandora 
Facebook 
Instagram
Snapchat 
iHeart Media 
WWOZ
Jordan Esker
Ross Golan 
Joe London 
And The Writer Is 
Promoter 101
Ari Herstand 
CD Baby 
Social Media Examiner 
Tim Ferriss 
Lewis Howes 
The GaryVee Audio Experience 
Big Questions with Cal Fussman 
Talk is Jericho
Greg Rollet

Keep in touch:
chris.goyzueta@gmail.com
www.makingitwithchrisg.com
https://www.instagram.com/chrisgoyzueta/
https://www.facebook.com/makingitwithchrisg

Credits:
Host: Chris Goyzueta (Chris G.)
Producer: Jason Trosclair
Executive Producer: ONElive Creative Agency  
Music: Emily Kopp

Jovan Polanco - Founder of Swerve Presents, An Independent Promoter and Content Creator with a Focus on Creating a Brand with Culture

You can also listen to this episode on iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher |

This episode was recorded live from Florida International University (FIU) 

When the average concert goer goes to a show, they don’t know the difference between Live Nation, AEG Presents, or whomever else is promoting the show. They are there to see their favorite artists, or go see a great show at one of their favorite venues. Jovan Polanco, is a independent promoter, talent buyer, and content creator that’s looking to change that. As the founder of Swerve Presents, he’s looking to create a concert promotions brand with a culture and personality that fans will remember. In this conversation, we discuss the process of booking a concert, competing in a very competitive environment, strategic partnerships, brand building, and much more. This episode is the first ever live podcast, recorded at Florida International University, in Music Business 101.

To learn more about Jovan Polanco, visit http://swerve.life/.  

Highlights from this Episode
[4:45] About Jovan Polanco
[5:56] Learning how the Music Business works
[7:00] Using content to build a concert promotions brand
[8:36] The Swerve Presents Team
[9:58] Having first priority at venues
[10:14] Dealing with venues and creating partnerships
[11:55] The history and business model of Swerve Presents
[16:25] The booking process
[19:34] Biggest challenges as an independent protomer
[21:33] Dealing with agents
[25:36] Plans for Swerve Presents
[27:22] What gets Jovan’s attention as a Talent Buyer
[30:55] Drawing attention from a market for you events
[33:25] Booking Artist’s that don’t fit the company culture
[38:38] Growing contacts from volunteering at festivals
[41:21] Philosophy on how to learn the ins and outs of the music business
[47:50] Getting to know Jovan Polanco

Quotes from Jovan Polanco
“I was doing other things in school to prepare me for what I‘m doing now.”
“Learning how to market parties, translates into marketing shows.”
“As a independent promoter that doesn’t own venues, your venue deal will make or break your shows.”
“When you’re working with other promoters, definitely have a contract.”
“A lot of times people don’t want to jump on, until they see something is moving and happening.”
“To gain leverage in Talent Buying, I need to book multiple markets.”
“In the beginning it’s all about creating a connection, and get the agent to know who (you) are.”
“Our mission is to change the face of the industry.”
“Most of my first bookings came from meeting the agents at conferences.”
“If it’s good music, and we can get behind it, we should support it.”
“Going to the conferences is super pivotal if you want to do this.”
“When you go to a conference, you should have something you’re working.”
“If I approach a person at a conference, think about how you can add value to them.”
“College creates the environment to learn things on a micro level.”
“If you want to survive in the next 20 years, you need to be putting out content.”

Links to people, places, and things mentioned
Swerve Presents
Florida International University (FIU)
Live Nation
AEG Presents
TSA-Showcase
WRLD Entertainment
Revolt Music Conference
SXSW
Billboard Booking & Touring Conference
Dan Larson
Okeechobee Music Festival
Lil Uzi Vert
21 Savage
Meg White (Agent at ICM)
J.I.D
Moneybagg Yo
Trippie Redd
Maggie Rogers
Billie Eilish
Creative Artists Agency (CAA)
William Morris Endeavour (WME)
Promoter 101
Gary Vaynerchuck
Short Story Long (Podcast)
The Come Up Show (Podcast)  
Martin Luther King
Jay-Z
J. Cole
[BOOKS]
All You Need to Know About the Music Business by Donald Passman

Jovan Polanco’s Definition of Making It:
“Being able to do what I love full time, and being able to support myself of it.”

Get in touch with Jovan Polanco
http://swerve.life/
IG: @swervepresents
Twitter: @swervepresents

Related Articles & Episodes:
1. Ron Richard - Talent Buyer at One Eyed Jacks in New Orleans - Episode #071
2. Life of a Talent Buyer - Lessons to Becoming a Concert Promoter - Episode #036
3. Dan Larson - The Spectrum of Talent Buying - Episode #023

Kevin Calabro - Co-Founder of Indie Record Label Royal Potato Family, and Founder of Calabro Music Media on Running an Independent Label, Artist Development and More.

You can also listen to this episode on iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher |

The music industry is not a career, it’s a lifestyle. Kevin Calabro is a veteran of the business, whose passion for music connects everything he touches from the way he treats and works with his artists, to how fans experience listening to records. Along with Marco Benevento, he’s the co-founder of Independent Record Label, Royal Potato Family, and also runs the Artist Management and PR company, Calabro Music Media. He works with many amazing artists such as Living Colour, Marco Benevento, Chris Robinson Brotherhood, and many more. In this episode, we talk about the day to day of running an independent label, songwriting, advice for DIY musicians, his philosophy on touring, and much more.

To learn more about Kevin Calabro, visit https://calabromusicmedia.com/ and http://royalpotatofamily.com/.  

Highlights from this Episode
[3:38] Early Record Collections
[6:02] The energy behind the music versus the math
[8:15] Current Projects and Background
[10:32] Standing out in a niche market
[15:48] Songwriting for artists in other genres
[20:51] Writing better songs
[23:35] Best practices for social media
[27:22] Creating consistent content
[29:25] Philosophy on releasing more singles
[30:24] Touring strategies for artists
[35:28] Creating a culture and a vibe for a label
[38:23] Choosing to work with artists as a label versus management or publicist
[39:37] The album release process
[43:16] Kevin Calabro’s team
[48:48] Process of filtering through emails
[52:40] Sending emails and getting more responses
[54:45] Getting to know Kevin Calabro
[59:32] Artist Stories

Quotes from Kevin Calabro
“It comes down to being able to stick around and staying in the game.”
“Real artists rise to the top over time.”
“Bob Marley was Jamin’!”
“A good solo in the middle of a generic song, is not going to do a whole lot for anyone.”
“It’s important to keep singles coming out, and dropping little things without having huge gaps in between projects.”
“Content is really important right now, more so than ever.”
“Every artist has their own trajectory of how it’s going to happen, and you just have to be tuned into it.”
“I’m envisioning everybody who buys our records, listening to records the same way I do.”
“Be freaking smart about what you send.”

Links to people, places, and things mentioned
Journey
Styx
Joan Jett
Neil Young
The Allman Brothers
Grateful Dead
Muddy Waters
Howlin’ Wolf
Royal Potato Family
Calabro Music Media
Oliver Wood
Tinsley Ellis
Marco Benevento
Chris Robinson
Grayson Capps
Larry Coryell
Willis Alan Ramsey
The New Yorker
The Office (TV Show)
Corey Glover from Living Colour
Leslie Mendelson
Eric Krasno
Phil Lesh
Marcus King
Aaron Neville
Soulive
Stanton Moore
Galactic
Tipitina’s
New Orleans Jazz Fest

Kevin Calabro’s Definition of Making It:
“Being able to do what you love, with the people you love, is everything.”

Related Articles & Episodes:
1. Neal Casal of Chris Robinson Brotherhood - Episode #043
2. Corey Glover of Living Colour - Episode #047
3. Leslie Mendelson - Episode #057
4. Oliver Wood of the Wood Brothers - Episode #070
5. Mark Samuels of Basin Street Records - Episode #069

Keep in touch:
chris.goyzueta@gmail.com
www.makingitwithchrisg.com
https://www.instagram.com/chrisgoyzueta/
https://www.facebook.com/makingitwithchrisg

Credits:
Host: Chris Goyzueta (Chris G.)
Producer: Jason Trosclair
Executive Producer: ONElive Creative Agency  
Music: Emily Kopp

Rodney Hazard - Creating Beautiful Artistic Content and Building Powerful Relationships with Fellow Collaborators Through Social Media

You can also listen to this episode on iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher |

Rodney Hazard is an Art Director, Producer, and DJ based in Brooklyn, NY. On February 23, 2018, he released his second album, Sain or Savage, which premiered on Noisey.com. Rodney was first introduced on the podcast by Mark Schaefer on Episode #073, where Mark spoke of Rodney as an example of creating very creative and exciting content with his videos and music on Instagram. Rodney has created many amazing projects to which he has contributed as a director, music producer, videographer, photographer, graphic designer, or a combo of them all. He’s someone that’s a great example of a musician expanding his creative talents, and applying them to create beautiful and powerful content, with very talented collaborators. In this episode, we discuss the value of collaborating with others, how Rodney reaches out to complete strangers via Instagram or Twitter DM for collaboration projects, and much more.

To learn more about Rodney, visit http://rodneyhazard.com/ and make sure to follow him on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/rodneyhazard/.  

Highlights from this Episode
[3:24] Collaboration with Chasing Rooftops
[5:05] Where Rodney’s collaborations come from
[5:39] Meeting Mark Schaefer
[6:52] About Rodney Hazard
[8:05] What he looks for in potential collaborators
[9:12] Reaching out to people on social media
[11:45] What to say when reaching out to people on social media
[13:58] Overcoming being a perfectionist and start putting out content
[16:08] Putting out content
[18:10] Rodney’s process of creating content
[19:30] Getting someone’s attention on Instagram
[20:55] Rodney’s Team and workflow process
[22:51] Finding management and what to look for in a manager
[24:28] Approaching a manger
[25:20] Best practices for Soundcloud and Spotify
[26:52] The journey of Rodney Hazard
[31:52] Nvr Sleep - A Party for the Creative Class
[34:11] Lessons learned from collaborations and Heavy D.
[38:22] Booking and opening for other artists
[40:08] Equalizing Music Project
[43:27] Getting started in Film Scoring
[47:57] Expectations when reaching out to potential collaborators
[48:26] New Album - Saint or Savage
[52:47] Preview of 2018 for Rodney Hazard
[53:47] Philosophy on Touring for Hip-Hop and Producers
[56:12] A live performance that stands out and turning an audience into fans
[58:52] Getting to know Rodney Hazard

Quotes from Rodney Hazard
“Don’t be afraid to break rules and make noise.”
“How can we help each other push forward?”
“Always thank people for their time.”
“Art is never finished.”
“You’re always going to look at your old self, and cringe.”
“You have to see how people react to what you’re doing.”
“Let the world see it, let the world hear it.”
“You should always be creating.”
“If you’re practicing all the time, and doing things all the time, you’re going to get as great as you want to be.”
“All of things get flipped on its head. Why not be the first one to start that wave?”
“You should choose your manager, it shouldn’t be the other way around.”
“Sitting around and waiting for somebody isn’t the right way to go about it.”
“It’s all about creating a new conversation.”
“There is always something to learn, as long as you look at the craft as, I’m forever a student.”
“You can’t expect everyone to do what you want to do.”
“You should constantly be doing shows.”
“You have to be able to perform whether it’s a small crowd or big crowd.”
“You have to get on stage and bring something a little different.”
“Be willing to create a conversation with the crowd.”
“Making the music is the fun part.”
“I want people to feel something when the hear it.”

Links to people, places, and things mentioned
Chasing Rooftops
Mark Schaefer
AZ
Heavy D.
Halley Hiatt
Saint or Savage Premiere on Noisey
Sundance Film Festival
Questlove
The Roots
Method Man
Joe Budden
Nvr Sleep
GioDee
Bipolar Sunshine
TED Talk with Matt Goldman of Blue Man Group
Snoop Dogg
The Game
Jesse Draxler
Altered Carbon
Marvin Gaye
Prince
Tupac
[BOOKS]
Theory by Kenneth Goldsmith

Rodney Hazard’s Definition of Making It:
http://rodneyhazard.com/  
Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Soundcloud

Get in touch with Rodney Hazard
“Traveling the world, sustaining a good life, and doing what you love to do.”

Keep in touch:
chris.goyzueta@gmail.com
www.makingitwithchrisg.com
https://www.instagram.com/chrisgoyzueta/
https://www.facebook.com/makingitwithchrisg

Credits:
Host: Chris Goyzueta (Chris G.)
Producer: Jason Trosclair
Executive Producer: ONElive Creative Agency  
Music: Emily Kopp

Jason Davis - A Lifetime of Songwriting and Entrepreneurship at the Highest Level

You can also listen to this episode on iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher |

Jason Davis is a serial entrepreneur, A&R, and expert in artist development. He’s a co-founder and president of multiple companies including One One 7, Radar Label Group, and Awaken Records. He has worked with artists such as P. Diddy, Boyz II Men, Jay-Z, Dolly Parton, Lonestar, and many more. He wrote his first Billboard #1 single at 23 years old, which was a song called “Captured,” performed by Aaron Benward. In this episode, we talk about Jason’s journey in the music business and what it takes to be a songwriter at the highest level. From this journey, someone can learn many valuable lessons on how to get started as an artist, to have an amazing work ethic, how much you should be writing, and much more.
 
To learn more about Jason Davis check out https://oneone7.com/, https://www.awakenrecordings.com/, https://www.radarlabelgroup.com/, and http://fcmgt.com/.

Highlights from this Episode
[3:08] Time in Delray Beach, FL
[4:25] Advantages and Disadvantages of living in a major music market
[7:29] Current Projects Jason Davis is involved in
[13:20] Narrowing your focus when first starting out
[20:25] Where Jason’s journey began as a musician
[27:27] Process for Booking Shows
[30:28] Writing the #1 Song “Captured” with Aaron Benward
[41:33] The journey after writing a #1 song
[45:50] Pitching a song to an A&R
[49:30] Time management and working on your craft for Songwriters
[54:37] Sharing a story from your perspective
[55:52] Getting to writing with artists on a bigger scale
[1:03:44] Defining your WHY and purpose to your music
[1:10:18] Finding the right people that don’t give up on you
[1:19:15] Working and getting involved with Care for Kids
[1:22:04] Getting to know Jason Davis

Quotes from Jason Davis
“We have a habit of looking at someone that’s become very successful and not processing it’s taken them 20 to 30 years to get to where they are.”
“It’s about having a very concentrated laser beam focus on one thing at a time.”
“Focus on one thing to become great at.”  
“When music is done at the highest level, and only the highest level...it’s a glimpse of how good the music in heaven is.”
“It was more about growing and the journey, than getting people’s approval.”
“The door just cracked open, and I’m not going backwards.”
“The only thing I can do is work to have a relationship with you, and then I have permission to play you a song.”
“(You) should be writing a little bit every single day.”
“Challenge yourself to write and finish at least one song a week.”
“Dare to be crazy creative.”
“You should be studying the Top 20 to 50 songs.”
“You should be studying the song titles and song content.”
“Anyone on the other side of a 10 to 11 year journey to success, will tell you the 10 to 11 years didn’t really take that long.”
“If you play your cards right, and work hard, you can sustain that success for a lifetime.”
“How do we make the best possible music here on earth?”
“Usually once an artist meets the right people, it’s still a 2, 3, 4 year journey.”

Links to people, places, and things mentioned
Awaken Records
Austin French
Rising Star (TV Show)
First Company Management
Newsboys
Ryan Stevenson
7eventh Time Down
Radar Label Group
Jimmy Eat World
Neon Trees
Plain White T’s
Unlikely Candidates
Ariana Grande
Justin Bieber
Michael Jackson
CTK Management
Dolly Parton
Will Smith
Paradigm Agency
Aaron Benward
Mandy Moore
And the Writers Is… (Podcast)
[BOOK]
Your Love Pursues by Jason Davis  
The Bible 
All You Need to Know About the Music Business by Donald Passman
The Operator by David Geffen
To Be Loved by Berry Gordy
Virgin King by Richard Branson
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart by Piero Melograni

Jason Davis’ Definition of Making It:
“Making music at the highest level it can be made.”

Related Articles & Episodes:
1. Emily Kopp - Touring, Licensing, and Backpacking the World
2. Jeffrey James - An Adventure in the Nashville Songwriter Scene
3. Mark Samuels - A 20 Year Journey & Counting as an Independent Record Label
4. Oliver Wood - An Adventure with Musical Greats, Independence, and Creative Freedom

Keep in touch:
chris.goyzueta@gmail.com
www.makingitwithchrisg.com
https://www.instagram.com/chrisgoyzueta/
https://www.facebook.com/makingitwithchrisg

Credits:
Host: Chris Goyzueta (Chris G.)
Producer: Jason Trosclair
Executive Producer: ONElive Creative Agency  
Music: Emily Kopp

Mark Schaefer - Strategies to Building Your Personal Brand and Becoming KNOWN

You can also listen to this episode on iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher |

One of my favorite topics in marketing since starting the podcast is the concept of content marketing and building media companies. It’s something that’s been happening for decades. As Joe Pulizzi mentioned, he modeled the Content Marketing Institute on Disney’s business model as a media company. Over the last 10 years or so, there have been some brilliant marketers that have studied content marketing or building a business around being a media company. They’ve done endless amounts of research, built media companies themselves, and have many amazing success stories. Musicians should be the best set-up at building media companies because they’re building a business around media. Yet unfortunately, many musicians struggle with building an audience, including their labels. However, there is a ton of amazing information out there and marketing strategists that have identified simple steps on how someone can build a media company, and become KNOWN. One of these marketing strategists is Mark Schaefer, the guest for this episode on the show.

Mark Schaefer is a marketing and social media strategist. He’s a six-time author, which includes the book KNOWN - “The handbook for Unleashing Your Personal Brand in a Digital Age.” Mark is one of the Top-10 Most retweeted marketing authorities, a public speaker, a professor at Rutgers University, well-known blogger for the blog {grow}, and even has his own podcast, The Marketing Companion. In this conversation, we discuss the book KNOWN, and how musicians can use these strategies to find their sustainable interest, build a powerful brand, and creating an effective social media strategy to grow your business, and become KNOWN.

Grab a copy of KNOWN by Mark Schaefer on Amazon

Highlights from this Episode
[2:31] Mark’s first memorable live music experiences
[6:15] Mark’s Story
[7:45] Why KNOWN is a good start for Musicians
[13:10] Finding your sustainable interest
[15:34] How to find your sustainable interest
[19:57] How to find the right space that’s not already oversaturated
[23:34] Four types of “rich” content to consider
[27:32] The importance of focusing on one type of content on one platform
[31:58] How consistent and patient do we need to be?
[37:52] Using Twitter advanced search
[42:10] Where is the trend of content consumption going in 2018
[46:25] How Mark Schaefer would design a Music Business program
[48:40] Mark’s Hollywood Vampires
[50:01] Getting to know Mark Schaefer

Quotes from Mark Schaefer
“There is only one thing that matters today. Either you’re known, or you’re not.”
“Being known is really the only sustainable competitive advantage a person can have today.”
“Every single person, in every field, everywhere in the world, did the same four things to be known.”
“I didn’t follow my passion. My passion followed me.”
“To be known, you have to identify your sustainable interest.”
“All of the great musicians have combined genres, they’ve combined cultures.”
“Many of the musicians we look up to today, when they started, they didn’t have it right. But they started.”
“If you want to stand out in some way, you have to find a way to do it that really hasn’t been done before.”
“There are so many new and exciting opportunities out there.”
“The whole idea is to be discovered and to create something new in a new space, where you can be discovered and loved.”
“A social media audience is different from an actionable audience.”
“On average it took people [from the book] two and a half years to tilt.”
“The key is focus.”
“Twitter is the most powerful way to find a targetable audience.”
“The number one consideration has to be; what brings you joy?”
“If you’re not having fun, not having joy, the audience will find that.”
“When you put content into the world, it’s a daily performance review.”

Links to people, places, and things mentioned
Bruce Springsteen
Pat Metheny
Hologram Electronics
NAMM Conference
Isadora et Marisa (Food YouTuber)
Rodney Hazard
Slide Share
“Got Twitter? You’ve been Scored” (NY Times Article)
Advanced Twitter Search
Rutgers University
Walter Isaacson
Elon Musk
Ernie Watts
“Blogging and Your Moment of Truth” (Article inspired by Ernie Watts)
[BOOKS]
KNOWN
The Tao of Twitter
The Content Code

Mark Schaefer’s Definition of Making It:
“Peace in your heart. When you get to a place when you get peace in your heart, you feel satisfied, you feel rewarded for giving back to the world in whatever way. That’s the ultimate definition of success for me.”

Get in touch with Mark Schaefer
https://www.businessesgrow.com/
Twitter: @markwschaefer

Related Articles & Episodes:
1. Joe Pulizzi - Killing Old Marketing Practices and Building Media Companies
2. Jasmine Star - Building a Successful Business with the RIGHT Fans
3. Greg Rollett - Taking Your Marketing Game to the Next Level with Content Creation
4. Kyle Lemaire - Disrupting the Traditional Music Business

Keep in touch:
chris.goyzueta@gmail.com
www.makingitwithchrisg.com
https://www.instagram.com/chrisgoyzueta/
https://www.facebook.com/makingitwithchrisg

Credits:
Host: Chris Goyzueta (Chris G.)
Producer: Jason Trosclair
Executive Producer: ONElive Creative Agency  
Music: Emily Kopp

8 Keys to Continue Thriving in 2018

According to Business Insider, 80% of Americans give up on their New Year’s resolutions and goals by February 1st. We can’t afford for you to give up on your goals. On January 1st, did you say that this year will be your best year ever? What were those goals that you set to achieve this year? What did you try to put behind you from 2017? The world needs you to continue to pursue your goals and passion. So does your friends, your family, and especially you. Creativity and entrepreneurship can change one person, which means your music, your art, your ideas, can change one person. If you can positively impact and change one person at a time, you can change the world. In this episode, I want to share 8 keys with you to hopefully inspire you to stay on track or get back on track with your goals for 2018, and to continue to THRIVE!!  

Highlights from this Episode
[6:04] First - Get Back up
[10:32] Two - Focus on Health
[13:06 ] Three - Spiritual and Gratitude
[16:46] Four - Work on Your Craft
[20:55] Five - Give to Your Relationships
[25:39] Six - Have a Gameplan
[28:20] Seven - Learn & Grow Always
[33:34] Eight - Create Your Community

Quotes from this Episode
“It’s time to get back on track.”
“We need to be inspired.”
“If you give up on  your goals, not only you lose, but we all lose.”
“If we have more people doing things they love and make them thrive, the more positivity we’ll have in world.”
“Get daily time with something that brings you joy and makes you thrive.”
“If your music or craft connects with just one person, you can change the world.”  
“We need you to stay inspired and share your gift with the world.”
“Taking care of you will help you be more creative, productive, and happier.”
“Thank one person every day with no expectations.”  
“If you want to be a songwriter, you should be writing 10 to 20 songs a month.”
“Always work on your craft and try to get a little bit better every day.”
“Don’t make someone have to think how you can bring value to them. You find the way!”
“If everyone wins, that’s the best type of relationship to start.”
“Reverse engineer your goals, and create smaller goals.”   
“When you’re interviewing and having conversations, it’s important to listen.”
“Build positive, encouraging, and motivating tribes.”
“Surround yourself with people that inspire you, motivate you, and want you to succeed.”

Links to people, places, and things mentioned
Brad Mason
Tim Ferriss
Tony Robbins
Gary Vaynerchuck
Christian Gratitude Journal by Ben Greenfield
Headspace
Oak Meditation
Malcolm Gladwell
Greg Rollett
Chris Stapleton
Toastmasters
Plaza Live Orlando
Live Nation
House of Blues New Orleans
Joe Pulizzi
Jacko Willink
Lewis Howes
Herb Gonzalez
Brandon T. Adams
Game of Thrones
City Park in New Orleans
Full Sail University
Blue Zones
[BOOKS]
Crushing It by Gary Vaynerchuck
Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell

Related Articles & Episodes:
1. Brad Mason - Finding Motivation by Being Fully Engaged

Keep in touch:
chris.goyzueta@gmail.com
www.makingitwithchrisg.com
https://www.instagram.com/chrisgoyzueta/
https://www.facebook.com/makingitwithchrisg

Credits:
Host: Chris Goyzueta (Chris G.)
Producer: Jason Trosclair
Executive Producer: ONElive Creative Agency  
Music: Emily Kopp

Ron Richard - Owner of SimplePlay Presents and Talent Buyer at One Eyed Jacks in New Orleans - Artist Development Strategies from Years of Booking and Promoting Live Music

You can also listen to this episode on iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher |

Ron Richard is the owner of New Orleans based Artist Development and Promotions company, SimplePlay Presents, and the Talent Buyer for One Eyed Jacks. In this episode, we cover how to become an artist manager, artist development, booking shows, the advance process, opening for national acts, and much more. Ron has been a concert promoter in New Orleans for over 10 years, and has worked with all the major venues in the market. SimplePlay presents has become a major artist management company in the market that has worked with artists such as Big Freedia, Naughty Professor, Sweet Crude, and many more.

To learn more about Ron Richard, keep in touch with him on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/roncheadle/, and check out the shows he’s booking at One Eyed Jacks at https://www.oneeyedjacks.net/.   

Highlights from this Episode
[2:45] Ron’s first concert experience
[3:45] Ron’s story of getting started in the Music Business
[4:48] What is SimplePlay
[6:08] Skills an Artist Manager Needs
[7:25] Dealing with stressful situations  
[8:30] When artists should pursue managers
[10:15] Things artists should keep track of
[10:40] Managing and working with new artists
[14:18] Lessons from Promoting Shows for Artist Managers
[15:10] Advancing Shows
[16:28] Getting started as an Artist Manager
[18:30] What artists should look for in a manager
[20:05] Favorite New Orleans Jazz Fest moments
[21:32] Starting out as a promoter and reducing risks
[22:55] Making good deals and growing your business
[24:49] Getting started in competitive markets like New Orleans
[26:25] Not burning bridges with competing promoters
[28:00] Types of deal when promoting shows
[29:35] Emailing promoters - etiquette and pet peeves
[32:40] Putting together local shows with other locals
[33:45] Going out to shows
[35:32] Opening for National Acts
[36:52] Common mistakes artists make
[37:40] Lesson that took Ron the longest to learn
[39:31] Dealing with booking contracts
[41:45] Past and current mentors
[42:05] What Ron wants people to know about New Orleans
[43:40] Getting to know Ron Richard

Quotes from Ron Richard
“We sold 2 shirts, but made money on tickets. So, we canned the T-Shirt idea, and got into promoting.”
“You have to know your artist.”
“Go settle up as soon as you can, and make sure you get deposits”
“Go see shows, and talk to artists”
“Be smart with what you choose, and know your market.”
“Sometimes it works out, and sometimes you lose. That’s just how it goes.”
“The worst they can tell you is no, or they’ll just over quote you really high.”
“Work well with everyone, and eventually stuff will come back.”
“Make a point to go to other venues and show face, and talk to other buyers and people.”
“Make your hometown beckon for a show.”
“You don’t want to come off amateur to an agent.”

Links to people, places, and things mentioned
Pearl Jam
Sage Francis
One Eyed Jacks
SimplePlay
Big Freedia
Tank & The Bangas
Sweet Crude
Motel Radio
Coyotes  
Shep Gordon
AEG Presents
Live Nation
Maison
Joy Theater
Orpheum Theater
Sync Up Music Conference
New Orleans Jazz Fest
SXSW  
My Morning Jacket
EOTO
PollstarPro
Genius Sign App
Reptar
Port of Call - New Orleans
Green Day
Office Hours with Tim Heideker  
Tuesdays with Stories with Mark Norman
Hunter S. Thompson
Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon [Documentary]
History of The Eagles [Documentary]  

Ron’s Definition of Making It:
“Doing something you feel really happy doing, and fulfills you. To me, I have the most fun job in the world.”

Get in touch with Ron Richard
IG: @roncheadle

Related Articles & Episodes:
1. Promoter and Artist Deals & Settlements
2. Booking More Shows by Writing Better Emails to Talent Buyers, Promoters, and Venue Owners
3. Opening for National Acts
4. Wayne Lee - Journey of Legendary New Orleans Talent Buyer

Oliver Wood of the Wood Brothers - An Adventure with Musical Greats, Independence, and Creative Freedom

You can also listen to this episode on iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher |

Get ready to embark on a beautiful creative adventure. One of the things I preach the most is the Malcolm Gladwell theory of 10,000 hours. If you’re fully present, and dedicate 10,000 hours of your time into something, you’ll reach a level of greatness. When I first started the podcast, it was a 90 day experiment that turned into a passion, and maybe one could say I finally found my lane. Now, I’m trying to hit my 10,000 hours as quickly as possible as a podcaster, teacher, mentor, and public speaker. When it comes to songwriting and music, I always teach my students that they should be investing as many hours as they can on improving their craft, and to collaborate with others that will help elevate their skill as a musician and songwriter. This week, I launched a new group project where students get chosen at random to spend a week with a group of 4 to 5 people as writing partners and come up with an original song. This was a project inspired by Oliver Wood. When I think of Oliver, I think of someone that has been on a creative adventure of music as musician and songwriter. His journey and stories are a tale of greatness.

Oliver Wood is one of the founders of The Wood Brothers, along with his brother, Chris Wood. After several years on their own path, they discovered their musical bond and have been on a wonderful journey ever since their first release in 2006. On February 2nd, 2018, The Wood Brothers are releasing their sixth album ‘One Drop of Truth,’ which dives headfirst into a deep wellspring of sounds, styles, and influences. Whereas their previous outings have often followed a conceptual and sonic through-line, here the long-standing trio featuring brothers Oliver and Chris Wood along with Jano Rix treat each song as if it were its own short film. The plaintive, country-folk of the album’s opening track “River Takes The Town” gives way to The Band-esque Americana soul of “Happiness Jones.” The stream of consciousness ballad “Strange As It Seems” floats on a cloud of ethereal beauty, standing in stark contrast to “Sky High”—a Saturday night barnburner built upon stinging slide guitar funk. “Seasick Emotions” is rife with emotional turmoil, yet “Sparkling Wine” is jaunty and carefree. The end result is undeniably The Wood Brothers’ most dynamic recording to date.

In this conversation, Oliver Wood discusses the new album, along with some stories of his mentor Tinsley Ellis, his father, and advice for aspiring musicians and songwriters. Oliver Wood has had such a wonderful career, and in this episode, he shares some of his stories and lessons from those adventures.  

Get the new album "One Drop of Truth"

Highlights from this Episode
[3:06] Musical Influences and New Orleans Music
[4:32] Making of the New Album “One Drop of Truth”
[7:40] What Oliver is most excited about with the new album
[8:37] Self Producing Albums
[11:40] If he were creating a Music Business program for Songwriters
[17:38] Being mentored and learning the business with Tinsley Ellis
[19:26] The moments that inspired The Wood Brothers
[23:38] Lesson that took Oliver the longest to learn

Quotes from Oliver Wood
“Put yourself in it 100%, and don’t compromise things.”
“Get your pure idea recorded.”
“Half of it is just a motivation thing and a confidence thing, or lack thereof. And you just have to overcome that.”
“You learn things by doing them.”
“Write songs, and write a lot of them. And listen to songs, listen to a lot of them.”
“There has to be something that promotes individuality.”
“Students need to be encouraged to find their own voice.”
“Group projects are great, because we learn from each other.”
“Just stay in the moment and don’t worry about things. Especially when it comes to music.”
“The best part is made when you’re not thinking about anything.”

Links to people, places, and things mentioned
The Wood Brothers
Stevie Wonder
Prince
Tinsley Ellis
Freddie King
Derek Trucks
Chris Wood
Medeski, Martin, and Wood
Blue Note Records
Norah Jones
Zac Brown
Thirty Tigers

Oliver Wood’s Definition of Making It:
“If you’re doing what you love, you’ve made it.”

Get in touch with The Wood Brothers
http://thewoodbros.com/
https://www.facebook.com/thewoodbrothers
https://www.instagram.com/thewoodbros/
https://twitter.com/thewoodbrothers

Go See The Wood Brothers Live
Upcoming 2018 Tour Dates:
Jan. 25 - Charlottesville, VA - Jefferson Theatre
Jan. 26 - Washington, DC - Lincoln Theatre
Jan. 27 - Washington, DC - Lincoln Theatre
Jan. 28 - Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer
Jan. 30 - Albany, NY - The Egg
Jan. 31 - New York, NY - Irving Plaza
Feb. 1 - New York, NY - Irving Plaza
Feb. 2 - Portland, ME - State Theatre
Feb. 3 - Boston, MA - House of Blues
Feb. 9 - Miami Beach, FL - Groundup Music Festival
Feb. 21 - Phoenix, AZ - MIM Music Theater
Feb. 22 - Solana Beach, CA - Belly Up
Feb. 23 - Los Angeles, CA - Fonda Theatre
Feb. 24 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
Feb. 25 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
Feb. 27 - Arcata, CA - Kate Buchanan Room
Feb. 28 - Ashland, OR - Southern Oregon University
Mar. 1 - Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom
Mar. 2 - Seattle, WA - Neptune
Mar. 3 - Seattle, WA - Neptune
Mar. 15 - Birmingham, AL - Iron City
Mar. 16 - Chattanooga, TN - Robert Kirk Walker Theatre
Mar. 17 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium
Apr. 11 - Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue
Apr. 12 - Madison, WI - Majestic Theatre
Apr. 13 - Chicago, IL - Vic Theatre
Apr. 14 - Chicago, IL - Vic Theatre
Apr. 15 - St. Louis, MO - The Pageant
Apr. 17 - Cincinnati, OH - Taft Ballroom
Apr. 18 - Ann Arbor, MI - The Ark
Apr. 19 - Indianapolis, IN - The Vogue
Apr. 20 - Knoxville, TN - Bijou Theater
Apr. 21 - Brevard, NC - Songsmith Gathering
Apr. 22 - Charlotte, NC - Tuck Fest
May 25 - Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheatre
May 27 - Cumberland, MD - DelFest

Get all the info and tickets here. 

Related Episodes:
1. Neal Casal of Chris Robinson Brotherhood Shares Stories of His 30+ Year Career
2. Ivan Neville of Dumpstaphunk - Growing up ina Family of Musicians & Greatness
3. Leslie Mendelson - Expanding Musical Horizons & Meeting Friends in Unexpected Places

Keep in touch:
chris.goyzueta@gmail.com
www.makingitwithchrisg.com
https://www.instagram.com/chrisgoyzueta/
https://www.facebook.com/makingitwithchrisg

Credits:
Host: Chris Goyzueta (Chris G.)
Producer: Jason Trosclair
Executive Producer: ONElive Creative Agency  
Music: Emily Kopp

Lennon Cihak - Building a Massive Network Through Writing for Blogs and How Musicians can Get Featured on Music Blogs

You can also listen to this episode on iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher |

A common thing we always hear in the music industry, “it’s all about relationships.” I’ve always said that promoting shows is the ultimate gateway drug into the music business and building relationships because you get to work with venues, agents, managers, publicists, labels, and artists. However, promoting shows comes with huge risk. You could fall on your face, and lose a ton of money. Lennon Cihak is an example of being genuine, organized, and putting in really hard work can build a massive network. As of the release of this episode, he is a recent college grad from Full Sail University and is already build a powerful network through writing for blogs.

Lennon Cihak is a writer for EDM.com, Noiseporn, Magnetic Magazine, and Digital Music News. He’s also started his own blog EDMinaSoda, where he explores his writing covering other interests in the world of EDM. In this episode, you’ll learn about Lennon’s journey, how he organized his homework schedule so he could take on more projects, how to build genuine relationships, how to get write-ups on music blogs, and much more. Lennon is already doing some amazing things, and he hasn’t even scratched the surface of his potential. He’s approaching the music business with a positive attitude, hustle, and with kindness, and therefore, has built a great network.

Highlights from this Episode
[3:02] Time at Full Sail University
[4:28] Students, Classes, and Professors that inspired Lennon
[6:52] Getting involved and decision making process of what to get involved with
[11:13] The journey of Lennon Cihak
[17:28] How students can get started getting experience
[19:48] Journey in writing
[21:10] Opportunities from Blogging
[24:50] Building long lasting relationships
[29:08] Lennon’s writing schedule
[33:25] Research and energy management for writing
[36:16] Decision process on which artists to feature and write about
[38:33] Email format when reaching out to a writer for a feature
[51:44] Working with Phil Pallen and tactics for Twitter
[57:36] Getting to know Lennon Cihak

Quotes from Lennon Cihak
“I would start some of my projects even before class so I could ask questions.”
“It’s this maze you can follow, and pinpoint other opportunities you can follow.”
“In marketing, you’re going to meet a lot of people.”
“Step out of your comfort zone and try something new.”
“I’m silently taking note of who’s where.”
“Know your worth. You’re worth something and your time is worth something. Regardless to how much experience you have.”
“Work with people who show you respect back.”
“A relationship is working with somebody, and getting to know them beyond their work life.”  
“Trying to reach everybody is a big marketing NO NO.”
“The fewer messages we have to get back and forward on, the better.”
“There is a reason you wrote that song, tell us why you wrote that song.”
“If someone can relate to it, it’s going to be more powerful.”
“Be personable.”
“When I meet you, I want that persona [from email impression] to flow.”
“Give them a reason to follow you.”

An article by Lennon Cihak (mentioned in this conversation). 

Links to people, places, and things mentioned
Full Sail University
Pro Tools
Logic
SPARK
WWE
EDM.com
Noiseporn
EDM Tunes
Dancing Astronaut
Magnetic Magazine
Phil Pallen
Jamvana
EDM in a Soda
Steve Aoki  
Greg Rollett
Tim Ferriss
Davey Jay (Music Attorney)
Ari Herstand
Lewis Howes
Rachel Platten
Jonny Lang
Crazy Frog
Fanburst
Article on Fanburst by Lennon Cihak
Elon Musk
Michael Jackson
Prince
Adam Lambert
John Lennon
Lady Gaga
Deadmau5
[BOOKS]
Shut Up and Tweet by Phil Pallen

Lennon Cihak’s Definition of Making It:
“Working hard, staying persistent, never give up, find your niche, love what you do, and you’ll never work a day of your life.”

Get in touch with Lennon Cihak
Lennon@lennoncihak.com
Lennoncihak.com
Twitter: @lennoncihak
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennoncihak/

Related Articles & Episodes:
1. Davey Jay - A Copyright & Publishing Foundation Masterclass - Episode #056
2. Angela Mastrogiacomo - Building Your Story Through Written Form - Episode #062

Keep in touch:
chris.goyzueta@gmail.com
www.makingitwithchrisg.com
https://www.instagram.com/chrisgoyzueta/
https://www.facebook.com/makingitwithchrisg

Credits:
Host: Chris Goyzueta (Chris G.)
Producer: Jason Trosclair
Executive Producer: ONElive Creative Agency  
Music: Emily Kopp

Greg Rollett - Taking Your Marketing Game to the Next Level with Content Creation, Newsletters, and Sales Funnels

You can also listen to this episode on iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher |

Greg Rollett returns to the show for his third time. In this episode we get into tips on creating content, the importance of content, how to apply the marketing sales funnel to build your brand and business, and much more. Since last time Greg was on the show, episode #017, he has successfully launched his TV Show Ambitious Adventures where he travels around the United States to meet with successful entrepreneurs. The show is distributed on Entrepreneur.com where Greg is also a consistent guest teaching lessons on entrepreneurship, and sharing many of his articles. For those that don’t know Greg, he’s a serial entrepreneur, Emmy Award Winning Producer, Multi-Time Amazon Best Selling Author, and much more. In this episode, we discuss content creation strategies, putting together effective newsletters to communicate with your fans, the sales funnel process, and much more.

This is from the first episode of Ambitious Adventures. Check out more at ambitious.com/adventures. 

Highlights from this Episode
[4:40] 2017 Successes for Greg Rollett
[7:35] How many platforms should you be creating content on
[10:48] What type of content should musicians be creating?
[12:57] How consistent should you be?
[14:51] Repurposing Content
[16:40] Getting your audience from content to email subscriber
[19:48] What is a good opt-in?
[22:26] Hypothesizing who your ideal fan would be
[25:27] Creating the fan newsletter  
[28:32] Review and example of a sales funnel
[31:38] How to get people to become promoters of your brand
[34:10] Lesson learned in 2017
[37:02] Getting to know Greg Rollett

Quotes from Greg Rollett
“Online TV is everything right now.”
“You have to be putting yourself out there constantly and consistently.”
“If you’re not there in the news feed, somebody else is.”
“Email is not dead!”
“You need to play to your strengths.”
“I’m very bullish on video, but I don’t think it’s for everybody.”
“Get awesome at doing it once a week.”  
“It’s more important to be consistent in the beginning.”
“Start with what you actually can commit to and will deliver.”
“What’s going to make someone stop and pay attention to you?”
“The opt-in, there has to be an incentive for someone to join.”
“You really need to think about, what does the fan want.”
“What does the marketing want? What is the big idea?”
“If you really want to build a fanbase, fans really need to be able to identify with you.”
“Write the newsletter like you’re writing your friends.”
“People want to be part of something bigger.”
“We all want to believe in our stars.”
“If you have fans who actually really like your stuff, they want to be involved.”
“Go back and do more of what worked.”

Links to people, places, and things mentioned
Tim Ferriss
Kevin Rose
Ambitious Adventures   
Ambitious Life on Entrepreneur
Full Sail University
Entrepreneur.com
Ambitious Media Group
Gary Vaynerchuk  
Joe Pulizzi
Medium
Atticus (Poet)
Black Thought Freestyle
Kiss Army
Lewis Howes
Hootie and the Blowfish
Lord of the Underground
Dr. Dre
Shaquille O’Neal  

Greg Rollett’s Definition of Making It
“Being able to do what you what, when you want, with who you want, for the price that you want.”

Getting in touch with Greg Rollett
Greg@ambitous.com
https://www.facebook.com/ambitiousadventuresshow
https://www.instagram.com/gregrollett/
https://www.facebook.com/gregrollett   

Related Podcasts:
1. Greg Rollett Episode #001 - Taking Risks & Trying New Things
2. Greg Rollett Episode #017 - Creating Your 1,000 True Fans
3. Kyle Lemaire, Episode #054 - Disrupting the Traditional Music Business
4. Joe Pulizzi, Episode #055 - Killing Old Marketing Practices with Content Marketing
5. Jasmine Star, Episode #051 - Building the Right Fans on Social Media

Keep in touch:
chris.goyzueta@gmail.com
www.makingitwithchrisg.com
https://www.instagram.com/makingitwithchrisg/
https://www.facebook.com/makingitwithchrisg

Credits:
Host: Chris Goyzueta (Chris G.)
Producer: Jason Trosclair
Executive Producer: ONElive Creative Agency  
Music: Emily Kopp

Touring with a Plan and Strategy - Where to Play, When to Play, and How to Sell Tickets

You can also listen to this episode on iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher |

This episode is all about Touring Strategy! How often to play, which cities or markets to play, what types of venues to play, what are promoters, talent buyers, and venue owners looking for, and how do you get a booking agent. This is my first solo, lecture style episode. One of my student's favorite classes is when I cover tour strategy, and it’s a lecture they always ask me to record. Now it’s available not just for my students in the class, but all of the Making It students and listeners around the world. In this episode, you’ll learn some simple easy to use strategies, that will help you simplify the topic of touring, and answer a lot of the common questions I receive.

I’ve seen a lot of artists make many mistakes when it comes to touring. Yes, it’s fun and exciting to hit the road, but it can also be very costly and expensive. Touring up and down the coast or around the country over and over again to play in empty rooms, is just not a good way to do business. Now if you’re just looking for adventure, have at it. I’d love to just circle the country over and over again. However, when it comes to building a career and longevity, it’s better to do things with a strategy. Look at it as a roadmap. You don’t want your driver on the road blind without a game plan or a map to follow. You’ll never get to where you want to go that way, or at least it’ll take much longer. This episode is here to lay out a strategy for you when it comes to touring. It’s not the only way to do things, but it’s something to think about and something anyone could build off of and make it their own.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this solo/lecture style episode. The holidays are a great time to experiment with new formats for the podcast to learn what gives our listeners the most value going, so we can deliver the best content for you in 2018.

Additional Resources to Book Your Next Show/Tour:
1. Booking More Shows by Writing Better Emails to Talent Buyers, Promoters, and Venue Owners
- Use this article to help you book more shows, and write better emails as you’re mapping out your tours, or selecting which markets you’re going to play.

2. 40 Strategies to Promote Your Next Show
- Use this article to help you promote the shows you book, and make sure to grab the free marketing plan below.

3. How to Open for National Acts
- Use this article to help you get opening slots for national acts.

Make sure to read all these articles to really benefit from the strategies mentioned here.

Highlights from this episode:
[5:31] Playing with Purpose
[6:25] Determining your Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s)
[10:12] Who Books the Shows
[13:50] What are Promoters Looking For?  
[30:13] The types of Venues to Play
[35:34] How Often to Play
[39:40] Which Cities/Markets to Play
[42:52] How Many Cities to Develop at a Time

Links to people, places, and things mentioned
Delta Rae
Foo Fighters
House of Blues New Orleans
Live Nation
Earthday Birthday
WJRR 101.1
Dickerman from WJRR
SunFest - West Palm Beach
AEG Present
Jason Hunnicutt of 1904 Music Hall
Ari Herstand
Creative Artist Agency (CAA)
William Morris Endeavor (WME)
Paradigm  
Kessler Theater in Dallas, TX
Ari Nisman (College Booking Agent with Degy Entertainment)
Andy Grammer
Steve Aoki
Shannon Curtis
Dawn Beyer
Kyle Lemaire
Vulfpeck  
Chris Stapleton on Joe Rogan Podcast
Hydrogen Child
Joe Pulizzi
[BOOKS]
How to Make It in the New Music Business by Ari Herstand

Booking Agent Interviews
Kevin Stone - Florida Theater - Jacksonville, FL
Wayne Lee - New Orleans, LA
Dan Larson - Okeechobee Music Fest / Venue 578 - Orlando, FL
Allen Anders - AEG Presents - Dallas, TX
Michael Yerke - Live Nation - Los Angeles, CA

Talent Buyer Interviews
Alec Vidmar - United Talent Agency (UTA)
Ari Nisman - Degy Entertainment
Jeff Howard - Agency for the Performing Arts (APA)
Pete Anderson - Agency for the Performing Arts (APA)
Jeremy Holgersen - United Talent Agency (UTA)
Joshua Knight - Paradigm Agency
Meg White - ICM Partners