Ben Weeden - COO of House of Blues Entertainment at Live Nation - Building the Largest Portfolio of Clubs & Theaters for the Most Powerful Concert Promoter in the World

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

Benjamin Weeden is the COO of House of Blues Entertainment at Live Nation for their Clubs & Theaters division. In 2016, his team promoted over 10,000 concerts in the United States. The company owns and operates clubs and theaters all over the United States, and is most known for it’s House of Blues and Fillmore brands. Ben has been with the company literally since day one, having worked along with one of his mentors and CEO of Live Nation, Michael Rapino. In this conversation, we celebrate our 50th episode, and Ben shares a ton of insight and wisdom from his time in the Entertainment Business. We discuss his experience and how he got in, what makes a great talent buyer, what makes his division unique, the most in demand jobs at Live Nation, what his ideal curriculum would look at a Music Business school, and much more.

I have a ton of students that want to become Talent Buyers or work for Live Nation. Ben Weeden shares some great insight on what he personally looks for in Talent Buyers, and also the need for great promoters. In today’s touring industry, understanding social media, how to place efficient and effective ads on Facebook, Twitter, Instagarm, etc. is crucial to being a great marketer/promoter. Also, Ben talks a lot about analyzing data in this episode. One of the jobs I consistently see posted the most is for data analysts. If you can learn how to make marketing decisions based on data analysis, and then sell tickets, that’s where the money is! If you can do that, you’re going to be very successful as a marketer. I love this episode, and how he shared the importance of getting used to promoting 100+ shows per year to become a good Talent Buyer, and put yourself through bootcamp to get ready for the big leagues with Live Nation.

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Highlights from this Episode
(5:30) Ben’s role at Live Nation
(7:00) New venues, acquired and built
(7:42) Sought out trends in the market
(9:50) Current trends in today’s music business, based on live shows
(13:00) Raising ticket prices for smaller, DIY artists
(14:51) Ben’s start in the business
(21:54) Advice for students aspiring to work in Live Nation
(24:50) Advice for talent buying without wasting money
(27:28) Most in demand jobs in the industry
(28:40) College degrees/classes that add value to the music business
(30:30) Courses for Music Business students
(33:17) Lessons learned from Michael Rapino and other mentors
(36:14) Advice on marketing budgeting for emerging bands
(37:53) Ben’s routine for stress relief and mental health
(41:15) Words of wisdom for future talent buyers/promoters

Quotes from Ben Weeden
“When expanding, population and disposable income are two of the most important data points”
“We’re trying to raise our tickets prices in such a way that it goes up with the inevitable rise in talent.”
“For better or for worse, the price of talent will never go down”
“We got to get better at pricing the house without pricing people out of the house.”
“In order to be a top-notch talent buyer, we generally look for buyers that have been playing with their own money, have been promoting a significant volume of shows (over 100 shows a year) and battling bigger guys [in the business]”
“I’ve got a lot of respect for buyers that go out on their own and carve out a niche for themselves”
“Learning the marketing side is very important because at the end of the day we don’t want just talent buyers, we want promoters.”
“We’re all going to book shows that are going to lose money; let’s just learn from it and make sure we don’t book that same show at the same price again.”
“On average, our senior promoters are booking over 200 shows a year…you have to get time with your family; you have to get time with yourself, you have to get time to take your vacations because this business just never stops…”
“It’s a tough business; it’s a grind; if you love music this is certainly the industry to be in nowadays given the importance of touring…you have to find the experience booking shows…take whatever experience you can”
“It’s a great time to be in this business, it’s only going to continue to grow, and there’s only going to be more opportunities…it is a real grind, you have to be prepared for that.”
“Get grounded on all the different facets, finance, marketing, operations and hopefully find a job at a smaller club, grinding it out and booking at a lower volume cause there is where you’re going to get experience.”

Links to people, places, and things mentioned
Live Nation
Grand Rapids (20 Monroe Live)
HOB Anaheim
Buckhead Theater
Queen Theatre
The Van Buren
Bear Sterns                                                                                                
SFX Entertainment
Robert Sillerman
Brian Becker
Milano Concerti
Michael Rapino
Clear Channel Entertainment
Prince
Britney Spears
Neil Diamond
U2
Madonna
Rolling Stones
Ticketmaster
Artist Nation
Ron Bension
Facebook Campaigns
Instagram Campaigns
Ohio State

Get in touch with Ben Weeden
LinkedIn

Ben Weeden’s definition of making it:
“To continue to learn every day; I learn a lot from the younger people from our team as well as from the people above me. At some point, I would love to keep building and running this division and be thankful that I’m not in investment banking or selling insurance.”

This podcast is brought to you by Bandzoogle. Built for musicians, by musicians,
Bandzoogle makes it easy to build a beautiful website for your music. Their step-by- step system will get you online in minutes. Choose from hundreds of mobile-friendly themes, then customize your design with Bandzoogle’s easy point and click editor. Plus, all the features you need for a professional website are already built-in:

● Sell your music and merch commission-free, right on your website
● Build your fan list and send professional newsletters using the mailing list tool
● Pull in content from all of your online services, including Twitter, Instagram, and SoundCloud
● Get live support from their musician-friendly team 7 days a week

Plans start at just $8.29/month, including free registration of your own custom domain. Go to Bandzoogle.com to try it free for 30 days, and be sure to use the promo code “makingit” to get 15% off the first year of any Bandzoogle subscription.

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

Episode Credits
Host: Chris Goyzueta
Producer: Jason Trosclair
Executive Producer: ONElive Creative Agency  
Music: Emily Kopp
Show Notes: Manuel Pachamoro

Joshua Knight of Paradigm Agency - Creating Your Touring Strategy, Opening for National Acts, and Getting on an Agent's Radar

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

This is episode four of the Booking Agent series, and features booking agent, Joshua Knight. In the world of booking agencies, there are the Big 6 - CAA, WME, APA, UTA, ICM, and Paradigm. Joshua Knight spent most of his career at one of the premier boutique agencies in the world, Monterey International in Chicago, IL. He currently works with artists such as Los Lobos, Aaron Neville, The Meters, Trampled by Turtles, Leftover Salmon, Lettuce, The Motet, The Infamous Stringdusters, Nicki Bluhm, JJ Grey & Mofro, and many more. The day we conducted this interview, August 3rd 2017 for the fellow historians, it was announced that Monterey International was acquired by one of the Big 6 agencies, Paradigm Agency. Joshua Knight shares what this acquisition means for Monterey International and all of its agents, as well as some of the history between the two agencies.

Joshua Knight also shares many valuable lessons in this episode. We discuss what he looks for in artists that he works and we discuss some tangible items that DIY artists should be working on to get on the radar of agents like Joshua Knight. You’ll learn about his perspective on how often you should play in a market and how to open for national acts. He also shares lessons on what students of the business should learn while they’re in school, and his ideal curriculum. Also, he shares his insight on how to become an agent and much more.

To learn more about booking agents and opening for national acts, check out these other podcast episodes and articles.

• Jeff Howard - APA
• Pete Anderson - APA
• Jeremy Holgersen - UTA
• Alec Vidmar - UTA
• Ari Nisman - Degy Entertainment (College Agency)
• How to Open for National Acts (Article)

This podcast is brought to you by Bandzoogle. Building a website should be easy. Bandzoogle is the website for musicians by musicians. Save 15% on your 1-Year Subscription with promo code "makingit" and start with your 30-Day FREE Trail

Highlights from this Episode
(5:26) Role at Monterey International
(6:10) What makes Monterey Unique
(7:45) Big news for Monterey
(10:45) History of Monterey
(14:20) How Joshua got into the business
(18:40) Ideal curriculum for the music business
(24:10) Why geography is important
(26:00) What Joshua looks for in an artist
(32:20) Tangible things for smaller bands to work on to get an agent
(34:45) Joshua’s opinion on markets               
(37:30) How often to return to a market
(39:00) Best way to reach out to an agent
(42:35) How a young band gets an opening slot
(44:55) What gets a good response from promoters
(47:40) How to get into an agency as a young professional
(53:00) How young professionals can build relationships

Quotes from Joshua Knight
“A lot of things we do are multiple things at once.”
“To be able to move at a quick pace is something you can’t learn.”
“It’s almost like we’re a logistics company.”
“It’s hard to make numbers up these days because you can get caught really easy.”
“The better you are with people the more you can get done.”
“If you can learn every facet of the business you’re going to do a lot better.”
“It’s all about making a living for these guys.”
“First and foremost keep building the markets.”
“You need to make it where your fans can’t miss it.”
“I’m going to sign a young band that has something to do with my other bands.”
“Sometimes you have to scratch each other's back.”

Links to people, places, and things mentioned
Agents at Monterey
Michael Jackson
Monterey International
Paradigm Agency
Los Lobos
The Meters
Aaron Neville
The Motet
Infamous Stringdusters
Nicki Bluhm
JJ Grey & Mofro
Lettuce
Trampled by Turtles
Neville Brothers
Dave Matthews Band
The Beatles
Grateful Dead
Anheuser Busch
Bud Light
Ghost of Paul Revere
The Maine
Revivalists
Phish

Get in Touch with Joshua Knight
joshuaknight@montereyinternational.net

Joshua Knight’s Definition of Making It
“Being happy.”
“If you can put a roof over your head, feed your family, and book bands.”

This podcast is brought to you by Bandzoogle. Built for musicians, by musicians,
Bandzoogle makes it easy to build a beautiful website for your music. Their step-by- step system will get you online in minutes. Choose from hundreds of mobile-friendly themes, then customize your design with Bandzoogle’s easy point and click editor. Plus, all the features you need for a professional website are already built-in:

● Sell your music & merch commission-free, right on your website
● Build your fan list and send professional newsletters using the mailing list tool
● Pull in content from all of your online services, including Twitter, Instagram, and SoundCloud
● Get live support from their musician-friendly team 7 days a week

Plans start at just $8.29/month, including free registration of your own custom domain. Go to Bandzoogle.com to try it free for 30 days, and be sure to use the promo code “makingit” to get 15% off the first year of any Bandzoogle subscription.

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

Episode Credits
Host: Chris Goyzueta
Producer: Jason Trosclair
Executive Producer: ONElive Creative Agency  
Music: Emily Kopp

Jeremy Holgersen - Booking Agent for United Talent Agency with a 20+ Year Career Working with Influential Agents, Becoming a Leader and Building Powerful Teams

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

One of the common sayings in the music industry is that it takes a village to break an artist. Building powerful and dedicated teams that make smart decisions in the best interest of the artist, and are working everyday in service to their artist, can be a game changer. Jeremy Holgersen is a booking agent for United Talent Agency (UTA) in New York, NY. He has been a booking agent for over 20 years, having worked with some of the greatest agents in the business, and has helped put together some of the most powerful teams in the world of Hip-Hop. Jeremy has worked with artists such as Action Bronson, G-Eazy, Hatebreed, Gojira, Protoje, Ms. Lauryn Hill, and many more.

In this conversation we talk about how Jeremy Holgersen got started in the business, some of his mentors, agents he’s worked with and building powerful teams. From his days at The Agency Group, Jeremy has always been surrounded by some of the most talented agents in the business, and eventually started building teams with current superstar agents. Early in his career he has worked with teams such as Peter Schwartz, Zach Quillen, and Joshua Dick where he experienced first hand the rise and success of artists such as Macklemore. Today he has built and put together teams at UTA, which we talk about in this episode. We also discuss what he looks for in an artist he represents, the transition from The Agency Group to United Talent Agency and much more. We also cover what makes a great agent, and how to stand out working in the booking agent training program aka the mailroom to floater to assistant. He shares some great lessons on booking, touring, artist development, and much more.

This podcast is brought to you by Bandzoogle. Building a website should be easy. Bandzoogle is the website for musicians by musicians. Save 15% on your 1-Year Subscription with promo code "makingit" and start with your 30-Day FREE Trail

Highlights from this Episode
Role at UTA and artist Jeremy books (06:40)
What makes being an agent worth it (08:20)
Mentors in Jeremy’s career (10:45)
Backstory (12:45)
Roles as an intern (17:45)
Hip-Hop department lessons and stories (20:25)
RA vs Territorial System (24:20)
How the role as an agent has evolved (27:00)
Favorite success stories (29:00)
First signed act experience (31:55)
What Jeremy looks for in an artist (35:35)
When to tour and how many markets (37:32)
Agent Training Program (40:45)
Advice on how to work your way up (42:10)
Advice to students (44:30)
Daily habits for Jeremy (45:50)
Making It to Jeremy (50:00)

Quotes from Jeremy Holgerson
“You’re a real partner with the artist and the manager.”
“Make sure you’re thinking about the bigger picture for the artist.”
“Protect and focus and make sure you’re taking care of their brand.”
“Every artist is different; every manager is different. Each personality is different and you’re figuring that out every day.”
“Most people in the agency business are still in it.”
“When you’re in the business you figure out who gets stuff done.”
“I always paired up with people I would learn from.”
“You’re coming up with the best plan for that artists’ career.”
“You don’t have to get in a van and drive city to city and turn ten people into twenty.”
“You either get it or you don’t.”
“Anything you do in the music industry is a life style thing.”

Links to people, places, and things mentioned
People
G-Eazy
Lauryn Hill
Lil Dicky
21 Savage
Action Bronson
Macklemore
Peter Schwartz
Joshua Dick
Zach Quillen
Cheryl Paglierani
Randall Urtiski 
Jonathan Briks
Ken Fermaglich 
Tim Borror 

Places & Things
United Talent Agency
Agency Group
Governors Ball
Shaky Knees Festival
Glass Jaw
Suicidal Tendencies
The Pogues
Bad Brains
Coachella
Big Daddy Kane
Grateful Dead
Paramore
Hate breed

Get in Touch with Jeremy Holgerson
jeremyholgersen@theagencygroup.com
*DISCLAIMER: Jeremy gets a ton of email. Please be respectful of his time and remember to always think about how can you add VALUE to a relationship. If you decide to email anyone, how can you add value to them, and not look at how it benefits you. That’s where you’ll build real relationships.

Jeremy Holgerson Definition of Making It
“I don’t know if you ever do. Waking up every day and thinking about the next challenge. Making it is being complacent.”

This podcast is brought to you by Bandzoogle.
Built for musicians, by musicians, Bandzoogle makes it easy to build a beautiful website for your music. Their step-by- step system will get you online in minutes. Choose from hundreds of mobile-friendly themes, then customize your design with Bandzoogle’s easy point and click editor. Plus, all the features you need for a professional website are already built-in:

● Sell your music and merch commission-free, right on your website
● Build your fan list and send professional newsletters using the mailing list tool
● Pull in content from all of your online services, including Twitter, Instagram, and SoundCloud
● Get live support from their musician-friendly team 7 days a week

Plans start at just $8.29/month, including free registration of your own custom domain. Go to
Bandzoogle.com to try it free for 30 days, and be sure to use the promo code “makingit” to get 15% off the first year of any Bandzoogle subscription.

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

EPISODE CREDITS
Host: Chris Goyzueta
Producer: Jason Trosclair
Executive Producer: ONElive Creative Agency  
Music: Emily Kopp

Support the show for as little as $1/month on Patreon and get a ton of more content. 
https://www.patreon.com/makingitwithchrisg

Pete Anderson - Booking Agent at Agency for the Performing Arts (APA) with an Innovative Approach to Developing Talent and Agent Success

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

Our booking agent series continues. This week’s guest is Pete Anderson, who is a booking agent at the Agency for the Performing Arts (APA) in Beverly Hills, CA. He got his start after a successful career in sales working at Dell, before transitioning to the William Morris Endeavor (WME) training program. After a few years working for WME, Pete transitioned his career to APA where he started under past podcast guest Jeff Howard. After quickly working his way up as an agent, Pete transitioned to the Los Angeles office for APA, where he became a true intrapreneur with an innovative approach to being an agent. In this episode we talk about Pete’s journey as an agent, what makes him stand out, also what he looks for in artist’s he works with, how to stand out as an independent promoter, and much more.

Pete’s Three Critical Aspects in Hiring Candidates

1. Having a good skill of communication

2. Attention to Detail & Work Ethic

3. Sense of Style and Taste

Highlights from this episode
Life on the West Coast & Moving to LA Office [2:10]
Advantages & Disadvantages of LA versus Nashville [3:33]
Importance of going to shows [4:54]
Favorite part of being an agent and agents having the power of the business [6:01]
Pete’s influences [7:40]
The moment he knew he wanted to pursue a career in the music business [9:02]
How does someone get into an Agent Training Program [13:22]
What can students do today to be considered for an Agent Training Program [15:30]
How does someone stand out once they’re in the training program [17:15]
People that were working with Pete in the WME Training Class [19:45]
Pete’s transition from WME to APA [21:45]
First artist that Pete signed [23:21]
First 3 to 6 months after signing an artist [26:53]
What Pete looks for in an artist as an agent [30:05]
Is there value to an agent for an artist to have built a following [33:15]
Pete’s role at APA and artists/events he works with [34:39]
What makes someone a great agent [39:36]
If you had to become an agent in one year, how would you do it [42:24]
How does an independent promoter get on an agent’s radar [45:29]
Things every independent promoter should know [50:33]
Who comes to mind for the word successful [52:58]
Daily habits to stay sane [53:20]
Apps people should check out [55:00]
Favorite Books and Documentaries [56:19]
Who would Pete love to have a night of drinks with [57:33]
Best advice Pete has ever received [58:40]

Quotes from Pete Anderson
“It’s about learning how to deal with people and getting grit”
“You have to learn how to serve to work in the music industry”
“Everyone assists somebody else”
“Knowing what you want to do is very important”
“The most important thing is how you make the interviewers feel when they meet you”
“Understand the different scenes that are out there”
“I’ve never been afraid of asking, and I don’t think anyone should be”
“You need to continue to contribute to the business mission of the company”
“You can’t take an artist that has no audience, and just book club shows”
“Artist develop a following wherever they are, and you have to pay attention to that”
“The process of starting in the mailroom is a very important process”
“The reason people start in the mailroom is to develop their grit”
“Everybody is an assistant, our CEO is an assistant, it’s a service industry”
“50 Cent is a Rock Star, and you’re an assistant to 50 Cent”  
“Know great music, the history of music, and know what is trending”  
“It’s important to learn the job before they tell people they know how to do it”
“If you’re good, you’ll have a job for the next 40 years”
“Don’t get emotional when dealing with an agent”

Links to people, places, and things mentioned
People
Jimi Hendrix  
The Beach Boys  
Michael Ovitz
Rush Davenport (WME)
Brandon Roundtree (WME)
Jonathan Insogna (WME)
Kevin Meads (WME)
Chris Stapleton
Sturgill Simpson
Heath Baumhor (APA)
Jon Romero (Vector)
Marc Geiger (WME)
Kirk Sommer (WME)
Leogun
Elton John
The Crystal Method
Tool
Ramsey   
JJUUJJUU
GGOOLLDD
She Wants Revenge
Adam Bravin
Barack Obama
Darryl Eaton (CAA)
50 Cent
Sonny Schneidau

Places & Things  
Agency for the Performing Arts (APA)
William Morris Endeavor (WME)
Vanderbilt University
Dell Computers
Desert Daze
Burger Records
CAA Powerhouse [Book]
Yamaha Entertainment Group
The Five Spot (Nashville)
Creative Artists Agency (CAA)
Atlantic Records
Paradigm
United Talent Agency (UTA)
ICM Partners  
Live Nation
Buffett: The Making of An American Capitalist [Book by Roger Lowenstein]
The Agency [Book by Frank Rose]
True North [Book by Jim Harrison]
Off to the Side [Book by Jim Harrison]

Pete Anderson’s Definition of Making It
“I what you do, what you say, and what you think is the same thing, you’re going to be happy”

Keep in touch with Pete Anderson
http://www.apa-agency.com/
panderson@apa-agency.com

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

CREDITS: 
Host: Chris Goyzueta
Producer: Jason Trosclair
Executive Producer: ONElive Creative Agency  
Music: Emily Kopp

Support the show for as little as $1/month on Patreon and get a ton of more content. 
https://www.patreon.com/makingitwithchrisg

Jeff Howard - Booking Agent at Agency for the Performing Arts (APA) on Artist Development and Building a Successful Career as a Booking Agent

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

This episode kicks off our booking agent series, and features Jeff Howard from Agency for the Performing Arts (APA). In today’s music business, an artist's main sources of revenue come from touring, merchandising and licensing. There is still a significant amount of money that can be made from physical music sales at shows, and from streaming. However, in today’s business you either need to have success on the road, or be a great songwriter. Those are not the only two ways, there are definitely lots of artists that think outside of the box and come up with unique business models. But for the majority, touring is where it’s at. The touring business has been growing every single year since 1990, and is only continuing to go up with the touring side of the business having its best year yet in 2016, beating its previous best year in 2015. With that said, having a booking agent can be a game changer for your career. One of the lines from Macklemore that has had a big influence on me was the line in his song “Ten Thousand Hours” where he says “I got signed the day I got an agent.” Agents have all the power of the touring business. There is a lot that goes into getting an agent, and in this series, we’re going to explore some different stories and perspectives.  

Jeff Howard is a booking agent at the Agency for the Performing Arts (APA) in Nashville. His journey started at the prestigious Berklee College of Music. Throughout his time at Berklee, Jeff made a lot of important connections. In this episode, he talks about his experience at Berklee and some of the instructors he’s learned from. We also talk about how he landed his first internship with Rounder Records, whose headquarters were in Cambridge, MA at the time. Also, you’ll learn how meeting Tim Collins, the former manager for Aerosmith, has lead him to his first job with Monterey Peninsula. Jeff also shares some history of Monterey Peninsula, how he transitioned to APA, and the history there, and much more about agencies. You’ll also learn about what he looks for in an artist that he represents, artist development, how to become an agent, and much more.  

Some additional resources on Booking Agencies.
Here is an article I wrote for the blog on How to Open for National Acts
My interview with College Booking Agent, Ari Nisman
One of my early interviews, with United Talent Agency booking Agent Alec Vidmar

Keep in touch with Jeff Howard
http://www.apa-agency.com/
jhoward@apanashville.com

Credits:
Host: Chris Goyzueta
Producer: Jason Trosclair
Executive Producer: ONElive Creative Agency  
Music: Emily Kopp

Support the show for as little as $1/month on Patreon and get a ton of more content. 
https://www.patreon.com/makingitwithchrisg

Fran Snyder - The Power of Building a Worldwide House Concerts Network of Over 1,000 Hosts

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

One of the keys to business that I’ve learned from my mentors that it’s important to be genuine, authentic, and to be an innovator. In a very saturated music industry, this is more important than ever. Anyone can put up music on Spotify, Soundcloud, or YouTube, and book shows in clubs across the country. How do you stand out from all the noise? At the end of the day, every artist starts out as a small business. How do you grow that business? Fran Snyder is an innovator who thinks outside of the box, and doesn’t try to follow the basic rules of put your music and content online, book a bunch of shows, promote them like hell, and pray something happens.

This is part two of our house concerts series, and in this episode features Fran Snyder, a singer-songwriter and the Founder of Concerts In Your Home, The Listening Room Network, and the Listening Room Festival. In this you’ll learn about his company, Concerts In Your Home. We discuss how to be part of the network as a host and as an artist. The network has over 1,000 hosts all over the world. You’ll learn what hosts are looking for, and how to book a tour oversees through the network, and much more. We spend some time on Fran’s backstory of following the “formula” of grinding through clubs and the college circuit, until the switch flipped and he became one of the pioneers of the house concerts movement.

“House Concerts are the Emotional Anchors to a Tour” - Hans York

 Highlights from this Episode
The resurgence of House Concerts [6:10]
When did the entrepreneurial spirit start for Fran Snyder [9:52]
The first time playing live and Fran’s booking process in the beginning [13:46]
When Fran discovered playing House Concerts [19:28]
How Fran finds hosts and how to become a host [25:31]
How does an artist become part of the network, and what genres work best [32:15]
What kind of video should artists submit [38:14]
How does the process work once an artist is accepted [41:12]
How do artists get paid and all the different opportunities? [43:48]
What types of artists are part of the network and how to work this into your touring strategy [50:22]
Countries that are part of the network and active and can artists use this to get overseas [52:18]
Stories of artists that are part of the network [56:32] 

Quotes from Fran Snyder
“Recorded music wants to become free”
“I’m training this audience on listening rooms, because we don’t want to see the public performance disappear.”
“We want our artists to have a listening audience and a living wage.”
“If you want to be a musician, start now.”
“Once we started charging for the application process, it immediately improved the quality.”
“People really value the feedback that they’re getting.”
“House Concerts are becoming often times the anchor date.”
“(House Concerts) can be a beautiful working vacation.”
“What’s really fun is what happens after the gig.”
“Often times you become part of these people’s lives and become lifelong friends.”
“We play music because it’s our favorite way to connect with people.”
“Are you creating moments that you’re going to remember?”  

Links to people, places, and things mentioned
People
Barry Manilow
Indigo Girls
U2
Shannon Curtis
Hans York
Buzz Cason 

Places & Things
Concerts In Your Home
The Living Room Network
The Listening Room Festival  
NACA College Conference  

Keep in touch with Fran Snyder:
https://fransnyder.com/
http://www.concertsinyourhome.com/
https://www.facebook.com/fransnyder
https://twitter.com/CIYH

Definition of Making It by Fran Snyder
“Having a career on  your terms. Every artist has to define success for themselves.”

Shannon Curtis - How to Earn Over $50k in 4 Months Playing House Concerts - An Innovative Approach to Building a Fulfilling Music Career

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

Sometimes I bring guests on the show that are successful entrepreneurs, marketers, and content creators outside of the music business, and relate their lessons and insight to artists and students of the music business. Shannon Curtis has a completely unique approach to her music career, from which people in ALL industries can learn her lessons on community and creating genuine deep relationships.  Shannon Curtis is an independent songwriter, singer, performer, recording artist, speaker, and author, based in Los Angeles. Her fourth full-length record, entitled Creationism, was released on June 17, 2016, and debuted on Nielsen's Top New Artists Albums chart.

Shannon Curtis is a fearless innovator of the music business taking her career completely in her own hands. In 2011, she performed her first house concert and was hooked on the art of building a community around house concerts. Shortly after she grossed over $25K and wrote a book about her experience called “No Booker, No Bouncer, No Bartender, How I made $25K on a 2-Month House Concert Tour (And How you can too)” Today, she’s performing over 70 house shows in less than four months every Summer grossing over $50K. In this episode she shares how she discovered house concerts, how she was able to build her own community through her supporters without relying on other networks or middle people. Shannon shares her beautiful philosophy on focusing on building community, not fans. We also talk about her new album, and all the projects she works on during her time off road, which also includes writing personal songs for people.

Curtis’s music has been featured prominently in independent film & in TV shows such as ABC Family’s Pretty Little Liars, MTV’s The Hills, and ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Curtis lives in Los Angeles with her husband, record producer Jamie Hill.  This was an incredibly inspiring episode for me. I meet so many artists and students of the music business every day trying to navigate their way through the business. I try to push and force them to think outside of the box, and figure out a way to stand out and be completely different form the norm and following the “formula.” Shannon Curtis is not only completely creative with her art, but had a complete creative and genuine approach to entrepreneurship that builds deep connections with people in her community.

Get a Copy of Shannon's Book:

Highlights from this Episode
Breakdown of Shannon’s house concert tour (04:40)
How to describe Shannon’s music (06:55)
What lit the fire for the music industry (7:50)
Four years of being an up and coming artist (12:30)
Story of the first house concert (15:05)
How Shannon occupies her time while she’s not on the road (21:55)
First concert and first album bought (25:50)
Who comes to mind when Shannon thinks “Successful” (27:12)
Advice for artists attempting a house concert tour (27:50)
DIY venue experiences (32:55)
Most effective way to run a house concert, beginning to end (36:15)
Asking process to the host of the house concert (43:00)
How Shannon does ice breakers (49:35)
Worst concert and what was learned (51:35)
Shannon explains fans vs community philosophy (56:25)
Advice for successful social media use (1:01:05)
What to expect for Shannon’s new work (1:04:40)
Crowdfunding done differently (1:07:55)
 Shannon’s creative process (1:09:00)
Rapid Fire Questions (1:10:00)
Making It (1:15:40)

Quotes from Shannon Curtis
“We intentionally sound artful. They aren’t intended to sound like anything you’d hear on the radio.”
“You make decent money playing in colleges.”
“I don’t equate success success with money.”
“If you allow yourself to engage with those people as a human then maybe people will respond.”
“Once you give yourself the permission to step outside that and be brave, and you let yourself be seen a little more nakedly; honestly I feel like that is the moment people start responding.”
“The minute I stepped outside was the minute I started experiencing more connection.”
“They’re not people who host house concerts. They are people who know me.”
“We’re reaching new markets of people because we see new people.”
“They are other ways to do so much better for yourself.”
“If you can plan out the way you see the event happening, you can maximize you income.”
“The more you can make a connection. The more they will give in donations.”
“The people who love you the most want to see you achieve”
“You call them fans, I call them community.”
“They are likely to say yes if they have the ability to.”
“What I want to do is bring value into this world.”
“I’m make the conversation about getting to know them.”
“We learned that we needed to be a lot more specific.”
“You and I are made in the same life.”

Links to people, places, and things mentioned
People
Amy Grant
Tiffany

Places & Things
No Booker, No Bouncer, No Bartender
I Am Not Your Negro

Get in Touch with Shannon Curtis
http://shannoncurtis.net/
https://www.facebook.com/shannonkcurtis
https://twitter.com/shannoncurtis
https://www.instagram.com/shannoncurtismusic/

Support Shannon and Jamie’s Patreon Campaign:
https://www.patreon.com/shannonandjamie

Shannon Curtis’ Definition of Making It
“I’m making it. I’m making music and I can pay my bills.”

Shannon Curtis at TEXxArlington

After Shannon shared the link of her official bio, I noticed she did this beautiful TED Talk on her experience of house concerts, and the deep connections she's built with her community. Inspiring!!

Kevin Stone - Program Director and Talent Buyer of Florida Theatre on Philosophies of Booking Concerts

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

This podcast interview is with Kevin Stone, Program Director and Talent Buyer for The Florida Theatre in Jacksonville, FL. This is my first conversation with a Talent Buyer. One of my kind! My experience in the industry, has been booking and promoting shows since 2006. Shout out to Emily Kopp for introducing me to Kevin Stone. This was a wonderful interview, and the first one where I personally feel like I’m finally hitting a good groove. Still have a long way to go to the 10,000 hours to greatness in my podcast journey, but this conversation and the stories by Kevin, has made this one of my favorites so far.  

Kevin Stone, the program Director of Florida Theatre in Jacksonville, FL. He started his journey in the entertainment business when he graduated college in 1999 from a college in Toronto Canada. After many years on the road, he landed at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater, FL where he became the Director of Entertainment. While at Ruth Eckerd Hall he started a concert series with the Tampa Bay Rays where they promoted many amazing concert from which he will share some stories in this conversation. In 2013, he became the director of programming at Florida Theatre, a beautiful 1,900 capacity historic theatre, bringing all kinds of amazing concerts and events to Jacksonville, FL

Kevin is a man of service that gives back so much to the live music community. This was a really fun interview, and I’m excited to bring this to you for two episodes. I hope you enjoy my conversation with Kevin Stone.  

Kevin’s Definition of Making It:
It’s not 100% dollars and cents. It’s being able to come to work every sing day and knowing you love what you do, and getting to make a difference in the community. 

The Show Poster from when Elvis Presley performed at the Florida Theatre in 1956.