Jeffrey James - An Adventure in the Nashville Songwriters Scene, Publishing Deals, & Working Towards Songwriting Mastery

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

How many songs do you have to write to start getting to the good stuff? This episode features Nashville based R&B/Alt-Pop/Singer-Songwriter Jeffrey James. In this conversation we discuss reaching mastery in songwriting, the Nashville music scene and songwriters rounds, building your business team, publishing, collaborations, and much more. We dive into Jeffrey’s story about growing up playing basketball in Indiana to moving to Nashville to attend Belmont University, and his journey to getting a manager, booking agent, attorney, publishing deal with Sony/ATV Publishing.

Jeffrey James released the EP “UNSAID” in 2017, and we dive into this EP, which was released by South by Sea, and what people can expect from these songs. We also discuss him venturing into collaborations with EDM artists, and getting his song placed in the TV show “Nashville.” Jeffrey James shares all kinds of great and wonderful lessons with you in this conversation. This was the first time on the podcast where we really got to dive into the Nashville songwriter’s rounds, and Jeffrey had some great insight to share on the benefits of being part of them and how to get into that circuit. We really dive into what it takes to reaching songwriter mastery, and his pursuit of continued success in songwriter. You’ll learn about how he built his team, and much more.

Support the Show & use our Amazon Banner for your next Purchase. Thank you! 

Highlights from this Episode
Nashville Music Scene (03:40)
Experience in NOLA (05:15)
Cold Blood Collaboration (06:05)
Publishing Deals (07:40)
Unsaid EP (12:30)
What happens to the unused songs (14:34)
Jeffrey’s favorite memories of a small town (15:35)
Lessons learned from small town community (18:35)
Jesus Christ Superstar experience (20:20)
Choir experience (22:55)
The book of guitar playing (24:20)
What made Jeffrey decide to do music professionally (25:40)
Who inspired Jeffrey (27:25)
Reason for moving to Nashville (28:10)
Songwriters rounds (31:50)
Nashville Co-Writing culture (39:00)
Co-Writing do’s and don’ts (40:05)
Jeffrey’s writing process (41:53)
Advice for writer’s block (43:29)
What was Jeffrey’s life before his label deal (44:50)
Moment when Jeffrey felt comfortable in his career (49:55)
The team behind the music (53:15)
How to know when you know you’ve found your voice (55:55)
What changed for Jeffrey (1:01:55)
Jeffrey James being featured on Nashville (1:03:30)
Collaborations in the music career (1:05:55)
Jeffrey’s advice on content (1:08:08)
What to expect (1:11:05)
Advice for the aspiring songwriter (1:11:50)
Behind the scenes questions (1:13:24)

•             Funny Fan Encounters
•             Superpowers
•             Success
•             First Concert & First Album
•             First 90 / Last 90
•             Favorite Media
•             Favorite Apps
•             Mentors
•             Night of drinks with anyone
•             Time Travel

Making it to Jeffrey James (1:21:30)

Quotes from Jeffrey James
“Just be nice man, people talk.”
“As big as Nashville is, it’s still a small city.”
“You start out and you’re just replication the music you know, and you do that until you find your own voice.”
“At that point it wasn’t about people hearing me, I needed to perform.”
“You grow thick skin by preforming in front of people who aren’t necessary there to hear you.”
“If they love you that night, they won’t have any problem booking you.”                 
“The best way to get a good lyric it to get the crappy ones out.”
 “If you hear yourself talking the most, then shut up for a bit.”
“No one wants to write with the guy who uses all of his own music.”
“I gravity towards content that I can connect with my life.”
“People are coming to be without me having to swim against the current.”
“I knew what I thought was good, and the music I was making didn’t add up to that.”
“We are in the ages of singles.”
“As long as I can put out music, I will put out music.”
“I’m still finding the balance between release things and promoting them.”
“Keep writing, and don’t hold too many songs close to your heart.”
“Every song you write before you write 200 songs is crap.”

Links to people, places, and things mentioned
People
Eric Olson
Gabe Simon
Tungevaag & Raaben
Emily Kopp
Michael McDonald
Randy Dease
Antonio Benderas

Places & Things
Unsaid EP
South By Sea
Les Miserables
Jesus Christ Superstar
Hal Lenard Guitar Method
Incubus
311
The Beatles
Doobie Brothers
Belmont University
Full Sail University
NACA
ASCAP
UTA
Fly South
Walls EP
Criminal Minds
Finding Carter
Nashville
I Zombie
SouthWest Airlines
BPM App

Jeffrey James’ Definition of Making It
“It changes every year.”

Keep in touch with Jeffrey James
http://jeffreyjames.com/
https://www.instagram.com/jeffreyjamesofficial/
https://twitter.com/jeffreyjames
https://soundcloud.com/jeffreyjamesmusic

Help us create more content & become a subscriber on patreon - & we will create more podcasts, blogs, lessons, & videos that help you get one step closer to making it

Pank Nayyar - A 9,000 Mile Journey to Pursue a Dream to Become a WWE Superstar

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

What would you do to reach your dreams? How much would you sacrifice to get one step closer to reaching them? The most beautiful part in pursuing your dreams is the journey. That’s where all the stories and the good stuff happens that we teach and share with others. One of my main missions of this podcast is to share inspiring stories and insight with lessons from leaders of the Entertainment Business and fascinating Entrepreneurs. It’s my goal to share those stories in a way that the guests would be proud to share with their family and closest friends, and also bring a lot of value to our listeners. I also look for stories that inspire me, and that I want to share with the world to help make a difference in people’s lives. This weeks guest is Pank Nayyar who travelled to Orlando, FL all the way from New Delhi, India to pursue his dream to become a WWE Superstar. Pank Nayyar’s story is very inspiring to me, and I’m excited to share it with you.

Pank’s story is an inspiring adventure of someone that will make massive sacrifices to pursue their dream. When he was 12 years old, he was sitting in a classroom when the teacher asked him what he wanted to do when he grew up, and in front of the entire class he answered “I want to be a WWE Superstar just like the Undertaker.” And just a few years later the journey began where after several obstacles he moved to Phuket to train with an MMA school and started getting in shape. In 2015, he was voted as the WWE’s biggest fan in India, and was able to attend a live event. After seeing WWE Tough Enough on TV in India being broadcast live from Full Sail University, he decided to move to Orlando, FL to go the Full Sail for his masters, and pursue his dream. And the journey begins.  

In this conversation we talk about his journey so far, his obstacles pursuing his dream, traveling the world and much more. Pank graduated from Full Sail University with his Masters Degree in Entertainment Business with me on June 2017. He’s a very humble and very inspiring human being, who works extremely hard for his dream. How far would you go? How far would you travel? What would you leave behind to live the life you love?  

Highlights from this Episode
Where is Pank today (05:40)
Pank’s story (6:00)
Influencers in his journey (7:00)
First experience with pro wrestling (07:45)
How wrestling is broadcasted in India (08:30)
Pank’s dream for his future (09:20)
How India impacted wrestling (11:35)
School in India vs School in America (12:05)
When Pank began training (12:45)
Journey to OVW & FCW (13:13)
Pank’s journey after rejection (15:00)
Training (16:30)
Biggest WWE fan of India interview (17:30)
Motivation for moving to American and enrolling in Full Sail (18:40)
Relationships with Pank’s parents (19:45)
First live wrestling experience (20:20)
Pank’s MMA schedule in Orlando (21:12)
Training routine (21:45)
WWE tryout experience (23:36)
Pank’s internship with WWE at Full Sail (27:17)
The upcoming journey to a wrestling career in India (28:20)
How Pank’s peers could support him (29:37)
Favorite books and quotes (30:38)
Pank’s superpower (31:55)
Who comes to mind at the thought of successful (32:03)
New discovery (32:23)
Best piece of advice (32:55)
Where would Pank travel to in time (33:10)
Journey for Pank’s next 3 months (33:40)
Making It to Pank (34:40)

Quotes from Pank Nayyar
“I can do it; I want to follow my dream.”
“You just have to be at the right place, right time.”
“I have my fingers crossed and I’m hoping for the best.”
“If it’s meant to be, it will be. It it’s your destiny, it will be.”
“I’m an open book.”
“Dream big”

Links to people, places, and things mentioned
People
Undertaker
John Cena
The Rock

Places & Things
Full Sail University
WWE
New Delhi – India
WrestleMania
Festival of Lights
OVW
FCW
The Jungle
NXT

Get in Touch with Pank Nayyar
https://www.instagram.com/wwepank/
https://www.facebook.com/wwepank

Pank Nayyar’s Definition of Making It
“Me representing my country and making my family proud. Like okay he made it. Dream big.”

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!!

Inside the Life of a Talent Buyer - Lessons to Becoming a Talent Buyer & Concert Promoter

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

Inside the life of a Talent Buyer. In this episode we feature lessons and insight to becoming a Talent Buyer and Concert Promoter. How to get started, how to succeed, and how to grow with companies such as Live Nation and AEG Live. In this episode, I answer questions about my experience as a Talent Buyer with House of Blues in New Orleans, as well as answer some previous unanswered Facebook questions. This episode also features 5 Lessons from highlights of previous episodes from our Talent Buyer series with Kevin Stone, Wayne Lee, Dan Larson, Allen Anders, and Michael Yerke. Be ready to learn all about what it takes to succeed as a Talent Buyer. 

Episodes:
1.   Kevin Stone
2.   Wayne Lee
3.   Dan Larson
4.   Allen Anders
5.   Michael Yerke  

Highlights from this Episode
What are the 3 criteria Chris looks for to book a band (06:00)
How to make a judgment call on under age crowds (07:50)
What to offer to performers to appeal them to your venue besides money (08:45)
Making great music or having a social media following. (11:05)
 Segment 1: Kevin Stone (13:25)
In a Time of crisis who are the Talent Buyer go to people (22:00)
What is the Golden rule to negotiating (23:40)
What to do if you have to put the number out first (26:15)
How Chris’ stays up to date on his markets the best he can (27:30)
How to remain in the smaller local scene as you grow in your career (29:00)
Segment 2: Wayne Lee (30:05)
How often to give a marketer a raise (38:00)
Important characteristics of a Talent Buyer (40:30)
How Chris stays organized (42:41)
How to stay in the loop with music industry and talent buyer buzz (44:10)
Segment 3: Dan Larson (46:35)
Daily Activities of a Talent Buyer (54:10)
How Chris stayed personable with performers (58:15)
Why local support isn’t regularly featured on tours (59:58)
Best way to get in touch with a talent buyer if you haven’t played at the venue (1:02:50)
Who led Chris on his journey to becoming a talent buyer (1:04:10)
Segment 4: Allen Anders (1:06:45)
Biggest yes and no that a Talent Buyer can do (1:17:10)
How to attract the attention of an entertainer or performer (1:19:50)
It is important to grasp a charity or cause early on in careers (1:22:45)
How to get into this line of work and how to get an internship with Live Nation (1:24:00)
Segment 5: Michael Yerke (1:29:30) 

Quotes from Chris Goyzueta
“Try to purposely sell out. It creates buzz.”
“If they aren’t willing to promote themselves, why should I promote them?”
“Having history, and having a good venue.”
“When they are at your house, you’re inviting a guest into your ‘house’. “
“Go the extra mile. A lot of promoters don’t do that.”
“The music comes first.”
“Social media matters, but it’s not the only thing that matters.”
“Playing the long game is always going to win.”
“Don’t be the first to put out a number.”
“Be involved in the scene. Go to shows.”
“Pick up the phone and call people.”
“As soon as you get lost in organization, you fail.”
“Make sure you say hi to everyone.”
“Find a way to build common ground.”
“Every show you play take it serious and like something you care about.”
“Whether it’s a charity or a cause, you should find a community to pour in to.”

Links to people, places, and things mentioned
People
Kevin Stone
John Legend
Sonny Schneidau
Wayne Lee
Childish Gambino
Macklemore
The Civil Wars
Dan Larson
Allen Anders
Ari Herstand
Michael Yerke

Places & Things
Live Nation
Tipitinas
Full Sail
Florida Theater
The Social
CID Entertainment
House of Blues
AEG
WME
CAA
Hype Machine
Sound Cloud
Spotify Viral 50
Billboard Heatseekers
Pollstar
Soundscan
The Plaza Live
Okeechobee Festival
Drunken Monkey
Rock for Hunger

Brandon T. Adams - Reaching Your Crowdfunding Goals, the Power of Content Marketing, and Podcasting with Industry Leaders

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

Brandon T. Adams is a serial entrepreneur and crowdfunding expert. One of Brandon’s first ventures was starting a podcast where he travelled the country learning from some of the leading experts and entrepreneurs. He owns a stake in several businesses such as The Accelerant Media Group, Live to Grind,  Young Entrepreneur Convention, Arctic Stick, Keys to the Crowd, and many more. Also, he is a co-Host and co-executive producer of the Entrepreneur TV Show Ambitious Adventures with one of my best friends and former podcast guests Greg Rollett. Currently Brandon is also working with the Napoleon Hill Foundation to create the film Think and Grow Rich: The Legacy, and is the youngest entrepreneur featured in the film. In this conversation we talk about entrepreneurship, his passion for creating content and adding value to relationships, how to run a successful crowdfunding campaign, podcasting, and so much more.

I was first introduced to Brandon through our good mutual friend and two time podcast guest, Greg Rollett. We actually went to see Atmosphere in concert (go see shows). A few weeks later Brandon asked me for a videographer, and I recommended my guy Herb Gonzalez to him. I told him that he doesn’t really do much video, but I believe in Herb so much that I know he can do it. His first gig with Brandon was at the Ambitious Adventures premiere party, and now the two of them are working together full time cranking out content like champions.

This was a really fun conversation and very inspiring to me. After the podcast we discussed starting your own business and the challenges that come with that. From the very first episode with Greg Rollett, we talked about “Ready, Fire, Aim” and how a lot of people get stuck in Aim. If you want to live your dream, you have to start doing. Start firing, and aim and fine tune as you go. Greg worked on his business in between breaks, on his way to his day job, and when he got home. However, it wasn’t till he ripped the bandaid off and went all in when things started happening. Brandon couldn’t agree more with that. You’ll never reach your full potential until you go all in on your dream. In this episode, Brandon really lays down a solid foundation of adding value to others and marketing yourself through creating content. Regardless of what industry you’re in, if you’re an aspiring entrepreneur and creator of music, film, video, art, books, comics, blogs, or any other intellectual property this is for you. Be ready to be motivated to get one step closer to making it.  

Text “Brandon” to 313131 to receive a daily motivational text from Brandon T. Adams.

Highlights from this Episode
Brandon’s start with podcasting [4:41]
Where things are at with Greg Rollett and Ambitious Adventures [7:14]
Key lessons learned from creating a TV Show experience [11:00]
How Brandon got started with his entrepreneurial journey [15:39]
How Brandon got into Crowdfunding [17:52]
Where should people start building a brand [22:39]
How does someone start creating content [25:04]
What kind of videos can musicians creates besides covers [28:39]
How do you choose business partners [31:42]
How do you choose your topics and guests for the podcast [34:46]
Who Brandon really wants to interview for his show [35:55]
A situation that didn’t go your way, and the lesson learned [40:37]
Who is crowdfunding for and who should consider it [44:43]
Tips to starting a crowdfunding campaign [47:33]
Facebook Questions [54:01]
- How to crowdfund for a nonprofit outside of your community by Brad Mason
Closing Questions [56:54]
Brandon’s Warrior Chant [59:32]

Quotes from Brandon T. Adams
“If you’re an entrepreneur or anybody, you need to create your own audience.”
“I just press play and hit the record button.”
“Go into a conversation knowing what you want to learn.”
“Just keep going and eventually you’ll find your groove.”
“Just be you. Authenticity is what people want.”
“To become an influencer you have to do TV, Books, and create content.”
“Always find a way to offer value.”
“If you get an opportunity, jump on it.”
“When people see you, what do you want them to remember you as.”
“One person can change your life.”
“Create content and be consistent.”
“Video is the most powerful thing you can use.”
“The best way to get to the top is creating consistent video content, and start doing Facebook Live.”
“If you can get people wondering what you’re going to do next, they will keep watching.”
“Everything I do for my business, you should do for your band.”
“Go inspire people”
“You can tell a lot about a person by their Facebook page.”
“Usually within 5 minutes you can tell what kind of person they are.”
“Music is powerful. It moves people and changes their lives.”
“What influencers do good or bad, it influences people.”
“Trust your gut.”
“When I say I’m going to do something, I’m going to do it.”
“When you hit your lowest moments, you’re closest to one of your biggest moments.”
“If you keep going, you can’t lose. There is always light at the end of the tunnel.”
“Sometimes failure in disguise, is a good thing.”
“If you just keep going, you’ll see your true potential.”
“Stories sell”
“At the end of the day, you have to add value to your audience.”
“Success is about the people I surround myself with.”
“Once you can convince your mind you can do it, you can achieve it.”
“If you don’t set your goals, you don’t know where you’re going.”
“If you’re a person of value and you’re driven, you can achieve anything.”    

Links to people, places & things Mentioned
People
Greg Rollett
Lewis Howes
Jack Canfield
Jake Paul
Kevin Harrington
Herb Gonzalez
Will Smith
Oprah Winfrey
John Lee Dumas
Gary Vaynerchuck (Gary Vee)
Lady Gaga
Aspyn Ovard
Eminem
Mark Zuckerberg
Kevin Lyman
Cactus Jack Barringer
Napoleon Hill

Places & Things
Arctic Stick
Live to Grind Podcast
Ambitious Adventures
Young Entrepreneur Convention
Native Culture
[BOOK] Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
Think and Grow Rich Movie
Keys to the Crowd
EOFire Business Podcast
The Freedom Journal
[BOOK] Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook by Gary Vaynerchuck
[BOOK] How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie
Kickstarter
Indiegogo
Pledge Music
Patreon
Fall Out Boy
Limp Bizkit
Taylor Swift
Headspace Guided Meditation App

Get in Touch with Brandon T. Adams
http://brandontadams.com/
http://livetogrind.com/
Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

Brandon T. Adam’s Definition of Making It
“It’s a motherfucking grind.”

Kevin Lyman - A Journey of Serial Entrepreneurship, Longevity, Creating Powerful Brands, Philanthropy, and Passion for the Next Generation with the Founder of Vans Warped Tour

Leave us a Review and Rating

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

Kevin Lyman is the founder of Vans Warped Tour and 4Fini. From his days in college he got involved in helping with and organizing events and live concerts. He’s built such a name for himself in the late 80’s and early 90’s that got him to a point where he was working over 300 shows per year. That eventually led to him working the first four years of Lollapalooza.

Throughout his journey he’s met and bonded with several artists, and after working Lollapalooza, he was inspired to start a festival that does it in a different way. That was when he started Vans Warped Tour in 1995. It actually wasn’t till he was 33 years old when he started his business, but he brought 13 years worth of experience and relationships along with him. Today in 2017, Vans Warped Tour is the longest running music festival and tour in the world.

Kevin Lyman has put on many other successful festivals and events such as Taste of Chaos. He’s also a serial entrepreneur from having run and sold a Brewery, Hair Dye Company with Hayley Williams from Paramore, a coconut water company, and much more. He’s someone that’s passionate about giving back to the community and empowering young people. We talk about branding, longevity, entrepreneurship, the future of our next generation, and much more.

Meeting Kevin Lyman was very inspiring. He’s been traveling and doing promotion for this upcoming Vans Warped Tour for several weeks now. During this campaign, he’s visited several universities, festivals, and many other press opportunities. It was a huge honor for him to take the time for this conversation for our show. Not only did he take the time for this podcast, but also afterwards he had a meeting with a student from UCF that wanted to talk to him about the music industry. He’s not only someone who preaches philanthropy and giving back, but he lives it every day. It’s the things we do behind closed doors that really define us. If I hadn’t asked the student what she was meeting him for, I would’ve thought it was another press interview.

Not only has he done many inspiring things, and build the longest running festival in the country, but he’s also just a really good person. It’s a breath of fresh air to see people with such success to be so down to earth and giving back to others. As promised, below are not only the show notes, but also a list of research I conducted for this conversation. My goal was to ask Kevin Lyman some new questions and try to get him to talk about things I haven’t heard him talk about before. Hopefully I’ve done him justice, and have delivered all of our listeners, Warped Tour fans, and Kevin Lyman supporters a great interview. I hope you enjoy this conversation with Kevin Lyman.

Highlights from this Episode
Kevin’s time at Florida Music Fest (09:50)
Kevin’s future aspirations (10:30)
First album and concert (11:25)
Warped’s collaboration with Vans (12:35)
How Warped Tour decides partnerships (13:50)
How to cater to the festival’s market (14:55)
How Kevin provided Longevity to Warped Tour (17:25)
Top 5 branding rules from Kevin (19:45)
How a band gets on Warped tour (20:45)
How Kevin would produce a club show (23:00)
Lessons learned from Warped applied in new endeavors (23:40)
How Kevin manages his time (26:05)
Booking shows without the internet (29:05)
How Kevin overcomes being discouraged (30:15)
What should a band look for in a manager (33:35)
Bad Advice given to young artist (34:25)
Lessons learned from mistakes (35:40)
Warped’s new program (37:25)
Impact of VR (38:29)
Entrepreneur Bucket List (40:10)
Philanthropy and Warped Tour’s experience (42:35)
Changes Kevin would like to see in the education system (46:00)
Music Business and Entertainment Business Improvements (48:50)
Generation Z’s wants and needs (50:00)
Influencer recommendation (52:10)
3 Values of Life (54:15)
Facebook Questions (54:55)
-Country Throwdown
-Warped Expansions
-Side 1 Dummie
Rapid Fire Questions (59:35)

Quotes from Kevin Lyman
“No one should be disrespecting each other but it’s life and we have to talk through it. “
“They’re a shoe company and I produce music festivals.”
“Sponsorship has always been a thing of if it’s cool or not, but you really don’t survive without it.”
“Coachella is driven by more than music. It’s driven by the location and the celebrities.” 
“We tweak things inside for where the market has gone.”
“Musically it tweaks each year. Some of it is dictated by the environment, the other is by what is available.”
“Consistency, A more designable image, Do what you say you’re going to do, Fulfill your requirements, Stay true.”
“I try to find someone who has a plan.”
“A lot of thought went into the Full Sail Stage.”
“Create more of an atmosphere around the show.”
“Bring a thread to all the brands so they can compliment each other.”
“You have to have people who are driving the company for you.”
“I try to be an active investor. You don’t want to be a passive investor.”
“I don’t want to disappoint them but I gotta look out for myself.”
“When you’re starting out and someone reaches out to you, you should grab on to their arm and let them pull you up.”
“When I’m demotivated now I go plant more plants in my backyard.”
“Do research, it’s so each to research people now a day’s.”
“Don’t get sucked in at the bar, take their card and do your research.”
“Don’t sign something with your first manager. Have a trail period with goals.”
“I try to focus on things that have personal potential.”
“I don’t like bucket lists.”
“I’ve been saving a little bit since I was 20.”
“I had experience that allowed me to fail and people supported me a second time.”
“Be nice to people.”
“If you have something, share something.”
“When you have nothing it’s easy to give.”
“When you have a little, give a little.”
“When everyone gives a little it adds up to 460,000 pounds of food that we did last year, and that fed a lot of people.”
“It takes a village to raise a child, and I think that village has been depleted. Kid’s need help.”
“You have to be on your brand each and everyday to stay current.”
“If you start questioning things at an early age that’s okay.”
“Try to put yourself in the other people shoes.”
“Don’t date a guitar player.”

Links to people, places, and things mentioned
People
Van Morrison
Diana Ross
Beebs and Her Money Makers
Hayley Williams
Rob Zombie
Matt Halper

Places & Things
Florida Music Fest
Van’s Warped Tour
Coachella
Simon and Garfunkel’s greatest hits
Vans
Urban Outfitters
Skull Candy
Good Dye Young
Okeechobee Music and Arts Festival
Live Nation
Modern Baseball
13 Reasons Why
[BOOK] Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D. Vance
A Colony in a Nation
Country Throwdown
Florida Georgia Line
Sixth Man Cruise

Get in Touch with Kevin Lyman
Twitter
http://www.4fini.com/
http://vanswarpedtour.com/ 

Kevin Lyman’s Definition of Making It
“Sometimes having the time to have a great BBQ with your friends.”

References:
These are some resources I used to help me come up with the questions for this interview. If you want to learn more about Kevin Lyman and his backstory, and all the cool things he's doing, check these out. 

1. Forbes Magazine Article: Warped Tour Founder Kevin Lyman on the Business of Punk Rock
2. The Jasta Show (Podcast Interview) - Episode 237 Kevin Lyman (Warped Tour) 
3. Promoter 101 (Podcast Interview) - #20 - The Van's Warped Tour's Kevin Lyman
4. RAD Parenting (Podcast Interview) - Episode 42: Inside the World of Teens on Vans Warped Tour (with Kevin Lyman)
5. TED Talk: The Walmartization of Music Festivals | Kevin Lyman | TEDxCPP
6.TED Talk: When You Music Festival is Older Than Your Customers | Kevin Lyman | TEDxBroadway
7. Interview at Full Sail University: Full Sail On Air Welcomes: Kevin Lyman Founder, Vans Warped Tour and President 4Fini, Inc.

Samantha Jennings - A True Road Warrior Blazing Through Arenas Across the World. A Sleepless, and Badass Road Manager Extraordinaire.

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

Samantha Jennings is a Road Manager and true Road Warrior having toured in tour buses and arena shows such as Luke Bryan, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Florida Georgia Line, Hillsong UNITED, and many more. In this conversation, Samantha shares her stories, wisdom, and insight in a very raw and honest way. She shares her story on how she got started in the business, and people that inspired her during her time at Full Sail University. Also, you’ll learn how a great work ethic and positive attitude has helped work her way up very quickly in the business. Sometimes it’s about knowing the right people, sometimes it’s about being at the right place at the right time, it’s always about having a great work ethic and attitude, and sometimes you’ll need to get all the cards to stack in your favor. Samantha is well on a journey to an amazing career in this crazy entertainment industry.

I first met Samantha Jennings at a show at House of Blues in Orlando, FL through Ana Reina, who has been a mentor to both of us. Shortly afterwards, Sam interned for me at The Plaza Live in Orlando. Through her work ethic and great attitude she quickly became a runner, which lead to the path that she is on now. She has gotten to where she is today through her work ethic and doing everything with a smile on her face. The craziest thing is that she has only been out of school for less than five years. She is on a path of doing many amazing things in life.

After we recorded the podcast, she came and guest spoke in one of my classes and was completely nervous. Not only did she deliver that same badass and raw honesty, but also the students totally loved Sam. They really appreciated hearing the truth on what really happens out on the road and the challenges of being a female on the road. However, regardless of all the challenges she continues to take down one obstacle after another like a true road warrior on a mission. Before this podcast, I haven’t seen Sam in five years, and it was really cool to catch up and inspiring to see how far she has come so quickly. We’ll definitely have to make her a regular on the show, and can’t wait to share more stories and lessons with the “Making It” listeners. Thank you Samantha Jennings, and thank you for listening!

Highlights from this Episode
Samantha’s first experience into the music industry (05:20)
What lit the spark for the business (05:55)
Bands that inspired Samantha (06:50)
Why Full Sail? (08:20)
Experience at Full Sail (10:30)
Lessons learned while working at The Plaza (12:40)
Responsibilities at the Plaza (14:26)
Runner job descriptions (14:55)
Reminiscing on events at The Plaza (15:35)
How to do a good job as a Runner (17:05)
How Samantha got the gob at Live Nation (18:20)
Differences between The Plaza shows and arena shows (19:45)
Preview of Tours worked (21:50)
Experience on Luke Bryan’s tour (23:20)
Difference between Luke Bryan’s tour and Macklemore (28:30)
First tour manager job (29:43)
Responsibilities as a road manager (30:30)
Advice to get started as a tour manager (36:05)
How to find the next job (38:10)
Challenges Samantha didn’t expect as a tour manager (40:50)
Touring Survival Kit (45:00)
Favorite moments on the road (47:00)
Samantha’s wishes for promoters (50:00)
Best way to manage a large team (53:50)
Local crew experiences (56:00)
How do the groupies get in (57:35)
First person who comes to mind when ‘successful’ is mentioned. (1:00:30)
First Concert / First Album (1:00:50)
Daily routine (1:01:40)
T-Shirt Message (1:04:22)
Making it to Samantha (1:07:00)

Quotes from Samantha Jennings
“I met the best people ever in Orlando.”
“Being at The Plaza gave me the tools to really know what goes on.”
“It’s important to work on every scale.”
“Attitude is everything.”
“If you have a bad attitude it makes it hard on everybody.”
“Just Smile!”
“It’s 18 hour days.”
“It has a lot to do with the artist and what to expect.”
“A lot of walking, super long hours, no sleep.”
“A road manager is just a glorified babysitter, and there is no time you’re not working.”
“If you’re not removing worry, you’re creating it.”
“I think there’s a difference between a road manager and a tour manager”
“You don’t walk in to being a tour manager.”
“You have to be willing to do any role.”
“It’s networking.”
“It really is who you know and who you meet.”
“I hate to say this because it bothered me so much because you want there to be a rhythm and reason but there isn’t. The opportunities just come up.”
“As soon as you wake up, you hit the ground running.”
“It’s about your attitude, you have to be cool.”
“You have bad days but you can never show it.”
“A good black zip up hoodie is a staple.”
“The people out there don’t realize what we put in to make this happen”
“It’s not all about money, its really about the experience.”
“We’re all out there because we’re responsible, we’re good at our job, we have our shit together.”
“If you can’t do your job right with a smile on your face, you’re gone. There’s tons of people who want your job.”
“The good news is nothing last forever, the bad news is nothing last forever.”
“It’s life, just roll with it.”

Links to people, places, and things mentioned
People
Childish Gambino
Trailer Park Boys
Kevin Stone
Adam Taylor
Rod Stewart
Stevie Nicks
Luke Bryan
Macklemore
Brit Nicole
Toby Mac
Colton Dixon
Thomas Rhett
Kevin Lyman
Shep Gordon
Scooter Braun

Places & Things
The Ramones
Warped Tour
Avenged Sevenfold
Underoath
Metallica
Foo Fighters
Blink 182
Full Sail University
Indiana University
The Plaza Live
House of Blues
Florida Theatre
Live Nation
Amway Center Orlando
Jimmy Johns
Hillsong United
Aveda
Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki [BOOK] 

Get in Touch with Samantha Jennings
Facebook: Samantha Jennings
Instagram: TheSamanthaJennings 

Samantha Jennings Definition of Making It
“I think it’s always changing, especially in the industry that we’re in. Then again Scooter Braun, he made it.”
“Having an artist that I manage that is doing arenas and stadiums.”

Isabella Acker - Curator of Culture, Collaboration, Community, and Entrepreneur of the Miami Entertainment Scene

This episode features Isabella Acker, Curator of Culture and Founder of Prism Creative Group in Miami, FL. Isbella is a serial entrepreneur that truly believes in the power of collaboration and community, and it’s her mission to create culture and events people love in Miami, FL. She’s a former Marketing Director for Live Nation at the Fillmore Miami, and has had many great ventures in the world of entertainment prior to Live Nation and her entrepreneurial journey. In 2016, she was named as one of eight women who are changing Miami for the better by Ocean Drive Magazine. Isabella is a true inspiration to her city and for all those around her, and always leads by example to create culture and community through collaboration.

I first met Isabella in 2010 or 2011 during my time at The Plaza Live in Orlando, FL. She came with a former business partner just to meet me, see the Plaza Live, and learn about what I do. From the first time we met, she has been someone that was hungry for knowledge and learning all things about the business. Isabella always believed in creating genuine relationships, and finding ways to add value to those relationships. It was really cool crossing paths again during both of our time at Live Nation, and having a familiar face within the company. We both had a similar journey prior to Live Nation, and similar reasons for eventually leaving the industry powerhouse. In this episode, she shares her mission and passion for Miami with Prism Creative Group, her time with Live Nation, and all the things she did prior to becoming an entrepreneur and working for the worlds biggest promoter. You’ll learn what she did to help her stand out during her time in college, her philosophies on creating community, and her passion behind her mission.

Highlights from this Episode
Why Isabella chose to move to Miami (07:30)
Thoughts on Miami’s entertainment industry (08:55)
Highlights of time spent at FIU (14:55)
Isabella’s time spent working with previous companies (16:30)
Latin Billboard Awards (22:20)
The reason for working at Live Nation (29:00)
Effective marketing tips (36:19)
Inspirations at Live Nation (38:38)
Prism Creative Group (44:10)
Pillars at Prism Creative Group (46:10)
What Prism Creative Group looks for in partners (48:20)
Advice for young artists’ (52:25)
Isabella’s year goals (54:00)
Advice for those getting into Isabella’s line of work (56:50)
First and last 90 minutes (59:39)
Isabella Acker’s definition of making it (1:03:10)

Quotes from Isabella Acker
“Really it’s not about who you are, but who you know that gets you into places.”
“You have to get really creative with how you get the word out.”
“We assume 50% of the people don’t know who the band are when we market.”
“Marketing can get really stale, so what are you doing to really move the needle.”
“You should want to know how effective your campaign is, and then take pride in that. “
“If you can find peoples motivation, its really interesting. “
“You have to find the one thing you’re good at.”
“Building up the hype is super important.”
“It’s a marathon, not a sprint. I celebrate all of the little wins.”
“It takes years to build a market into what it is.”
“Don’t let money or the lack of money derail you.”
“It is really about being very mission aligned”
“My metrics are impact.”
“They think they know what we do, but they don’t really know what we do.”
“Everything has gravitated towards experiences.”
“It’s important to develop an experience so you speak to new audiences.”
“Concerts are an experience, it’s not just about the music.”
“You can always continue to grow your impact.”
“when you can create something really special with an employee there is value to that.”
“It’s important to get out of the routine.”

Links to people, places, and things mentioned
People
Susan Gladstone - Event Planning Professor
Scooter Braun
Jacob Jeffries
Suenalo
Gary Vaynerchuk

Places & Things
Prism Creative Group
Black Key Group
Culture Crusaders
Live Nation
Florida International University
Wine and Food Festival
Cameo Theater
Orpheum Theatre
IMS Consulting
Latin Billboards
The Fillmore

Get in Touch with Isabella Acker
http://prismcreativegroup.com/ 
Instagram for Prism Creative Group
Prisim Creative Group on Twitter
Instagram for Isabella

Isabella Acker Definition of Making It
“That’s a really easy answer for me, it’s being happy.”

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. 

Herb Gonzalez - Telling a Visual Story with Photography

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

In this podcast episode we dive into the world of photography and content creation with photographer, Herb Gonzalez, also known as Lion the Lion.

Herb Gonzalez is a musician that has played in bands in Central Florida. He’s currently studying at Full Sail University in the Music Business Program. Herb is one of the directors for the artist development organization at Full Sail, 3300 and Climbing. While at Full Sail he rediscovered his passion for photography and in less than a year people are taking notice of his work. Not only does he take great photos, but he’s also developed the chops to edit photos to make them look natural and as he says “make them look beautiful.” Herb is still in the early stages of his career, but understands the importance of great content as I talked about in the lesson for last week. There is so much we can learn from him to take better pictures and put out better content. Here is my interview with Herb Gonzalez – the Lion.

Get in touch with Herb:
Website - www.lionthelion.com
Instagram / Twitter

Herb’s definition of Making It:
"Getting recognized for what you’re doing, and being happy."

Adam Taylor - Delta Rae Tour and Production Manager on Life on the Road

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

Adam Taylor graduated from Full Sail University with degrees in Show Production and Music Business. After graduating, he went on to work with me at The Plaza Live in Orlando, FL where he became the production manager. Then he went on to become the Tour and Production Manager for Delta Rae with whom he ran sound for the band at the Democratic National Convention where he met Michelle Obama, David Letterman, he has been part of festivals such as Bonnaroo, Hangout Fest, Voodoo Fest, Austin City Limits and many more.

Adam has travelled the world with Delta Rae and is only in the early stages for what is going to be a very beautiful career. We’re going to learn what life on the road is like from a Tour Manager and Production manager perspective and what it takes to land in one of those careers. He’s creative as a production manager and is willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done. I hope you enjoy this ride down the road, with Tour Manager Adam Taylor.  

Quotes Mentioned
“Be prepared to do extra work on top of what you think you deserve.”
“Your attitude is what’s gonna take you further than anything.”
“You can’t confirm enough times; you can’t plan far enough out in advance.”
“Breathe, take a break, it’s all serious, but don’t take it so serious.”
“Reach out to that stack of business cards.”

Links to Things Mentioned
Delta Rae
Master Tour (Tour Management & Logistics) 
AudioTools (Pro Audio Analysis)
Dave Rat Videos
The Wire (TV Show)

Get in Touch with Adam
Buy a Delta Rae concert ticket and visit the audio console!
deltaraeproduction@gmail.com
Twitter/Instagram: @wadamt

Their definition of Making It
“Waking up and still loving what you’re doing.” 

Greg Rollett On Taking Risks and Trying New Things

In the Summer of 2015, it’s been about six months after I left working as a Talent Buyer for Live Nation. Prior to landing at Full Sail University, I asked one of my best friends, Greg Rollett, for some advice. Greg told me that “I need to start a podcast” featuring people I’ve met along my journey in the music business. Finally a year later in August 2016, I finally made it happen with Greg as my first guest. I first met Greg in 2006 when is former band performed at my first ever concert, Rock for Hunger. From day one he inspired me with his wisdom for digital marketing, social media, branding, and pretty much all things marking. Whenever it comes to marketing and creating content, I call him the “guru.”

There was no more appropriate way to bring you the first episode of “Making It with Chris G.” than with my good friend and mentor, Greg Rollett. He’s a true serial entrepreneur and always pushes himself to the next level. Every time I talk to Greg, it feels like he’s starting a new project, creating new content, and finding new creative ways to promote products and himself. In this first interview with Greg we talk about taking risks, trying new things, his life journey, stories from his music career, and much more. Welcome to this first episode, and a show that will hopefully bring you lots of wisdom and knowledge of the entertainment business. Making It with Chris G. is a weekly podcast where we feature the stories from behind the scenes to the spotlight of the entertainment business of people who are “Making It” every day, and sharing their wisdom to help you get one step closer to making it! Enjoy this first episode!

Quotes Mentioned
"Create One piece of content; have an opinion about something."
“No one is responsible for your future, but you.”
“If you want a deal, go make a deal.”
“You have to create your own opportunities." 

Links to Things Mentioned
Ambitious.com 
Bulletproof Coffee
Tim Ferris Podcast 
Michael Masterson’s “Ready, Fire, Aim: Zero to $100 Million in No Time Flat” 
Slack (team communication software)

Get in Touch with Greg
Ambitious.com
Facebook: Greg Rollett
Instagram: @gregrollett
Twitter: @gregrollett

Greg Rollett's definition of Making It
"Being able to be there for the people that mean something to you when they need it.”