I have been posting a lot more than usual lately. This is party because there is more to talk about, and partly because I’m contemplating increasing the frequency of my posts. It’s kind of a hard decision to make. On one hand I feel that I would be stretching myself way too thin, as I have so much going on right now. On the other hand, I feel that if I stick to my current schedule, which is to post every Monday, that I miss out on talking about a lot of things because they are no longer current. I feel I would be doing my blog and my audience a disservice if I tried to post too often, and the quality of my blog suffered. In any case I wanted to talk about something now, and not wait another four days, as I feel it won’t be as relevant then.
Nine Inch Nails has been coming up with some awesome ideas to connect with their audience. They recently have released a collection titled Ghosts, with different options for downloading or buying physical copies. Now they are taking the Ghosts project and enhancing it by doing a collaboration with their fans through YouTube. It’s really inspiring to me, and I plan to copy some of their ideas. Check out Trent Reznor’s latest blog post [www.nin.com]
I am posting twice this week. Over the last ten days or so, I have come across some blogs/sites that got me excited. I have wanted to post them for a while now, so instead of putting it off until next week I’m posting them now. This is also part of an experiment I’m doing. I’m going to try posting twice on weeks that I give news updates, so that I don’t break the flow of normal content for an entire week.
www.startupnation.com
I was recently listening to a recording of a discussion panel of marketers. It featured Seth Godin, and somewhere in the middle he talked about this web site. It piqued my interest since I’m starting a new company. I suggest anyone who is trying to start a career as a freelance producer/engineer bookmark this site. It provides all kinds of information that is directly and indirectly relevant. By the way, you can find the recording of Seth and the others here: http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2008/02/citizens-1.html
www.meetup.com
Another Seth Godin mentioned site from the same recording. You ever wish there was a way to network with people in your city who are either in the music business, or are starting out in the music business? This site is great because it allows you to start or join a sort of interest group/club related to your hobby or career.
www.smashingmagazine.com
As we continue to Build Radical Notion, I find myself paying more attention to web design. This site covers more than just web design, but it is overall useful to the topic, and a great source of inspiration. Web design is always something I have wanted to learn, but now I have a real excuse to spend time researching the topic and looking for inspiration. I came across this site because I am a subscriber of Daily Blog Tips [www.dailyblogtips.com]. They run a very useful “Link Tips” post where they post links to cool sites/articles they find.
vandelaydesign.com/blog
Another web design site I came across in my search for information/inspiration. I really do want to give credit where credit is due, but I can’t remember how I linked to this site. I tried to retrace my steps, but I had no luck.
www.inc.com
Just like Startup Nation, this is another great place for information for entrepreneurs. I can’t remember how I got to it either.
www.makeuseof.com
Again, a site I came across being a reader of Daily Blog Tips. It is a great site that posts links to useful tools on a whole variety of applications.
Thanks…
Thanks to those who have subcribed to my blog, and take an interest in what I am doing. I appreciate your support early on while I’m building my blog. Over the last few months I have learned quite a bit about building/running a blog, as well as a few web sites. This is all new territory for me, and has proven to be a steep learning curve. Thanks for sticking around through the rough spots of experimentation. Hope you have a great and productive week…
January has ended hard. There has been a lot to get done as the month closed out, taking my attention away from this blog. I feel like I have not been able to devote a whole lot of thought into my posts lately…
…And now I have become very sick. In fact, I have not felt this bad in a long time. I don’t know how long it’s going to take for me to get well, but I’m going to be taking a break from here until I do. It is very frustrating. I’m trying hard to build an informative blog, and this set back is not helping.
In the meantime I will link you to an inspiring video. I was going through the archives at www.ted.com, and came across this video of Richard St. John talking about success. It hit home with me, as I am working hard to build a new company. The thoughts expressed in this short video reinforce what Jonathan and I say to each other every day at the office of Radical Notion (independent media). I really like the way Richard puts it-funny and motivating.
I hope to be back, fully recovered, very soon…
My experience working through Getting Things Done has been a success. I’m more organized, feel more in control, feel less stressed out about keeping up with all my commitments, and feel more productive. David Allen’s method of GTD is exactly what I need to help me develop good organizational skills. I recommend the book to anyone and everyone in the music business. A good method of organization is key to freeing your mind, allowing you to become more creative and productive. As someone in the music business, I know that it is very hard to stay organized in this field. GTD will simplify this problem, freeing you up to be more creative (and the music business is all about being creative, isn’t it?).
I am not going to go into full detail of my experience with GTD just yet. I plan on doing that in a future post. I will also offer some of my own advice on what I found to be helpful when getting set up. At the moment I have my hands full promoting a couple of shows in Nashville. Two bands I represent are putting on shows this week. The Street Corner Champs are playing tonight at The 5 Spot, and Wes Sp8 is playing Wednesday at The End. In the meantime I’m going to link to a couple of articles that are inspiring to me. I hope they inspire you…
www.onmoneymaking.com/about-jon
Read the whole page, but when you get to the bottom pay particular attention to the paragraph under the heading A Currency for Financing Your Dreams
www.behance.com/Featured/Articles/Hero-Design-Studio-Smaller-is-Better/5666
This article spoke to me both because it’s about someone who left a more secure job to build their own company, and because it’s about a company that is a part of the creative industry. Those two elements describe what my life is like right now with Radical Notion (independent media).
*Note* GTD® and Getting Things Done® are registered trademarks of David Allen & Co. Although I have spent quite a bit of time lately talking about GTD®, I am in no way affiliated with that company. I am simply inspired by what they do.
At The End of Week One
Last week I briefly recapped 2007 and some motivation/inspiration I experienced throughout the year. I also alluded to some goals that I have in mind for 2008. This week I would like to expound on that topic a little bit by briefly discussing productivity, and goal setting/planning. The first seven days of this year have already been very productive for me, as I have been able to check off some accomplished goals right away. The stage has been set for success in 2008, and I believe my motivation is going to exponentially increase this year.
Light A Fire
I recently read some blog posts from two of my favorite motivators, and they really got me fired up. David Hooper and Bob Baker chose perfect timing to write about goal setting, as my mind is constantly preoccupied with the topic. Realistically this is no coincidence considering it is the tip top of 2008. In any case, you should read their posts on setting goals and being productive.
You will find David’s post at www.musicmarketing.com/2008/01/goal_setting_fo.html
You will find Bob’s post at www.bob-baker.com/musicpromotionblog/2008/01/5-steps-to-setting-music-goals-you-will.html
Bob also mentioned, in his post 2008: Jump-Start Your Music Career, a book that I am currently finishing up, and planned to talk about in the near future. The book is called, Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress—Free Productivity by David Allen. This is a book that my friend and Nashville songwriter/performing artist, Aron Wright [makeoutmusiccompany.wordpress.com] recommended to me a couple of years ago. I had it on my “to—read” list ever since then, but I finally got around to cracking it open about ten days ago.
In the book Allen, a career coach and management consultant, discusses his system for constant up—to—date organization that is far more efficient than the typical to—do list and calendar items you would find most people tracking. It takes a couple of days blocked out and totally uninterrupted to set up the system. I have scheduled my time for this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Good organizational skills are a big challenge, and since I am setting out to accomplish more in 2008 than I ever have before, I figured now was the best time to finally read this book.
More
Additionally, Freelance Folder, a blog that I frequent geared for bloggers, writers, publishers, designers, artists, small business owners, entrepreneurs and (you guessed it) freelancers, have run an article on goal setting and productivity called How To Unleash the Productivity Beast. The author, Ritu, asked readers to share some productivity tips. Since my post this week ties in, I would like to share a few tips:
• Schedule some time in advance to implement a system of organization, and clean out your workspace
• Set long term, medium term and short term goals, and map out a plan of action to attain these goals. Within those different plans of action list high and low priorities
• Find and read good books related to this topic. I have a rather long reading list myself. Stay current on this blog, and I’ll share my thoughts on what I read
You can catch Ritu’s article here: freelancefolder.com/unleash-the-productivity-beast/
Let’s Begin to Make This Apply
This blog is mainly for people who are either getting started, or looking for growth in the music industry. It does not matter what facet of the music industry seems attractive to you, to get where you want to go in this business you are going to need a plan, and a whole lot of motivation/inspiration. I would like to know: Do you have a plan? What could you do this month, this week or today that would be a big step towards attaining your goal this year?
I’ll close this week by quoting David Hooper:
“An important part of attaining your goals, or one that at least makes getting them easier, is having other people on board to help you.”
I’ll add that it’s also important to have motivational outlets in place to light a fire under you. I recommend David Hooper’s, Bob Baker’s and the Freelance Folder blogs at the links posted above to get you started. Alright, and I recommend producer notes too…
Premise
New Year’s Day is one of my favorite days of the year because it is a chance at new beginnings. It provides the possibility to wipe clean the slate, and refresh the stale frame of mind. I focus my excitement by spending some time contemplating new goals, and begin to draw a map of how I might accomplish them. I have already created the framework for what I want to accomplish in 2008, and I’m on pins and needles to move ahead. There are new opportunities to take, new ideas to visualize, new challenges to complete, new people to meet and new successes to enjoy.
2007
This past year has been a key year for me in terms of getting motivated. As 2007 set into motion I began to transition out of my staff position at Quad Recording Studios, and take a step towards my aspirations of becoming a freelance producer/engineer/songwriter. Now as 2007 segues into 2008, I look back to see that not only have I put a big step forward in attaining that desire, I have also managed to jumpstart my dream of building a media company—something I thought was a long way off. I drew a lot of my inspiration from some books, articles, websites and blogs I came across throughout the year. I will post links to them here; I strongly recommend you read them. Hopefully they will inspire you as much as they did me.
[These lists are in no particular order]
Books:
An Army of Davids: How Markets and Technology Empower Ordinary People to Beat Big Media, Big Government, and Other Goliaths by Glenn Reynolds
48 Days to the Work You Love by Dan Miller
What Should I Do With My Life by Po Bronson
The One Minute Millionaire by Mark Victor Hansen and Robert G. Allen
Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook by Bob Baker
The Ultimate Survival Guide to the New Music Industry: Handbook for Hell by Justin Goldberg
Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable by Seth Godin
Blogs:
www.instapundit.com
blog.creativethink.com
lefsetzletter.com/wordpress
sethgodin.typepad.com
www.musicmarketing.com
genxfinance.com
www.getrichslowly.org/blog
www.frugallawstudent.com
ryanhealy.typepad.com
freelancefolder.com
www.dailyblogtips.com
www.problogger.net
www.doshdosh.com
www.firepitfriday.com/Firepit_Friday/Blog/Blog.html
www.thelongtail.com
styleboost.com
blog.musicbusinessradio.com
Websites:
www.wired.com
www.thebuzzfactor.com
www.pitchforkmedia.com
wordpress.org
www.entrepreneur.com
www.pobronson.com
Articles:
http://www.news.com/Revelations-from-Pandoras-music-box/2008-1027_3-6208664.html?part=rss&tag=2547-1_3-0-5&subj=news
http://www.womenentrepreneur.com/article/1826.html
http://www.entrepreneur.com/startingabusiness/businessideas/article183310.html
http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/118/girl-power.html
http://blog.wired.com/monkeybites/2006/01/million_dollar_.html
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.12/youtube.html
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.12/lonelygirl.html
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.09/pitchfork.html
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.09/musicintro.html
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.07/murdoch.html
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/15.04/wired40.html
http://www.wired.com/science/space/magazine/15-06/ff_space_musk
And obviously as a record producer and music maker, I have to list the music that inspired me this year. Posted below are some records/songs that left a mark on me. Some are brand new for 2007 some are from previous years [again, listed in no particular order].
The Greatest-Cat Power
El Perro Del Mar-El Perro Del Mar
Ys-Joanna Newsome
Neon Bible-Arcade Fire
We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank-Modest Mouse
Broken Boy Soldiers-The Raconteurs
Robbers and Cowards-The Cold War Kids
Lullabies to Paralyze and Songs for the Deaf-Queens of the Stone Age
Because of the Times-Kings of Leon
Our Love To Admire-Interpol
Icky Thump-The White Stripes
No One’s Gonna Love You-Band of Horses
1234-Feist
Love Song-Sara Bareilles
Split Needles-The Shins
2008
2007 sparked a motivation in me that I have never experienced before. This motivation seems to have bled into a peculiar interest in stirring motivation in those around me. I hope you share some of the same enthusiasms I do about New Year’s Day. If not, why not start now by making 2008 your Year of Inspiration? Make this the year that sets a fire in your life to dream new ideas, set creative goals and explore uncharted visions. Pick a book from my list above to use as your spark. Perhaps you have already read one or two on this list. In any case, I would love your comments. I would like to read your stories of motivation, opinions on starting a new year, or maybe you could suggest a book or two to me. Let’s inspire one another to dream new ideas, set creative goals and pursue divergent challenges this year.
Here’s to another year
2007 was an awesome year; 2008 is going to be remarkable!
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