Sandi Thom attended the Make Your Mark in Music launch on monday and had a very nice time! She wrote about her evening in her blog: http://www.sandithom.com/blog/2008/02/05/make_your_mark_on_music
Yesterday morning I was one of 350 people that gathered at Lord’s Cricket Ground for a special ‘Big Breakfast’ networking event organised by BNI for International Networking Week. With over 3 hours to meet new people you couldn’t fail to make some useful connections.
Why not seize this opportunity to search www.makeyourmarkconnect.org for a network that interests you. Networks exist in all kinds of forms; formal vs informal; subject specific vs general; £ vs free; morning vs evening; large vs small; age limited vs open to all. If you’ve got an idea and you want to get connected to people that can help you, find a group and start talking. You’ll be suprised who you might meet!
West London based world music record label seeks a bright and enthusiastic individual to undertake varied office and ware house tasks. The job entails distribution and marketing and all applicants must be willing to get ’stuck in’. Jobs include packing and shipping CDs, updating social networking sites, answering the phone and general admin tasks. A commitment to the industry and a sense of humour is a must!
We can pay for all travel and expenses.
Please email CV and a short explanation of why you should be picked for an interview. duncan@faroutrecordings.com
The Daily Telegraph has teamed up with the Venture Navigator consortium of leading universities to develop a tool to test business ideas online.Check it out:http://www.venturenavigator.telegraph.co.uk/ Their team of experts includes Eileen Gallagher, co-founder of independent TV producer Shed Media; Martin Webb, the serial entrepreneur and presenter of Channel 4’s Risking It All; Claire Owen, founder of recruitment agency The SG Group; and Doug Richard, the technology entrepreneur and former Dragons’ Den panellist.
Over the next 10 weeks, Sir James Dyson, founder of eponymous home appliances group, and Virgin founder Sir Richard Branson are among entrepreneurs who will share their views on the test and their own experiences of setting up and running hugely successful businesses.
The launch event is going to be huge tonight. What a panel line up (see below) and these people will be asked questions by young people.
Jenna G from BBC’s Radio 1 Xtra is hosting the event at House of Commons.
We will let you know how it goes!
Panelists
Janet Edwards is a renowned voice coach who has worked with the likes of Leona Lewis and Mel C. Janet is also a
successful composer, arranger and musical director.
We asked Janet how she made her mark in the music business:
I was passionate about music and had a formal musical education which covered playing piano, early keyboards, synths, organ, violin, composition and singing. This set me up well for a professional career as a performer working as a soloist and also helping opera singers learn roles and accompanying many other performers in concert.
When I needed more work in the early days, I went to London and literally knocked on the doors of several music agents.
This broad, all-encompassing background eventually led to a dual career with my own one woman 2 hour show singing and playing at a mic’d up grand piano; also helping other singers to find the best of their own unique sound.
I have never stopped searching for better ways to help singers. I am qualified with a Masters in Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) where I can fast-track the process of developing a client’s voice.
What advice would you give to someone trying to make their mark in the music business?
Be both passionate and disciplined.
Set targets of levels of accomplishment.
Be inspired by those who are masters, don’t be put off or daunted by them.
Commit yourself 100% to whatever you do.
The glamour of the music industry is only on the surface, to succeed you must be the best you can be – communicate this to the industry.
Don’t be put off by negative responses, don’t cling to your own compositions, but let them be heard and keep a good, easy and appreciative communication with those who might help you.
Get used to rejection; the Industry is full of it. You will be stronger for it and it will make you even more determined.
First and foremost, as musicians we are there to inspire with our art rather than become a ‘famous person’, whatever the style of our music. Let the ‘fame’ follow naturally.
You can find out more about Janet at: www.janetedwards.co.uk
Janet is an ambassador for Make Your Mark in the Music Business - www.makeyourmarkinmusic.org - which launches tonight!
I had coffee with Mariska from our policy team on Friday and we were talking about the ‘fear of failure’ that stops many people from starting a business. But what exactly is the fear? Is it things like fear of losing money, fear of the shame if it doesn’t work out, fear of taking the plunge and leaving the comfort zone of a secure job? Is it a fear of perceived barriers or real barriers?
Tell us what you think….
1) If you have started a business, what made you take the plunge?
2) If you have a business idea but haven’t taken the plunge, what are you afraid of?
3) What kind of business support initiatives would help people overcome the fear of failure?
Put your comments in the box below - thanks!
Last night I attended the bi-monthly networking event hosted by ICDC (International Centre for Digital Content). Phil Hemsted, the co-founder of YuuGuu, as guest speaker - who said some amazing things about networking, backing up our Connect campaign message.
He said that when he and his business partners started YuuGuu, they did not have a marketing or promotions budget - therefore they attended lots of free networking events to spread the word and make good business contacts. One of the networking events they attended was Open Coffee www.opencoffeeclub.org in London, which at the time was in a Starbucks above womens clothes shop Espirit. He said 100 or so people would be clamouring to get in the shop to go to the meet up. Not only did the meet ups provide YuuGuu with some of their first customers, but they also became the 100 businesses he based the market research for his business on.
He praised networks and their benefits for new businesses or people with a potential product - he actually said they were “good value for money” - sound familiar? This exact line was used at the team meeting last month, when discussing the role of networks for the campaign. I didnt get to speak to Phil, but 2 of my Connectors are going to put me in touch with him.
It’s great to see that we are beginning to create some buzz around our new initiative - Make Your Mark in the Music Business.
Check out www.makeyourmarkinmusic.org for more info - including a podcast of next week’s exciting event hosted by BBC One Xtra DJ Jenna which will give young people the chance to ask music industry experts how they made their mark. Should be pretty inspiring so check out the podcast next week…
Recent Comments