TAKE ACTION NOW on Your Music Career

If you are a musician or a music industry professional or want to be one, keep on reading. I am going to introduce you to a valuable opportunity to TAKE ACTION on your career.

The founder of Designing the Row and Music Biz Besties, Katherine Forbes is launching her 4-day Live Online summit, called TAKE ACTIONNOW ! This workshop summit is not about giving you a bunch of information, on which you will take notes and then leave them in the dust. It is an interactive live online event, which will make you apply the strategies you learn, and will be tailored to your particular needs.

The topics that will be covered over the 4 days are:

• Getting started in the music industry
• Sharing your music and message online
  
  
• Branding yourself
  
  
• HOW TO START TAKING ACTION NOW

“There are a million and one resources online that tell us what to do in order to be successful or to get to that next level… but often times that leaves us feeling overwhelmed and questioning our own efforts because no one ever shares the how… until now!”

I had the amazing opportunity to interview Katherine and I am really excited to share with you the details and insights she gave about the event and how to take the most out of it.

1. Would you please introduce yourself to the readers of Music Means the World to Me?

 I'm Katherine Forbes, founder of Designing the Row (as in Music Row) and creator of Music Biz Besties. Long story short, I came to Nashville the day after I graduated college because I wanted to be in the music business. Even though I knew no one and nothing about the industry, I was determined to make music my career and figured what better place to make that happen than “Music City.” Now here I am seven years later running my own business designing websites for musicians and small businesses and leading a community of over 3,000 female musicians and industry professionals!

2. The description on the webpage of the Take Action Now workshop summit is quite self-explanatory, but how did you come up with the idea about it? What was the thing that got you thinking  “I gotta do this”? 

Every turning point in my career has come because I decided to take action. Before starting my business I would read blogs or watch video tutorials in attempt to get “closer” to being able to do what I wanted to do. But what good is learning if you’re not applying?

I believe we all know deep down what impact we want to make in the world. Five years ago my husband (then boyfriend) encouraged me to enter a young entrepreneur competition. At first I was like, “with what?” but then my mind started racing. I was already doing freelance work with musicians in Nashville and wanted to serve as a connector. I thought that they were all so talented and wanted them to meet each other! The business idea I came up with for the competition was to operate as a graphic design company in the music industry and host educational events to connect my clients.

Although there have been many iterations of the “services” I offer, I’m now doing exactly what I originally set out to do. I’ve launched over 50 websites and have created a platform that is connecting and serving thousands of young women in music from all over the world! 

I’ve learned that there’s no exact road map to success… for anyone! We all have to try things out to see what works and what doesn’t! So when I hear from Besties that they’re frustrated, stuck, or don’t know where to start makes me want to do all I can to inspire and encourage them to keep going! Keep taking action. Nothing happens overnight. You have to put in the work. It won’t always feel comfortable or easy, and that’s normal!

So “I gotta do this” because if I can share my story and give others ideas, strategies, and the courage to keep taking action towards their goals, then why wouldn’t I?!

3. How did you choose the topics it will cover? 

I ask all my new email subscribers and Facebook group members to tell me what they’re currently working on and what they’re struggling with in their career. So these topics are based on the feedback I get on a daily basis.

Often it feels like we’re going at it alone - but I’m here to tell you that’s far from the truth! After compiling responses for a while, there are some very clear themes! People are frustrated when it comes to finding a job in the music business and not knowing what they’re doing wrong or what to do differently… people are worried about not being able to break through the “noise” and stand out from the crowd… people know they need to create a brand for themselves, but don’t know what that means or how to do it on their own.

And “taking action” is really what Music Biz Besties is all about so I decided to throw that topic in too and it has ended up shaping the whole online summit!

4. Who is it for? Is it only for musicians, or will it work for music industry professionals as well?

Both! And it’s for every level! 

There’s always room to work on ourselves, right? That’s what these workshops will guide you through. It’s not going to be a bunch of “step by step” how-to advice but rather a lot of practical and actionable content that if you really commit to participating in, will allow you to come away with so much.

5. Who is going to lead the workshop? Will you do it by yourself or with a group of speakers? 

I’ll be leading the workshops! I actually offer all of these as in-person events but decided that it’s time to take them online and spread my message in hopes of impacting as many as I can. I do have a special guest lined up for one, but I haven’t announced that yet… so stay tuned!

6. What will be the format of the summit? (Pre-recorded videos, live broadcasts, written content, etc.) 

There will be 4 live broadcasts over the course of the 4 day summit with coordinating printable workbooks. It’s all about taking action - so these aren’t the type of workshops to turn on in the background while you’re doing something else… we’re going to get down to business!

7. Will there be a space where the attendees will be able to discuss their questions and concerns about what they’ve learned and get the accountability they need to actually TAKE ACTION NOW? 

There are various ways to find accountability to help you follow through and take action both during and after the summit!

-          The workshops will be live and very interactive. I’ll be asking questions and looking for you to reply! Doing so will help you work through these topics in the moment and get feedback not only from me but also from the other attendees.

-          The Music Biz Besties Facebook group is a great place to find accountability and I’ll be posting prompts in the group each day during the summit so the conversation can continue past the live workshop comment feed.

-          The Bestie Membership is my ultimate accountability resource. Every Monday members get an email encouraging them to take action. And later this month, I also plan to open up commenting on the website within the membership so members can have conversations specifically about each resource for an added level of accountability and encouragement!

8. Any tips on how to get the most out of the summit?

Show up and commit to being open to taking action, even if it might feel scary or uncomfortable!

-          Invite your friends! Accountability grows even stronger when someone you already know is there to hold you to your word.

-          Participate! I’m definitely one of those people who attends a webinar but doesn’t participate in the chat… and I’m here to tell you, if you want to get the most out of what these workshops have to offer, you need to speak up.

-          Let go of any judgement you might have of yourself! The reason we get frustrated and stuck is because we want to be farther along, right? Stop the self doubt talk and allow yourself to open up to the idea that making your dreams come true is possible… and you’ll find that’s when taking action starts to become easy.

PS. Sign up NOW because I’ll be doing several giveaways for attendees before the summit begins. Plus, I’m waiting to announce the workshop times because I want to know when you’re most likely to tune in live and where you’ll be tuning in from.

https://musicbizbesties.com/takeactionnow

So, if you want to stop feeling stuck about your career, TAKE ACTION NOW and sign up for the summit: https://musicbizbesties.com/takeactionnow

What am I doing differently? – The ultimate question behind the development of a digital broadcasting medium from the ground up in just one year

The saturated music and entertainment industry might be so overwhelming if you want to do it for a living. And yet, there are people who actually succeed in it. But what does it take to succeed?

I recently had the amazing opportunity to talk to the talent, craziness and action behind the global digital broadcasting platform – UG Media - Phill Marshall and Martin Jones. It might sound weird to use these words to describe people, but my conversation with them was such an exciting and fun but at the same time insightful experience for me that I do feel these words describe them best.

Both Phill and Martin have musical backgrounds as guitar players in bands and as radio personalities, but their common vision and desire to do something differently, resulted in the creation of UG media, which mission is to make global music feel local.

Their platform embodies diversity and blends not only a variety of musical genres, but also a wide range of different forms of arts. They allow a lot of space for music, but they also make room for comedy, sports, martial arts, gaming and much more.

Not only did Phill and Martin share with me the key elements to their success, but they also gave their insights on what makes a musician stand out and grab their attention.

If I had to pick my biggest takeaway form what they told me, it would be the power of the question “What am I doing differently?”  This is the question that played a crucial role in the rapid development of their brand. There are tons of internet radio stations and video platforms, but the first thing that makes UG stand out from the crowd is their personal connection with both their listeners and the talents they work with.

They are always themselves and do and say exactly what they think. No matter if they are having a friendly chat on a drink or are talking on-air with their audience, authenticity, genuineness or any other synonym of these would sound like a cliché when it comes to describing their openness. They both value the up-front conversation – something, which a lot of digital radio stations don’t have.

Phill who hosts the  WWPMD What Would Phill Marshall Do? Show on Fridays gives an amazing perspective on criticism, which I bet would be helpful for musicians, as well. He says:” If someone calls in live and says I’m a cunt, this gives me an opportunity to hold a conversation and ask them why they think so”

Another key thing  for their success  (and for anyone else’s) is NETWORKNG.  Every conversation counts. They started UG media from scratch and took their time to meet people, talk to them, bring value to the artists, which in turn spread the word about them and support them. They built their talent base one artist at a time, and the word of mouth got them in touch with more and more acts, huge promoters and entertainment professionals. Martin says that the snowball effect applies to networking 100%.

So, go ahead and put the time to expand your network and build personable relationships it WILL PAY BACK! It might be time-consuming, but if you are committed enough, you will make it happen!

Which leads to another quality that both Phill and Martin have and lays in the base of UG Media’s success – passion and commitment.  That’s what drives them to spend every minute they got on getting out there, talking to listeners, to artists, to potential partners on creating content with the audience in mind, and on making the global music feel local.

But what if you’re on the other side? (an act who wants to get their music out there)

Well, as an artist, you should, too, ask yourself what you’re doing differently. You should maintain a recognizable image, but in the same time, you should dare to be different. And needless to say you should put the time and effort to hone your craft.

UG media aims to give exposure to talents who have invested the time to practice, create good music, and do a great job with the production. Yes, you need to put time, effort, and some money in order to produce your music properly. You want it broadcasted on media, then it should be of broadcasting quality. A few years ago, production might have been on the pricy side. But now all it takes is to be resourceful. There is tons of free software out there, you can find affordable gear, and gazillions of tutorials on the internet. You can even negotiate someone who has the skills and equipment to produce you music for you in exchange for credit and part of the royalties.

Another piece of advice Phill gave when it comes to production is that when you look for an analogue sound, you’d better initially record it digitally, and then use the plug-ins and tools (there are plenty of them) available on your software or on the internet and get the desired sound. Unless you have access to a studio with the proper equipment, chances are that recording directly an analogue sound, will not get you a broadcast quality result. In other words, DON’T RECORD ANALOGUE SOUND IN YOUR GARAGE OR BASEMENT!

Of course, I also asked the guys what sound they look for, when choosing what music to play on air…and I loved the response.

“When you listen to a song, and you can completely ignore the genre and say” Damn, that’s good”, that’s what we looking for and that’s what makes the global music feel local”.

I hope this article has left you with some valuable food for thought that you can act on, as well.

I bet you’re gonna love the UG experience, so you can now go straight to their website: https://theug.media/shows/   and explore their shows and on-demand section, I am pretty sure you are going to find at least one thing that will resonate with you and you will enjoy, among the diversity of informative and entertaining content.

And if you are an unsigned musician of any genre form anywhere in the world and have some decent quality music, go ahead and get in touch with Phill and Martin (Check the pinned post on their Facebook page for guidelines) https://www.facebook.com/ugmediaglobal/ . You will not only explore a great opportunity to get airplay for your music, but you will also make great friends!

Submt Your Music for Sync with the 8-Day Sync Songwriting Challenge by Catch the Moon Music

If you have been into songwriting for a while and haven’t yet considered Sync licensing as a source of revenue, I think it’s just the right time to allow yourself to explore this opportunity.

Before we go to the amazingly fun part, which I am beyond excited about, let’s first summarize what Sync licensing is. It’s short for Synchronization license, and it is issued by the copyright owner every time some type of media, motion picture or ad wants to use their music and synchronize it with visuals.

This license is non-compulsory and the fees are often negotiable. They usually vary from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands of dollars. It depends on the budget of the production and the willingness of the copyright owner to grant their rights at a certain price point.

Since there is tons of information on what Sync is on the internet, I am not going to dive into detail, but I am eager to introduce you to an amazing opportunity, presented by the LA-based licensing agency Catch the Moon Music.

It’s the 8-DAY SYNCSONGWRITING CHALLENGE! Which is actually completely FREE to join.

In the span of these 8 days, you will receive an action step (assignment) for each day, along with plenty of guidelines on how to accomplish it. You will also get access to a private Facebook community, in which you will find accountability and tremendous support and inspiration that will help you move forward and accomplish the challenge.

You will learn what types of songs are suitable for Sync licensing, what the media and music supervisors are looking for. You will have a list of topics to write on, and you will find out where and how to look for reference tracks. But it’s not only about songwriting. It also has the HUMAN ELEMENT. This challenge will also give you the tools to pitch your music to licensing opportunities in a way that actually gets the attention of the people in charge, and build genuine relationships with them.

But why be professionals all the time? We need fun, interaction, friendships…Well all of these are part of the challenge, as well!

So, what are you waiting for? The challenge starts June 4^th, all you need to do is sign up here:

https://cathyheller.lpages.co/8-day-sync-challenge/

and don’t forget to join the private Facebook community, where the real party happens!

Looking forward to seeing you guys and working with you on the challenge!