Thursday, March 15, 2012
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
New Graduate Jitters
My last class is near completion and March 30, 2012 is coming closer than ever. I cannot believe that this year came so fast from when I started, and now the reality of life is creeping up on me again. As I have stated before, I am interested in Artist Management and Concert Booking, but I do not know if that is really where my heart lies. Like most new graduates, I am very concerned about what my next steps are going to be; because I feel like I want do as many things as possible in this industry.
I have not dee-jayed since April of 2011 and I have not really had much of an interest in doing so right now. I am worried that I have lost interest in the very thing that has brought me this far which has been music. I never wanted to really do anything with my life other than dj, but since college, I have begun thinking about trying to go further with my talents. In the 22 years of experience that I already have in music, I know that I have learned a lot about various facets of this industry.
I am now asking my professors and other professionals in the industry for advice, but I am worried that I have too many options right now. I feel like I am not sure where to start, which is more frustrating to me than anything else is. I am speaking with my career advisors for assistance with job leads and such, but is this maybe a sign to start my own business at this time? I understand that the job market is still not looking very great, but at the same time, I do not know how great a new business would work in 2012.
The most brilliant people have made successes of themselves by taking risks of course, and I am sure that there have been many trial and errors on their part. I just wonder about how to remain patient and to not worry myself to death about this stuff. I understand that nobody knows what their futures hold, but I really do not like not knowing what my next move is going to be. In any case, I am sure that I will be all right in whatever venture I go into. I guess right now I’m just having new grad jitters and I’m feeling overwhelmed all at the same time.
I have not dee-jayed since April of 2011 and I have not really had much of an interest in doing so right now. I am worried that I have lost interest in the very thing that has brought me this far which has been music. I never wanted to really do anything with my life other than dj, but since college, I have begun thinking about trying to go further with my talents. In the 22 years of experience that I already have in music, I know that I have learned a lot about various facets of this industry.
I am now asking my professors and other professionals in the industry for advice, but I am worried that I have too many options right now. I feel like I am not sure where to start, which is more frustrating to me than anything else is. I am speaking with my career advisors for assistance with job leads and such, but is this maybe a sign to start my own business at this time? I understand that the job market is still not looking very great, but at the same time, I do not know how great a new business would work in 2012.
The most brilliant people have made successes of themselves by taking risks of course, and I am sure that there have been many trial and errors on their part. I just wonder about how to remain patient and to not worry myself to death about this stuff. I understand that nobody knows what their futures hold, but I really do not like not knowing what my next move is going to be. In any case, I am sure that I will be all right in whatever venture I go into. I guess right now I’m just having new grad jitters and I’m feeling overwhelmed all at the same time.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Full Sail University Personal Reflection
This past year had been a very interesting one to say the least for me. I had been a student at Full Sail University since March 2011, and I cannot believe it is nearly over already. I remember when had first started this program, that I had thought the next year would take really take forever. For some that may not be aware, I had previously attended the University of Colorado for their Music Industry Studies program from 2001-2007.
I graduated with a Bachelors of Science at that time with a double major in Music Business and Audio Recording. In late 2010, I pondered whether I wanted to continue further with a Masters degree in Music or not, so I had chosen to take online classes through Full Sail. The Masters degree in Entertainment Business title had really peeked my interest, and I thought that this might be the program I had been searching for.
The first class that I had taken with this University was Media Literacy and Research Methodologies, which turned out to be an interesting course overall. At first, I did not think that I would like the class much, but once I got into the swing of things, it became more enjoyable. I do not remember much about the assignments in the class, but I remember how many various social media networks I had access to learn about.
I did not realize how much research went into social media from the standpoint of bloggers and others who help shape this online world. It really made me appreciate even more about how important technology is in today's society. I remember that a great importance was placed on proper APA formatting, which I had not dealt with in this much detail before. It ended up being a very beneficial class for me, because now I understand how critical proper citation really is.
The next course that I had to complete was called Executive Leadership. I really enjoyed this class, because it really had exposed what steps are necessary to be an executive leader in today's entertainment market. The amount of power and influence that a person has over others is nothing short of mind blowing. I can truly appreciate learning a lot about my own power and influence abilities from this class.
I am more aware of what I am capable of achieving as a future executive leader thanks to this course, and the assignments really helped a great deal. The most enjoyable part of this class was the case studies that we were required to complete. I really enjoyed the real world feel of the case studies, and it forced me to think critically and realistically.
Project and Team Management was the next class in the program, which was a challenge for me more than the previous classes to this point. This class was hard for me, because of some personal things I had going on in my life. It was difficult to complete certain assignments on time, but overall I had learned a great deal about working with a team. I think that time management is the lesson that I had learned more than any other, and I can now manage my time more effectively.
The final project that we were asked to complete was fun, because it exposed us to what is required to successfully complete a team project. The project was important for all of us, because we had to complete it in a specific amount of time. We also had to think about Risk Management issues, which could not be more important than in a team management environment. It is true that whatever can do wrong always does go wrong, and this class had helped to effectively prepare for anything.
Business Storytelling and Brand Development was fourth class required for completion in this program. This class had shown the importance of brand development and being able to sell the brand in a very effective manner. I had known previously of how much of a role that logos and such play with a business, but I did not realize how much detail is spent on the overall presentation of that brand.
With this class, I learned how to create my own logo, which was something I had not done for a class before this one. I did not know how much of a role that storytelling held in the business world to strengthen a business's success either. The real world assignments were very helpful in developing my own branding identity style as well.
One critical thing in the entertainment business is the fact that it is a BUSINESS. So many people lose money and do not know how to properly manage their finances. I am thankful that I had taken Entertainment Business Finance, because it challenged me to think realistically about my own business and the costs associated with it. I had thought about owning a business before, but I never went into detail about the costs of running one, or where to go for investment help for starting a business either.
There were challenges during this class and sometimes I did not think that I would have been able to get through them. I think that this class really brought home the importance of managing money to try to make a profit, and how most businesses fail after the first year of operation as well. I can definitely use some of the skills that I had learned in this class to seek funding for my own business ventures.
One of the best classes in the program by far was the Negotiation and Deal Making course. The most enjoyable part of this class was going through the role-playing assignments of making a deal. This was really fun to me, because other students and myself had to pretend to be famous actors, musicians etc, and try to come to a contractual agreement that all would be happy with. These classes made me think about the possibility of becoming an Artist Manager someday, because I had developed a good negotiation style for dealing with potential clients.
When Product and Artist Management was next to complete, I began to understand the link between all of the previous classes at this point. I was able to piece together how I could use what I had done in the negotiation class, and apply it to managing an artist or a product that I would market.
These classes had properly preparer me for Advanced Entertainment Law, which I would have taken again if I could have. This class was a blast to me, and there were things that still did not know about Entertainment legally. The current trademark issues and court rulings that are going on were interesting. I had written a research paper about musician Prince's symbol that made an excellent topic to write about. Another fun assignment was researching how to trademark something and the length of time that it takes to complete.
Many people think copyrighting or trademarking something is extremely simple, but there is so much more to protecting intellectual property than most understand. I believe that today's artists could learn a great deal from a course like this, because many would be able to steer their careers better financially.
Since the Internet is such an amazing tool to use, there are so many options available for media distribution. The Entertainment Media and Distribution class helped me to realize this fact. In this digital age, there are various ways for a person to distribute their material, and digitally is even more of a powerful tool for people to use. I had learned how important digital right management really is, as well as the legislation behind protecting your property.
One of the last classes to complete was Digital Marketing, and this class was a lot of fun as well as the others. This class had really made me aware of the proper marketing plans needed for a successful business campaign. I can appreciate this course, because a lot of thought has to be put into effectively marketing anything. I have seen some businesses that could have used a more effective campaign, and those businesses would still be around today.
A business needs to keep up with the technology of today's Internet connected world, and digital marketing can really be effective in achieving mass appeal. The proper use of social media can go a long way as well as traditional methods to market oneself. I plan to use what I have learned in this class to market different projects that I am involved in. I also think that a proper budget to market with helps a lot as well. To maintain a professional presence online could not be more important than it is now.
The final course that I am currently finishing up is the Business Plan. I realize now how important a strong business plan really is, and how so many businesses have failed because of a weak plan. I did not know that most of them fail from their sales numbers being out of control, and that they really are not realistic figures to begin with. I want to make sure that my business plan is as strong as possible, because I want to succeed with fulfilling my entertainment dreams.
I enjoy trying to figure out how to make a business turn a profit by the end of its second year, because that is when most businesses close up if they have not made any money. The potential investor is the most importance person that you will have in your professional life. This person is the gatekeeper of your business future, and you have to successfully convince him/her that their investment into your idea will not be a waste of time.
I have learned a great deal in such a short period, and I am truly thankful for Full Sail and all of the professors that have helped me. They really know their stuff and I plan to keep in touch with all of them, because they will be a continued source of knowledge and support for my business.
I graduated with a Bachelors of Science at that time with a double major in Music Business and Audio Recording. In late 2010, I pondered whether I wanted to continue further with a Masters degree in Music or not, so I had chosen to take online classes through Full Sail. The Masters degree in Entertainment Business title had really peeked my interest, and I thought that this might be the program I had been searching for.
The first class that I had taken with this University was Media Literacy and Research Methodologies, which turned out to be an interesting course overall. At first, I did not think that I would like the class much, but once I got into the swing of things, it became more enjoyable. I do not remember much about the assignments in the class, but I remember how many various social media networks I had access to learn about.
I did not realize how much research went into social media from the standpoint of bloggers and others who help shape this online world. It really made me appreciate even more about how important technology is in today's society. I remember that a great importance was placed on proper APA formatting, which I had not dealt with in this much detail before. It ended up being a very beneficial class for me, because now I understand how critical proper citation really is.
The next course that I had to complete was called Executive Leadership. I really enjoyed this class, because it really had exposed what steps are necessary to be an executive leader in today's entertainment market. The amount of power and influence that a person has over others is nothing short of mind blowing. I can truly appreciate learning a lot about my own power and influence abilities from this class.
I am more aware of what I am capable of achieving as a future executive leader thanks to this course, and the assignments really helped a great deal. The most enjoyable part of this class was the case studies that we were required to complete. I really enjoyed the real world feel of the case studies, and it forced me to think critically and realistically.
Project and Team Management was the next class in the program, which was a challenge for me more than the previous classes to this point. This class was hard for me, because of some personal things I had going on in my life. It was difficult to complete certain assignments on time, but overall I had learned a great deal about working with a team. I think that time management is the lesson that I had learned more than any other, and I can now manage my time more effectively.
The final project that we were asked to complete was fun, because it exposed us to what is required to successfully complete a team project. The project was important for all of us, because we had to complete it in a specific amount of time. We also had to think about Risk Management issues, which could not be more important than in a team management environment. It is true that whatever can do wrong always does go wrong, and this class had helped to effectively prepare for anything.
Business Storytelling and Brand Development was fourth class required for completion in this program. This class had shown the importance of brand development and being able to sell the brand in a very effective manner. I had known previously of how much of a role that logos and such play with a business, but I did not realize how much detail is spent on the overall presentation of that brand.
With this class, I learned how to create my own logo, which was something I had not done for a class before this one. I did not know how much of a role that storytelling held in the business world to strengthen a business's success either. The real world assignments were very helpful in developing my own branding identity style as well.
One critical thing in the entertainment business is the fact that it is a BUSINESS. So many people lose money and do not know how to properly manage their finances. I am thankful that I had taken Entertainment Business Finance, because it challenged me to think realistically about my own business and the costs associated with it. I had thought about owning a business before, but I never went into detail about the costs of running one, or where to go for investment help for starting a business either.
There were challenges during this class and sometimes I did not think that I would have been able to get through them. I think that this class really brought home the importance of managing money to try to make a profit, and how most businesses fail after the first year of operation as well. I can definitely use some of the skills that I had learned in this class to seek funding for my own business ventures.
One of the best classes in the program by far was the Negotiation and Deal Making course. The most enjoyable part of this class was going through the role-playing assignments of making a deal. This was really fun to me, because other students and myself had to pretend to be famous actors, musicians etc, and try to come to a contractual agreement that all would be happy with. These classes made me think about the possibility of becoming an Artist Manager someday, because I had developed a good negotiation style for dealing with potential clients.
When Product and Artist Management was next to complete, I began to understand the link between all of the previous classes at this point. I was able to piece together how I could use what I had done in the negotiation class, and apply it to managing an artist or a product that I would market.
These classes had properly preparer me for Advanced Entertainment Law, which I would have taken again if I could have. This class was a blast to me, and there were things that still did not know about Entertainment legally. The current trademark issues and court rulings that are going on were interesting. I had written a research paper about musician Prince's symbol that made an excellent topic to write about. Another fun assignment was researching how to trademark something and the length of time that it takes to complete.
Many people think copyrighting or trademarking something is extremely simple, but there is so much more to protecting intellectual property than most understand. I believe that today's artists could learn a great deal from a course like this, because many would be able to steer their careers better financially.
Since the Internet is such an amazing tool to use, there are so many options available for media distribution. The Entertainment Media and Distribution class helped me to realize this fact. In this digital age, there are various ways for a person to distribute their material, and digitally is even more of a powerful tool for people to use. I had learned how important digital right management really is, as well as the legislation behind protecting your property.
One of the last classes to complete was Digital Marketing, and this class was a lot of fun as well as the others. This class had really made me aware of the proper marketing plans needed for a successful business campaign. I can appreciate this course, because a lot of thought has to be put into effectively marketing anything. I have seen some businesses that could have used a more effective campaign, and those businesses would still be around today.
A business needs to keep up with the technology of today's Internet connected world, and digital marketing can really be effective in achieving mass appeal. The proper use of social media can go a long way as well as traditional methods to market oneself. I plan to use what I have learned in this class to market different projects that I am involved in. I also think that a proper budget to market with helps a lot as well. To maintain a professional presence online could not be more important than it is now.
The final course that I am currently finishing up is the Business Plan. I realize now how important a strong business plan really is, and how so many businesses have failed because of a weak plan. I did not know that most of them fail from their sales numbers being out of control, and that they really are not realistic figures to begin with. I want to make sure that my business plan is as strong as possible, because I want to succeed with fulfilling my entertainment dreams.
I enjoy trying to figure out how to make a business turn a profit by the end of its second year, because that is when most businesses close up if they have not made any money. The potential investor is the most importance person that you will have in your professional life. This person is the gatekeeper of your business future, and you have to successfully convince him/her that their investment into your idea will not be a waste of time.
I have learned a great deal in such a short period, and I am truly thankful for Full Sail and all of the professors that have helped me. They really know their stuff and I plan to keep in touch with all of them, because they will be a continued source of knowledge and support for my business.
