If you're like most musicians, you are passionate about your life in "The Arts". And because of this, you have no desire to see, hear or learn about anything you consider to be part of the "Real World" of business and industry.
And that is a problem.
It's a problem because you can't start, build or sustain a career without knowing the priniciples, skills and ideas that are essential to business and personal success. And as a general rule, these are simply not taught to people in "The Arts."
Fortunatly, all the information you need to build the career of your dreams is readily available in the "real world" and it can be learned and applied by you. You just have to know where to look.
And so I bring you the Why I Failed - Business Blogs lens focused on linking you to the best minds in business. Check out the links below for "real world" information that will change your career.
Be sure to also check out my website, blog, the Why I Failed Lens and information about my upcoming book on this subject.
Best of luck and God bless
The Why I Failed blog
My blog about Why I Failed in the Music Business and How NOT to Follow in my Footsteps
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byBusiness Strategy and Innovation
Blogs highlighting changes in the world and how to effectively react
- Tom Peters Wireservice
- This is an AMAZING service provided by Tom Peters, one of the leading innovation proponents in business. Everyday this site fulfills its goal of providing "the latest headlines on stuff that matters." Subscribe to this one and you'll get a daily stream of 15 or 20 articles pulled from business sites and publications spotlighting trends and concerns from around the world.
- Fast Company Magazine Blog
- A multi-author blog spotlighting the latest news and trends in business. They seem to be particularly aware and interested in the increasingly fragmented and changing music industry too.
- Futurelab
- This is a difficult blog to categorize. With a focus on marketing and strategy, this blog never ceases to surprise. I've posted several times about specific music industry trends and businesses that have been revealed by this excellent site. It's definitly worth a look.
- Entrepreneur Viewpoint
- Think of this site as a hardware supply store for your career. You won't buy everything off the shelf, but when you find the perfect tool, you'll be glad you stopped by. Be especially alert for their eVenturing Daily links - they are often goldmines of information and/or resources.
Marketing
- Seth Godin
- THE source for innovative marketing and business thoughts. There's not a post I've read that doesn't bring something valuable to light.
p.s. He's also the mind behind Squidoo. - Duct Tape Marketing
- Just like the name suggests, this is a site full of quirky ideas about getting your message out in a cluttered and noisy world.
- Make Marketing History
- Creative and adventurous marketing ideas - just what you need to stand out.
- What's Your Brand Mantra
- This site discusses something most musicians don't focus on, aligning business with unmet customer needs. Provocative stuff...
- Guerrilla Marketing
- Though this is a site specifically for consultants, you'll find nearly everything here applicable to your music career. From marketing, to negotiation to pricing and speaking, this site covers a lot of ground with very useful tips and techniques.
Thinking Like You, Inc.
Thoughts from people who live this principle
- Life Beyond Code
- Rajesh Setty's blog about all things business from the perspective of a multi-time-successful entrepreneur. He covers every related subject you can imagine in a precise and clear terms - excellent stuff for musicians to learn.
- The Trump Blog
- Yes, THAT Trump. Before you roll your eyes, consider two things: one, the blog is written by multiple authors from several different backgrounds so there's always fresh insight here. Two, I agree the guy's controversial and sometimes comical, but I figure he knows a whole lot more about business and money than I do, so he's worth listening to now and then.
- Blog Maverick
- Written by Mark Cuban, the media billionaire and owner of the Dallas Mavericks, this blog never ceases to entertain. Along the way, you'll gain some tremendous insight from a guy that reads up on multiple industries for about 3 hours a day. He is constantly posting about the entertainment industry so there's plenty of insight to gain here.
Financial Literacy
Earning money's one thing, managing to KEEP it is another
- All Things Financial
- A personal finance blog dedicated to discussing such topics as budgeting, asset allocation, 401K, IRA, cash flow, insurance, financial planning, portfolio management, and other areas in personal finance.
- Uncommon Businesses
- I've included this facinating and inspiring site just in case you need to know you
a) can make money
b) can make money outside of music part time and support your music habit (which I highly suggest)
or
c) can always figure out a way to make a living if the music thing doesn't work out.
Personal Development
- Lifehacker
- Lifehacker is a facinating and well written site spotlighting anything and EVERYTHING you could possibly need to speed up, simplify and organize your life. Be sure to check it out for at least a week or two to see what I mean and I promise you'll learn something that helps your day.
- Genuine Curiosity
- As the author says himself, this is a blog about being "always on the lookout for new things to learn".
by stillgrossman
I'm a Grammy and ACM Award winning drummer who had to leave the music business when my career callapsed 7 years ago.
Through whyifailed.com I'm teachi... (more)
