At the end of 2009 I made a resolution to help more people in 2010. It's only Febuary and I think I made a mistake and must revise that resolution. For the remainder of 2010 I will help myself first, then help those that fit a certain criteria.You may be asking, why the harsh turnaround? What was the revealing factor? What could make a person known for their patience decide enough is enough? The answers are simple. Some people care about themselves and not those that try to help them.
I posted this picture of one of my mentors (Mr. Clive Davis) that was taken at the album release party for Alicia Keys. This event was monumental because once again Mr. Davis had established a team that produced a winner. Most of us already know about the legacy behind Clive Davis. He has won multiple Grammy awards. He is in the Rock and Roll hall of Fame. He was the president of Columbia Records. He was the Chairman and CEO of RCA Music Group. He was the Chairman and CEO of BMG. He is the man that created Arista Records. Currently he is the Chief Creative Officer of Sony Music Entertainment. Clive Davis has touched the lives of Whitney Houston, Prince, Usher, Monica, Kelly Clarkson, Alicia Keys, Usher, Harry Connick, Jr., Leona Lewis, Aretha Franklin and Barry Manilow to name a few. Mr. Davis accomplised these things with a competent team.
Clive Davis has also touched my life. I've been fortunate to speak with him briefly on a few occasions during his events. In fact I'll admit I seek him out just to get a few words of wisdom from him. The funny thing is that he is open to listen to my concerns and suggestions.
There are others that I have had the pleasure of knowing that have similar qualities. Ken Wilson, James Boyce, Quincy Jones, MC Lyte, Dana Dane, Andre Fuller, David Linton, Craig Nobles, Louis Connor, Jr., Dan Buchannan, Kevin Gorham, and Rosalia Rogers are names that immediately come to mind as having an impact on my life. They all have the qualities of leadership. They all LISTEN, and they all provide constructive criticism in a positive manner.
Of the people I've mentioned another thing stands out and that is that they have been sucessful by working as a team. They understand the concept of sharing resources and delegating duties. It's called leadership. To be succesful you must be a good leader or have a good leader directing you. If you don't have the skills or the knowledge then hire someone that does. If not your ignorance will be exposed.
I tried to help a young African American entrepeneur who I later found out was a fraud. I went out of my way to try and help him do the right thing in business and with his family. In the end I took the hit for trying to help him out. He still owes me money from a bad check. Now I have to spend time, energy and money taking him to court.
The very next client that I work with is an established recording artist. The artist and I are on the same page. Based on our experiences in this industry we both know the good and bad about this business. Unfortunatley he has someone heading up his organization that doesn't have a clue. This person has no clue when it comes to teamwork and how it works. It's a shame that these situations exist but they do. Sometimes we think it's better to have our friends run our business and they end up doing more harm than good. It's always better to have someone who knows the business run your operation. Like you're doctor, it's ok to check up on them by asking questions and getting second opinions. It's not ok when you abuse them or lack respect for their work or talents.
On the bright side I'm working with Loosie Goosie Productions specifically Psy Chic Girl Jennifer and Joli to fine tune their television and radio shows and create their podcast. They get it. They understand that planning is important. They aren't afraid to ask questions and respect their peers. These two talented ladies are going to do well because they work hard, have a good product, and understand teamwork. You can support Jolie by purchasing her single "Summertime" on ITunes. Click here to enjoy the video on our video page.
Another client that is capitalizing on his rare opportunity is "Eleven". I've mentioned his witty first single "Talk My Sh*T" on previous occasions. Eleven is fortunate to have the support of Legendary rap artist Dana Dane. Dana recently signed Eleven to Def Beat Entertainment. In a recent conference call with their team it was obvious that they understand that teamwork means playing your position and remaining focused on the immediate goal. I listened in as various people expressed their ideas to Eleven and he took it all in. What impressed me about Eleven is that he truly has a story worth telling.
Eleven has already established himself in the mixtape game here in New York City. He is always working on his game. He stays in a studio creating something. In fact we have to curtail his energy. I can laugh now, but one week night Eleven called me sometime after 12:30 with an idea! My first impression was "Are you kidding me, an idea" but I quickly remembered that I was placed on this earth to help others and this young man was calling for help. I told him to call me in the morning since it was not an emergency. He apologized and said he thought I was at a club. It turns out he had a viable idea. Check out "Eleven" on our website and support him buy purchasing his music on ITunes.
Other independent projects worth mentioning include Noizemaka Music artist:
Wizdom - "Toys", "Sit Ya Ass Down",
AJ 4Rm Tha K - "Walk Thru The Club"
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Tips that may keep you from failing as a leader. They may also keep you from being black-balled by this industry.
Teamwork means working together to achieve a common goal.
- Respect the people you bring on board to help you.
- Listen to others on the team objectively.
- You don't have to have the last word.
- Get your facts straight.
- Have a valid marketing plan with an adequate budget.
- Be realistic in your goals.
- Be honest.
- Keep your word.
- Pay people what they deserve and pay them on time!
- Let the people you bring on board do their jobs.
- Don't be petty
- Finally K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid)
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