Do You Really Need a Manager?

Do You Really Need a Manager?

You may honestly think you do and that may be so but do you know what a manager is supposed to do for you? What kind of asset is he/her to your current level? Will your manager have to wear more hats than necessary? Remember your manager is not your ATM or your booking agent. They are theoretically a knowledgeable guide or an individual or company who guides the professional career of artists in the entertainment industry. What if you could manage yourself? Some of you already are. But what if you learned and applied the knowledge in how to manage yourself in the real world. You see, a friend of mine told me this, "for an artist to be successful, they must either listen extremely well or have a lot of money." If you're the ladder then you have expendable income to be able to make mistakes and it not really effect your finances. If you're like the many artists that I've met over the years, finances are not as dispensable and every dollar spent is crucial. Now, what if you were taught how to hire people to your team, how to network and how to build a proper fan base (outside of just social media)? What if you were shown how to make a profit in the same system that has been keeping you out of ring. Would you be interested? Then what's stopping you from applying these principles? I do have the answers. I guarantee you would be much more productive than you are right now and all you'll need is a little bit of money to do it. Oh, but you're still going to need to listen extremely well for it to work. I've conducted market research and asked a significant number of talent and professionals, around the U.S., questions about what they would consider a need in order to have a career in today’s music business. Questions such as: • Other than money, what struggles does an Independent Artist go through? • What’s the biggest misconception that independent talents have? • How do I build a real fan base and make money? After compiling the information gathered and deliberating on the most important effects, I have been on a mission to help talent that is willing to devote their time into building a business from their entertainment careers.  So, guess what? I'm going to write a book on artist development. Stay tuned.  Join my POWER LIST for more tips, advice and lessons from my personal experiences to improve your life and careers.

Why does it have to be so difficult to find an apartment in NYC?

Why does it have to be so difficult to find an apartment in NYC?

Finding a good apartment in NYC can be an overwhelming task. With varying levels of frustration along the way. You've heard of the "bait and switch" practices, right? You know, when the realtor tells you the apartment you’re interested in has been leased but there’s, all of a sudden, "another one", which turns out to be smaller and more expensive. Even worse, the frustration when you actually call an agent and they only have time for you if you are moving immediately. You tell him that you are moving in "3 months and would like to check out some apartments" and he says "call me back when the time is closer to you moving." What the...{click}. " Sheesh!!! Seems like no one wants to take the time to listen to what YOU REALLY WANT in an apartment and is willing to put in the time to find it with you.

Believe me, I know how it is searching every apartment rental website to find the perfect apartment. The run around and frustration is mind boggling, only to realize you're going to have to drop a load of cash, an arm and half of a leg, to get the one you "really" want. None of the real "gems" (Looks good, has a good price and in a reasonable location) are easily found, maybe that's why they are so rare. It sucks to be honest. Who has that kind of time to scour NYC? The answer... I DO!!!

I'm from NYC, born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. I have a decade of experience in the music industry and it has allowed me access into so many neighborhoods and buildings. I've seen almost every nook and cranny the city has to offer and I aim to provide the highest level of service and to guide you through the process of buying, selling or renting. I understand the process, procedures and patience needed to get you the home you're looking for. I'm willing to use my network of contacts and my expertise of the Upper West Side to help you find your dream home. I'm willing to show you as many homes as possible to find you the right one. Email me at SKellum@TeamGotham.com or just hit reply with what you're looking for.

Also, you don't have to be looking to move right now either. When you're on an apartment hunt, you could be feeling the pressure to just get whatever is available because you may not know what to look for. I'll show you... just bring the coffee. :)

We'll visit countless properties to help you make an experienced decision in the future. Email me at SKellum@TeamGotham.com to set up an appointment or just hit reply with what you're looking for.

Best regards

Shaheim Kellum

P.S. I have listings of available apartments and rooms around Manhattan that I send out a few times a month. If you would like to join my apartment rentals list, just hit reply with your email address and I will send you my latest listings.

What kind of mentality differentiates billionaires from millionaires, and "ordinary people"?

Good day,

While doing some reading I came across this article that I felt would be interesting enough for you. It touches on the mentality people have that differentiates them from being a Billionaire to a Millionaire to an "ordinary person". 

What kind of mentality differentiates billionaires from millionaires, and "ordinary people"?

Alex Moore

"I live and work in Tech/SF/Silicon Valley. I know a few billionaires, a TON of millionaires and even more ordinary folks.

The main thing I see, at least in the tech community is that millionaires tend to be really good at understanding systems of value creation (AKA successful startups) and placing themselves into those systems effectively. They smartly interview for and get great jobs in these companies. They not only do that, but they are smart enough to understand the culture being put into place and they take on the values of that culture and expand those values. They go out and recruit their smart friends and add to the cult. Over laced on this mindset is the idea that the world is a semi-set place. It's changing, but they view basically their role as something where they can take part in it all. The difference here then between millionaires and billionaires is quit vast.

Billionaires (AKA the founders of these few companies) tend to view the world as a tangibly fungible place. Billionaires see the world and want to move the puzzle pieces entirely around. They look for the faults in the ecosystem and identify massive holes and what could be added to take that value. Then they spend about 10 years maniacally attacking the gap, organizing people, recruiting and generally creating a cult. They create a bible so to speak of values and ideas that bundle together in an appealing way to attract other smart people (aka the future millionaires). The billionaires I know don't look forward to the weekend. They don't drink. They work from 5am to midnight everyday including weekends. They don't socialize with friends, they mix friends and work. It's all one big chain that supports their vision of the future and tying up the value. This is a different internal programming. It's admirable. Most folks actually rely on these billionaire groups to get their own jobs.

I think then the last group of "ordinary" folks are simply disconnected from these valuable new parts of the economy. What do you do if you live in Trent, Michigan today? The auto plants around you are closing. It's tough to be a billionaire potential person in that environment, but 100 years ago in 1912 it was actually possible. Ask the Ford family about this.

So overall, location, timing, industry and proximity can come into play. Tech is what's happening now, but other industries happened before. 1950s Texas oil well drilling, 1910s autos Michigan, 2010s Silicon Valley. There is much to discuss, but the mindset pieces are the key and may be universal."

I don't know which category you fall into yet but hopefully this will clear up any doubt you have towards your hopes and dreams. Not everyone is built the same and not everyone will be a billionaire but we all can be successful and rich when it comes to our satisfaction in life. 

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Encouragement... by STEVE JOBS circa 1995

Ladies and gentlemen... STEVE JOBS circa 1995

Join my POWER LIST for more advice, tips and encouragement.

Best Regards,

Shaheim

P.S. "You have to be odd be #1" -Dr. Seuss

Need advice? Ask me a question in the comment box.

Would you invest $3 Billion in a professional sports team?

I was asked, "Why would someone buy a sports team for $500 million to $3 billion dollars when there are ten million other "better" investments?"

My Answer: "Owning a sports team is like real estate, property can appreciate year over year. The selling of tickets, hosting concerts, events and other operations are similar to renting out your apartments for short spurts and a high roll revenue towards your ROI. Plus if the team is doing well, advertising/sponsorship dollars come into play. Look at Dallas Cowboys Stadium: they made in revenue in the first 6 weeks what they spent to build the entire stadium and that was without a title sponsor. (Now AT&T Stadium... ka-ching). The Cowboys collect between $17M-$19M a year and that's just to carry a name on the building. I won't even get into TV rights and revenue. 

Any investment is risky but doing it in something you enjoy won't feel like a loss. Like others have said, sometimes it's just passion. 

One other thing, just like in real estate, your worth/sale of the property (stadium/arena) is based on the recent market sales. So when the L.A. Clippers were bought for a high selling price of $2 Billion, the sale of the Charlotte Hornets (formerly the Bobcats) went up almost 21%  ($600M to $725M) without even winning another game. 

If you know how it works or better yet, how it works for you then invest in it. :)

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Best regards,

Shaheim

Can someone be successful without a mentor?

Can someone be successful without a mentor?

Yes, you can be successful without a mentor but in actuality you have mentors all around you. Mentors can help you get to your success faster and help you avoid simple and catastrophic mistakes too. It doesn't necessarily need to be a single person you've hired or someone that has taken you under their wing, it can be your experiences, your trials and errors and the moments you engage in. It could be how you how you see the world and how you operate in it.

I never really had a mentor so I always thought I would be alone in getting to my success but I remembered something from my freshman year in psychology. My professor said to the class, "regardless if you come to class or not, I still get a check. If you pass or not, I still get a check. This isn't high school. College isn't about what it gives you, it's about what you take from it." I have applied this philosophy to everything I ever done in life since then. That became my mentor. I became my own mentor.

I still help others and if you like you can join my Power List to get advice, tips and mentoring lessons a few times a month at no charge. :)

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Faster, Cheaper... Bitter???

We all want to produce things faster so we can get it to the masses. Cheaper so you can save money and make more of it. And better so we can... wait. I meant bitter. Yes, bitter. We become bitter because it hardly ever works the way we want it to and we grow frustrated... or bitter. 

Well, lets get to how you can get to "Better" instead of "Bitter".

Every industry has leaders and followers – what separates them is that the leaders are usually those with the most defensible points of differentiation. Whether in features and functionality, brand image, service, process, speed or convenience, uniqueness must be established and communicated for a company and its offerings to stand out in the market.

The key to long standing success is making that differentiation sustainable. You do so by getting inside your ideal customers head. Before you start thinking about which qualities set your business apart from similar companies, you need to know almost everything about your perfect customer.

When you’re identifying your ideal prospect, consider the following:

·       What does your perfect customer really want?

·       How can your product or service solve their problem(s)?

·       What factors motivate their buying decisions?

·       Why do your existing customers choose your business over              your competitors?

·       Here’s a two word question you should always ask yourself           about a product... 


Are you ready? 

Here it is… 

Yep, I said it... Who cares?

Who really would care if you created this product? What problem does it solve. Remember, people don't want to buy things they want to solve their problems. Where are the people with this "problem" and how are you going to get your product to them?

Remember – it’s not enough to merely target a rough demographic. You need to know exactly who you want to sell to and why. Once you know this, you can get to work on the next phase... your unique selling proposition. Make your product and business BETTER. 

Developing a Unique Selling Proposition... coming soon.


Best regards,
Shaheim Cynclair Kellum

P.S. What questions do you have about this topic? Reply to this email and I will answer you back directly. 

And yes, I do answer questions for free. :)

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Some encouragement about your business.

Happy Morning,

I thought this was an AWESOME post I found and I figured I'd share it with you all.

How do you know if your business idea already exists?

"The founder of Dropbox was pitching in front of an investor one day, and the investor asked him: "there are similar companies out there doing the same as dropbox, why should I invest in just another similar company?"

His reply: "Yes. There are similar companies out there doing the same as dropbox. But do you use any of them?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because they are bad."

"Ok. That's what Dropbox wants to solve."

So bottomline: Ask your potential customers.

Any business idea is a solution to someone's problem out there. Ask them if they are solving it, how they are solving it, and if they would be willing to pay to have it solved.

It doesn't matter if it already exists if it can be done better."

From a post on Quora.com

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Best regards,

Shaheim

Artist Manager Defined: Do's & Don'ts... Short & Sweet

I'll keep this short and sweet.

   Manager Roles

Their main role is enhancing a clients career

 Let’s see if you have the right manager around you and what a manager actually is. A Manager is a:

·       Planner

·       Adviser

·       Organizer

·       Strategist

·       Overseer

·       Manipulator

·       Coordinator

·       Buffer

·       Detailed person

·       Travel companion

·       Friend (Trust)

·       Catalyst

·       Stakeholder

  According to Billboard books, "Managers are people or firms that work with record companies, producers, agents, promoters, publicists and anyone else that’s necessary. The objective of a manager is simple: To make sure everyone pulls together with effectiveness and enthusiasm to make the artist shine. If that sounds like a tough order, just know that the reality of doing it consistently is even tougher.

    Jim Morey, that worked with Neil Diamond and Dolly Parton said it best, “The artist is the corporation and the manager is the CEO.”

Manager Do’s and Don’ts

  

What a manager does, better yet, what they don’t do.

·       Promoting and exploiting – That's a Music Publisher (See above of the things a manager is to focus on for you to be a success)

·       Book your shows – That's a Booking Agent (Booking your shows and getting you paid gigs is not their job. They can partner and network with resources to get you access to these things but that's really the job of a booking agent... which you (the artist) pay for.

·       Pay your bills (Cell phone, studio time, showcases, etc.) - Don't even get me started. Investing in yourself is up to you. If a manager invests their money into your career they have now become an investor not a manager. Be careful with toting this line as you may end up with less ownership of your works even after a possible split up from your management team.

    Keeping this short, simple and to the point will help you define who's already around you and if you had in mind the right things a manager is to be doing during your evaluation. How to find a good manager... coming soon. 

Best regards,

Shaheim Cynclair Kellum

914-510-2154

P.S. "Love what you do... and if you don't then call me." 

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