Easy Access into the Music Industry

The emergence of online digital outlets has made it easier to break into the music industry. Technology has given music artists an easy pass into their dreams. It is much easier to get a record deal then it was a decade ago. With artist being able to record their music at home on a laptop and distribute it all over the web there are reduced barriers to music creation and distribution. In my opinion the emergence of technology has watered down music on all levels. Technology has taken the essence out of music, I think if the industry wants to see a turn around it has to concentrate more on artist development. Just because a person can make music at home on their computer doesn’t make them a complete artist. The consumer is downloading a song without even seeing an image of the artist. I can remember before you even heard a song from an artist you would know a brief background of where he or she came from.

I think the most important thing music executives need to figure out is: How to get music to fans in a way that makes sense and without losing money. The only suggestion that I have is for the industry to convert over to a digital industry. By this I mean concentrate more on the digital sales and not necessarily the tangible CD. I see the CD going out of existence in the next ten years and music solely being digital. With iPods and cell phones being able to play music the consumer has no need to have a CD anymore. Unfortunately, music artist will have to continue to find creative ways to sell their music until someone finds a way to stop piracy and the leaking of albums. The most creative thing for an artist to do is find something that coincides with the release of their album and join forces to generate a buzz and sales.

http://techcrunch.com/2009/03/08/big-music-will-surrender-but-not-until-at-least-2011/

Funding Options For Starting A Business

There are numerous options to choose from when selecting financing for starting a business. The Community Development Venture Capital (CDVC) is a source that provides funds to businesses in underinvested markets. The CDVC has helped over 100 companies with financing over the last decade, and provides its members with funding opportunities that are affordable. I believe the CDVC is an excellent option for a business with not a lot of cash on hand. If someone has a solid business plan that shows solid financial returns the CDVC will help with investments. 

Another financing option is the National Community Investment Fund (NCIF). This seems to be a good option for a business owner that is associated with a partnering bank affiliated with the (NCIF). The NCIF invests in banks and credit unions that generate both financial and social returns.

I noticed that to obtain financing from the majority of these private funds the individual must have moderate to low income. I think this makes sense because if a person is in the high-income bracket there is no need for financing. I think one of the big things that investors look for in the business plan is the risk of the investment. There is no such thing is a business with no risk. I feel that if you don’t discuss the risk with the investor they will assume you haven’t thought about the risk and not be willing to loan you money.

Another site that can help with starting your business is SBA.gov. They help business owners to determine their financial needs. The SBA gives small businesses a voice within the federal government. The SBA does not directly loan money to businesses, but they play an important role to make sure you are represented in a way that will aid you in the loan process. I feel this is one of the best options for small business owners specifically because they focus on obtaining loans from the banks for small businesses.

What is a Good Business Plan?

Some of the things I learned from the experts profiled is that your business plan needs to make sense to investors. If your business plan doesn’t seem like it will benefit the investor, majority of the time they will reject it. I feel that the most important part of the business plan is the summary. This is the part of the plan that will spark the investor’s interest. Investors will often reject a business plan after reading the first page because the summary didn’t catch their attention.

In my business plan I have made many changes in the financial section. I have learned that investors want to see the exact numbers that will get them a return on their investment. Before I thought you could just write down the total amount you needed to start your business and wait for the investor to invest. But I have learned that is not how the whole process works. In the financial section of the business plan you want it to be broken down for investors to see every component of the business.

Overall I have learned that the business plan is a map, but you still have to keep your hands on the wheel. A lot of people think their business is better off without a plan, but their wrong. A well-crafted business plan can navigate a person through an evolving market successfully. As the times change the plan keeps all the reference points in order so that you can manage change more effectively.

Pertaining to my business plan specifically I think that investors will want to know exactly how I plan to get clients. Investing in a management agency is like betting on a racehorse. But if the investor has enough knowledge about that specific horse and know that it is a winner then he or she can have the confidence that horse will win. I feel that any investor that reads my plan will understand that I am a winning horse and understand the fundamentals of how to run and operate a management firm.

http://timberry.bplans.com/2009/02/some-key-questions-on-business-plans.html

http://smallbiztrends.com/2010/06/business-plan-success-twice-as-likely.html

Abrams, Rhonda 2010. The Successful Business Plan Secrets & Strategies. 

Business Planning Made Easy

In this posting I will be discussing the strategy and tactics of a recognized business plan writing expert. The expert I will be talking about is Tim Berry, founder of Palo Alto Software and bplans.com. Tim Berry has been called the Obi-wan Kenobe of business planning. One of the types of business planning that stuck out to me that Mr. Berry teaches is what he calls “plan-as-you-go” business planning. This type of planning is intended to bring the idea of the business plan up to date with the kind of flexibility and power we have in the tools we use in business everywhere. Most of the focus is on the power of planning the plan and easing up on the form. So what is different in this type of business planning is that it is a process, not just a plan. The “plan-as-you-go” plan is not like the formal business plan you see in business school or read about all over. It doesn’t follow any particular recipe. Every plan is unique in its own way. One of the most essential parts of this type of business planning is the review schedule. If you don’t have a plan review schedule, you don’t have a “plan-as-you-go” plan. The review schedule keeps the people involved aware of the points of the plan, these points keep those involved aware of when and how your going to track progress. Another important part of PAYG planning is developing useful metrics. One useful metric is cash flow.

Tim Berry has some unique views on business planning. He says in his list of principles that “good business plans are never done”. He says that once your business plan is finished your company is finished. Instead of saying your business plan is finished he says you should revise it as needed. He reminds us you should never let your business plan go static. We need to always keep the plan active and on top of things.

Investors want to see your background in the industry and what kind of experience you have in business. Often times small businesses fail because they don’t have the experience or right people onboard in the management team. Investors also want to see that there is a need for your product or service. No matter how unique your product or service is investors want to see if you understand your demographics and can reach your target market.

http://timberry.com/

http://blog.guykawasaki.com/2007/07/how-to-write-a-.html#axzz1RA0Ihly4

http://planasyougo.com/

http://www.nytimes.com/allbusiness/AB12322189_primary.html

Display Ad Business On the Rise

Advertising companies that use display ads have seen an increase in sales over the last six months. Kantar Media estimates display advertising grew 14.6% in 2011’s first quarter. Researchers attribute the rise of display advertising primarily to the growth of college sports tournaments and the high demand of advertising from the automotive industry. I believe that such advertising is a saving grace for struggling industries like the automotive and traveling businesses. I also feel that display advertising could be the future for the music industry to promote new releases.

It is time for a new model to market artists. For example, if a record label purchases a display ad and the consumer clicks on the ad it will direct them directly to that specific artists music content. This will eliminate a lot of searching and unnecessary typing to find information on your favorite artists. Another concept that could be leveraged through display advertising is breaking news display ads. What I mean by breaking news is a news company could purchase a display ad that flashes all of the current news their target market subscribes to. Say for example if the target market enjoys up to date news in the music industry, that particular music news company could provide news to the consumer through display ads. This not only gives the consumer what they want but also at the same time markets the company through display advertising.

I feel that the days of advertising in magazines and T.V. commercials are becoming obsolete. In order for companies to take full advantage of advertising they locate where the target market is going. We currently live in a world where the majority of consumers spend a large amount of time on the Internet and marketers are finding out that the easiest way to reach the target market is through a computer. I think in the next ten years print ads will no longer exists.

http://huguesrey.wordpress.com/2011/06/13/display-ad-spending-jumped-14-6-in-the-first-quarter-report/

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Digital Marketing In the Music Biz

Over the last decade the music industry has taken on a different approach when it comes to marketing music. With the emergence of social media most major music labels are marketing their artists through familiar social media sites such as Twitter. We live in a day and age where the consumer wants the product quick and easy. Social media outlets have allowed record company’s to take full advantage of this concept. I can remember growing up and the only way you could find out if a new artist was coming out was by word of mouth or inside of a popular music magazine or T.V commercials. Now you rarely see a commercial for new artists and music magazines are going under because magazines are coming out online.

Digital marketing in the music business is a hustle. Fans want what’s authentic, relevant, and personal. I feel artist don’t need the label to market their music anymore. With everything being on the Internet all the artist has to do now is find a social media community that accepts him or her in and take advantage of the opportunity. It is much easier to make your way into the industry than before in the “golden era of music”. Before artist had to have talent first and image second. Now the artist can have little or no talent come up with a gimmick and a good marketing plan and be able to sale units.

The days of street promotion and driving from state to state, store-to-store selling records are gone. Technology and Social Media have rewritten the business model for the music industry. This new model is something that has hurt the industry in the short term but I think now that the consumer and the labels are learning how to adapt to this new way of distributing music in the long run the music industry will see the benefits of the digital era.

http://hbr.org/product/nettwerk-digital-marketing-in-the-music-industry/an/510055-PDF-ENG

The World's Most Marketable Athletes

I decided to do come up with my own list of who are the world’s top three marketable athletes. Marketable does not necessarily mean best because it is difficult to compare who is the best athlete when there are so many competing in different sports. I feel the most talented athlete in the world could have a hard time selling ice to an Eskimo. The list that I am going to come up with is based on my opinion of who can generate the most marketing dollars for a company if they signed a endorsement deal with the company today. I think the first thing a company should look at before signing a major athlete to an endorsement deal is the long term potential the client can offer.

Over the last two years the name Usain Bolt caught many peoples attention. Mostly because he is the fastest man in the world and at the same time his last name Bolt is catchy. I feel that companies can use him to sell products based on those two factors. The next athlete I feel could generate marketing dollars for a company is LeBron James. LeBron James is arguably the best basketball player in the world so with that title attached to any product is a plus. James has endorsement contracts with Nike, Sprite, Glaceau, Bubblicious, Upper Deck, McDonalds, and Audemar Piguet just to name a few. The only down side to having LeBron attached to your product is the decision he made to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers and sign to the Miami Heat. Many people didn’t like the way LeBron left the organization and might not buy your product based solely on his decision to leave. But overall signing LeBron James is a win-win for any company. The final athlete on my list is David Beckham. I feel that Beckham has the charisma necessary to sell products and at the same time he is one of the most talented soccer players in the world. By signing David Beckham to your company you are gaining exposure to your product because soccer is the most watched sport in the world. Therefore, I like to call Beckham a global sponsors cause soccer is watched globally.  My honorable mention athlete is Tiger Woods. Even though Tiger had his sex scandal I still feel he has the potential to help sell products. Tiger Woods has a million dollar smile and for the past dozen years he has dominated the sport of golf. He has the ability to relate to a company that has been through tough times and is on a come back. 

Tiger Woods and Mark Steinberg Both Leave IMG

On June 6, 2011 Tiger Woods broke the news via Twitter that he’d be severing ties with his agency IMG, to follow his current agent Mark Steinberg who left IMG to try out other options. It seems that IMG really wasn’t broken up about the departure of Woods. There have been whispers in the golf world that IMG was happy to get Tiger Woods of its roster because of all the drama he has brought to the agency since the sex scandal. The agency has moved away from representation and more in the direction of more profitable entities like broadcasting rights and building sports leagues in other countries like India and China.

I feel the decision that Tiger made to leave the agency with his agent was a smart choice. It is time for Tiger to move on to new things in his life. The only wrong move Tiger can make right now in his career is to continue to do the same. He has been with IMG his whole career and right now he has hit a couple of speed bumps and needs to get over them. I think both Tiger and Mark can form a partnership and build their own super agency.

Mark Steinberg handled Tiger Woods career and image with expert quality during the sex scandal, and I think that is why Woods is staying with Steinberg. Even though the scandal hurt Tigers image and endorsements, Steinberg did what he could do to save what was left of Tigers image and that’s what a good agent is suppose to do. I think it will be interesting to see if Steinberg will join another agency or open up his own to compete against the major agency’s in the business. Either way it goes Tiger Woods will always be a cash cow when it comes to sponsorship and endorsement income. So wherever the team ends up both sides win.

ESPN and FOX Join Forces

The sports television rivalry between ESPN and FOX network came to an end when both of the networks decided to join forces and go against Comcast for the bid on the PAC-10 college football broadcast rights. Comcast thought they had a lock on the rights with a $225 million bid until ESPN and FOX joined forces to outbid Comcast with a $250 million dollar bid that couldn’t be matched. I feel that this is important because it shows America that big companies are able to put aside egos and greed to get something bigger accomplished. According to the PAC-10 commissioner Larry Scott, "I think it became clear that they weren't going to be able to prevail separately, so they came up with the idea of going it together," Scott said. "Normally, if you're a content owner, you'd be opposed to reducing the field of competitive bidders. But knowing the strength of this opportunity, we embraced it. We thought it could be the best of all worlds."

ESPN and Fox used an excellent strategy to land this deal. By the two networks joining forces they will be able to alternate showing PAC-10 games, and share the revenue equally. This deal is also good for the PAC-10 conference since the conference only made $60 million in media rights this past season. With the new deal the conference is looking to more than double their profits from last season. According to the NY Times, “it is the richest conference deal. The Pac-10, which is expected to announce the agreements Wednesday, is following the media model of the Big Ten Conference, which in 2007 created its own network and negotiated a 10-year, $1 billion deal with ESPN.” I feel that in the future we will see more networks joining forces to land large broadcasting rights.

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2011/05/09/Media/Pac-10.aspx

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=6471380

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/04/sports/04sandomir.html

2004-2005 NHL LOCKOUT

The 2004-2005 NHL lockout was a lockout that resulted in the cancellation of what would have been the NHL’s 88^th season.  It was the first time since 1919 that the Stanley Cup was not awarded in a season. This was the first lockout that canceled an entire season due to labor disputes in major professional sports American history. This lockout is similar to what the NFL is going through now. In the 2002-03 NHL season the NHL owners lost $273 million dollars due to player salaries. NHL owners spent about 76 percent of their gross revenues on players’ salaries.

I feel when a league goes through situations like lockouts it affects the way the fans look at the game. Me being a NFL and NBA fan if either league decided to go into a lockout it is going to sway my judgment on spending $90 for a ticket.  Many experts say that the NHL lockout hurt the sports popularity in the United States.  According to Couch, “I don’t think the sport has ever recovered from that, ” said Boland. “While the sport has made the revenue back, I would argue it’s a regional sport."

The only point that these owners have is that the players are making larger salaries than they should be making. I feel that a slight rollback on the player’s salaries is needed, but only a slight rollback, nothing over 20 percent. Another solution to these labors disputes could be having the minimum salary for rookies to be lowered. If an owner is spending millions on a rookie contract this doesn’t allow him to have the flexibility to compensate the veterans of the team.

I feel the NHL handled the lockout in a good manner, and by doing this it helped their league in the long run. The league was able to make some rule changes and present the league as if it was a new sport. The rule changes made the sport faster and higher in scoring, and fans rushed to the arenas to support their favorite sport. Another positive that came out of the lockout is that the NHL was able to sign a lucrative broadcast agreement with a major television network. Overall, I think other leagues can learn from the NHL and try and turn their crises into a good situation.

http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/2011/0311/Five-worst-labor-disputes-in-sports/2004-2005-NHL-lockout-Sept.-16-2004-July-19-2005

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/indepth/cba/

Golf Ball Patent Dispute Acushnet Golf vs. Callaway

            In this blog I will be discussing the patent dispute between Acushnet Company and Callaway golf. Callaway golf filed a lawsuit asserting that Acushnet’s Titleist Pro V1 golf balls infringed on four Callaway patents. This lawsuit has been going on for more than five years and finally the U.S District Court provided its final decision in favor of Acushnet Company. But originally the courts decided in Callaway’s favor in December of 2007. The Pro V1 golf ball is the most recognized golf ball in the golf industry and I feel that it will always be some kind of dispute over a company taking another company’s patent on a golf design because there is only so much you can do with golf equipment. So even if it is not the exact same design the human eye cannot tell the difference between the two.

            The Pro V1 golf ball has generated over $1 billion in sales and I could see why there would be a dispute over the patent. I believe this is a rare situation where both companies were developing the same product at the same time. Once both companies figured out one another were creating the next big thing in golf technology they both rushed to get a patent done and Acushnet beat Callaway to the punch. According to Golfdigest.com, “Acushnet said it received its first patent covering this technology on March 3, 1999 while the oldest of the four Callaway patents at issue was not filed until December 12, 1999 and issued on March 15, 2001.” Since the court has made its final decision on this dispute I feel that Callaway will now file some sort of civil dispute and a monetary settlement will be made between the two companies.

Anderson, Charis (2011) http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110422/NEWS/110429973/-1/NEWS10

Johnson, Michael Stachura, Mike (2007) http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-tours-news/2007-12/20071214callawaylawsuit

Golf.com (2011). http://blogs.golf.com/equipment/2011/04/acushnet-says-pro-v1-patent-dispute-with-callaway-closed.html

Biggest Sports Story In The Last Decade

In my opinion the Tiger Woods sex scandal is the biggest sports business story of the decade. Even though Tiger Woods took a huge hit on his personal image, it didn’t affect his ability to still sell product for his biggest endorsement deal Nike. What I don’t understand is why was America surprised at the fact that a famous figure was having extra marital affairs. This has been going on before Tiger Woods and trusts me it will be going on until the end of time. Let’s be honest we live in a country where we had our President involved in the same thing Tiger was involved with and people still love Bill Clinton. I think the reason it was such a big deal is because people didn’t look as Tiger as being human being. If he weren’t held at such a high stature then it would have been okay. There are certain people in the world we live in that are expected to be perfect and there is no such thing is a “perfect person”. This way of thinking is not fair.

The Tiger Woods scandal generated enormous amounts of profit for media outlets and other businesses that were looking to benefit from the events. It is sad that the only person that didn’t benefit from the scandal was the person who was the reason for it all Tiger Woods himself. Or did he benefit? Maybe he didn’t want to be married in the first place and just didn’t know how to get out of his marriage? We will never know looking from the outside in. One thing we will know though is a man lost his family and huge amounts of money, and at the same time helped the sports business world generate profits from his mistakes. Just think about all of the small business people that created novelties of the saga and made money! There has not been a more publicized sports story in the last decade to generate buzz like the Tiger scandal.

Nike has maintained profits all through the Tiger scandal. The only aspect of the company that seen a decrease in sales was the golf ball sector and they released a statement saying they would have lost more money if they had decided to cut ties with Woods. Therefore Nike still came out on top. “Although several major sponsors cut ties with Tiger Woods — Nike did not," said Timothy Derdenger, as assistant professor that helped conduct the study. "So we examined the net effect on Nike's sales and market share. What we found is that by maintaining their relationship with Tiger Woods, Nike's overall profit in golf ball sales was $1.6 million greater than it would have been without him."


I want to leave you with this thought. Imagine if Tiger Woods would have walked away from the sport he loved. He could have single handedly destroyed a whole professional sport from a business aspect and at the same time ended the Nike golf department. Therefore I feel a lot people involved in the sports industry should thank Tiger for not turning his back on golf.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/tigers-nike-endorsement-proved-profitable-2010-12#ixzz1IWJEu4JY

http://www.nationalenquirer.com/celebrity/world-exclusive-woman-center-tiger-woods-cheating-scandal-exposed

http://www.popeater.com/2009/12/07/more-women-in-the-tiger-woods-scandal-emerge/

An Interview with an A&R

I had the privilege of coming into contact with Dallas Martin, an A&R at Warner Bros. Records. With several years of success at Island Def Jam and now Warner Music Group, he has ventured into starting his own entertainment company Bluprint Ent.

Introduce yourself to the people out there that don’t know who you are?

My name is Dallas Martin A&R at Warner Bros. Records and I'm currently working on the Rick Ross project. I'm based in Atlanta but I'm back and forth between here and New York working on the project.

 How long have you been with Warner Bros. Music?

I was hired as a consultant in 2009 and worked as an intern for a year and a half.  In 2010, I was hired full time as an A&R for the label. 


What was your music business experience prior to working for Warner Music?

My first experience was managing producers. When I attended Clark Atlanta University I always had that knack for really wanting to go out there and strive for it and work in the entertainment business as an A&R. So when I would meet producers at my school I would take them under my wing and help them get placements. Through that I was able to build a lot of good relationships with a lot of people in the Atlanta area because at the time Atlanta was where it was at for the music and a lot of people were coming down there to work.




As an A&R what advice would you give to the producers out there on their grind?

It's really about staying consistent, constantly grinding and staying humble. A lot of producers start to slow down and get frustrated because they may not get a bunch of placements right away but if you really believe in yourself its going to work out for you. It's about connecting with the right artist and the right songwriter and making it happen on your own. If you're submitting undeniable hit records nobody is going to turn you down. If you're not at that level yet then my advice is to keep on striving and work on making yourself better and if you believe in yourself it's going to happen.




Is looking for new acts for the label your main focus or is it working with artists that are already signed?

I'm always looking for new talent, that's my main focus everyday as well as making hot records and albums.




What happens after you're interested in a particular act?

I would want to go to their town, see them do a show and see how the people embrace them because nowadays in the rap game you have to have something going on to even get people to look at you. A rapper should want to have his own thing going on so if we come looking for you the ball is more in your court for the deal. So if I see that the artist has real potential and they have some momentum in the streets I would bring them up to New York and put them in some meetings and see what everybody else in the building thinks about them and take it from there.

On the R&B side if they have the right sound and the right look and we know we could make some big records with them we're more willing to take a chance on that because we can build that up. With the rappers you have to have that already out the gate.




How much of your time is spent in the studio as oppose to the office?

I spend a majority of my time in the studio but you definitely have to put in a lot of office hours with the meetings to make sure the right people are excited about your project and to make sure they have the correct information needed to make the project a success.




What is your take on the role the Internet plays when it comes to music development?

I think the Internet is a big, big, big platform for artists and I'm always online checking for who's out there because it just takes a click of the button to get your music out to millions of listeners. So if you're getting that feedback and that buzz on the Internet that's a plus. If you got that hot record growing on the Internet you're going to get that recognition. With the older A&R's I don't believe they were on the Internet like the younger generation is.




Based on the current trends of the music business where do you see the industry going in the next couple of years?

I think it's going to be all-digital soon obviously. The labels are going to have to stay ahead of that curve and figure out ways to get people to purchase the music. Before the big thing was going to the record stores when the album came out and looking at that shit. Nowadays everything is on iTunes so all they care about is getting the music as fast as they can and then move on to the next. But we still have to embrace the technology because we have no choice so at the end of the day it helps with the marketing and the promotion so we just have to figure out better ways to capitalize off of it.




As an A&R what advice would you give to the producers out there on their grind?

It’s really about staying consistent, constantly grinding and staying humble. A lot of producers start to slow down and get frustrated because they may not get a bunch of placements right away but if you really believe in yourself its going to work out for you. It’s about connecting with the right artist and the right songwriter and making it happen on your own. If you’re submitting undeniable hit records nobody is going to turn you down. If you’re not at that level yet then my advice is to keep on striving and work on making yourself better and if you believe in yourself it’s going to happen.

In past negotiations, what were some ways that you were able to separate the people involved from the problem or issue being negotiated?

It is important to remain calm and stay focused on the key points of the negotiation.  Compromise enough to make sure that you get what you want, without giving in to all the demands that are being made.  The client needs to trust you and know that you have their best interest at heart, which is very important.

How can unsigned artists get more leverage or power when negotiating a deal with a record label?

One of the best ways to negotiate a deal as well as get more leverage with a label is to create a buzz with media/marketing numbers. You can use media outlets like YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, websites & webisodes.

Grammys 2011

The 2011 Grammys was one that will go down in history. The Aretha Franklin tribute that opened the ceremony was spectacular. I feel that the recording academy intentionally tried to tone the event down from past years. After the Kanye West debacle I think they were trying to avoid having another disaster to spoil the show.  One thing I noticed about this year Grammys is that the performances seemed a little dry and muted. I am a fan of all music but I can remember there being way more upbeat performances like Jay-Z or Beyonce’. I wonder if the academy feels like Hip-Hop music is the cause for confusion during the show?  I enjoyed the B.O.B/Janelle Monae/Bruno Mars collab segment. This performance showed the critics that there still is a lane for mainstream music. The performance gave you the feeling that there still are true artists that perform their music with great capability.  I’m going to just put it out there and say that this year show highlighted country music talent more so than most Grammy years past. Country artist were nominated in three of the all-genre categories, along with more country performances than the Grammys usually include.

I think one of the biggest surprises for this year Grammys was the winner for best new artist. An artist named Esperanza Spalding won the Grammy for best new artist, and it felt like I could hear everyone in America that was tuning in gasped when Justin Bieber or Drake didn’t take home the award. After she won I surfed the web for some o f her music and she definitely sounds great, but come on she is nowhere close to Drake or Justin Bieber level.  The Grammy for album of the year went to a group named Arcade Fire. After this happened I logged onto my twitter account to see the people’s reaction to this and let’s just say Arcade Group wasn’t well accepted.  How in the world did they win album of the year and hardly anyone knows who they are? They were up against some elite competition in Lady GaGa, Lady Antebellum, EMINEM, and Katy Perry. I just don’t understand the academy’s decisions this year on certain winners. Maybe they were trying to prove a point that anyone can win. The Grammys is not a popularity contest. Oh yeah I can't forget this one! Lady Gaga showed up to the event in a life size egg!

Super Bowl Ads 2011

It will be interesting to see what companies will spend advertising money this year during the Super Bowl. This year Fox network was seeking between $2.8 million and $3 million for 30 seconds of time during this year's game. This is the highest price for Super Bowl ads ever. With the economy recovering from the last three years of mayhem I’m wondering which companies feel safe to spend the big bucks for advertisement. I believe that right now isn’t the time for a company like Groupon.com to go and spend $3 million on a super bowl ad. New company’s should wait it out till next year and see what the economy is going to do. A larger and more successful company like Budweiser can take the risk and spend the money on advertisement because they have the excess cash flow to spend. But you know there will always be that one lucky buyer that will be the next big thing because the Super Bowl is all about timing when it comes to ads. I can remember when godaddy.com hit it big a few years ago with their ads during the Super Bowl, which helped them with business.

I am really looking forward to seeing what Brisk soft drink has up its sleeve. They have collaborated with Rap superstar Eminem to create an animated version of the rapper and a funny sketch with him bringing much needed attention to their product. The funny thing is I didn’t even know Brisk soft drink still existed. So I wonder if the company thinks this will put them back in contention with the competition. I think even if I had the money to invest $3 million for a Super Bowl ad I wouldn’t. There is just to many different things I feel I could do for advertising with that much money. But hey I don’t know I’ve never came across that much cash flow. 

Teaching one child at a time

The TED speaker I chose to review was Shukla Bose. Her speech was titled “Teaching one child at a time”. This speech inspired me personally because I am a firm believer in the youth carrying out the growth of our world.  She tells the story of her groundbreaking Parikrman Humanity foundation, which brings hope to India’s youth. Her organization has built four schools, one junior college, and helped out 1,100 children coming from the slums of India. Programs like these are amazing because it gives children with no hope a chance at becoming something in life. A common misconception in India is that parents prefer to send their children to work instead of school. Shukla Bose explains in her speech that this is far from the truth. In actuality parents want their children to have a life better than theirs not just in India but also all over the world. In order to attain this parents have to believe it is feasible. The schools the Parikrma Humanity Foundation has built give children this chance.

Children in these schools face other challenges besides education. According to Bose, 98% of the fathers in these families are alcoholics. Parikrman foundation goes beyond education they put the fathers in rehabilitation programs and help them obtain work upon completion, as well as create after school programs for mothers to learn to read and do arithmetic. I feel that if there were more programs like these in the U.S. children in America facing similar situations would benefit. Bose mentioned that several of the children go on to receive college degrees and professional careers. Far too often in the U.S. we let our children fail instead of providing them with the resources necessary to succeed. Under privileged children in America need these kinds of schools and programs to help them and their families get onto the right track.

After seeing this speech I plan to start a non-profit organization to help educate the youth on careers in Sports and Entertainment management. I know that a lot of youth in the inner city see Sports and Entertainment as just becoming an athlete or an entertainer. But I plan to educate these children on the other alternatives there are in becoming a part of these specific industries. By providing these types of developmental facilities more youth can broaden their horizons. I feel that it is important to be a role model for the next generation, this is a necessity if the Sports and Entertainment industry wants to grow and encourage the youth in a more positive direction as in the eloquent speech by Mary McCloud Bethune My Last Will and Testament,  “The youth will take over our future management.”

The Talent Managers Association

The association I decided to research for my specific industry niche is the Talent Managers Association. The Talent Managers Association is a non-profit mutual benefit corporation with a purpose to promote and encourage the highest standards of professional ethics and behavior in the practice of talent management. The TMA seeks to enhance the entertainment industry by its presence and involvement within it. This association is a self-regulating corporation and holds ethics and integrity to the highest standard. On their website they have a link to the Code of Ethics they follow. They also have a page, which contains links to Guilds, Unions and Support Organizations for the industry.

TMA provides activities for its members that provide excellent networking opportunities. They host expert panel discussions and speeches for its members and host special networking events each year. Their mission statement is to provide the opportunity for students to gain experience, make contacts, and learn about the entertainment industry through tour, speakers, and special events.

Being a member of the TMA has several benefits that go beyond networking and informational events. Your business will have a stamp of credibility, discounts on services that are critical to your clients, use of tested TMA contracts for talent representation. As well as free listings with information from your business directly transferred to trade publications.  Among the other benefits you also receive research support and backup from group of professional talent managers to cover legislation and political issues as needed.

I feel that associations like TMA are necessary to keep people in the entertainment industry connected. Often times in the entertainment industry it becomes a battle between companies instead of a friendly prosperous environment. Before I found out about the TMA I already had incorporated ethics as a top priority in my management company. Being a small company in a large market it is difficult to obtain clients and offer what some of the competitors are offering. This is where I feel ethics plays a big role. If more companies join associations the entertainment management industry can be better regulated and weed out the malpractices that are no longer necessary. TMA offers the “Seymour Heller Award” to its members each year. This award is given for excellence in management and to distinguish individuals who respect the field of talent management. I feel that awards like these are needed to show people in the entertainment management industry that there are other ways to do business without being unethical.