Advice from record label President – “try harder!”

A few months back I found myself at a very small dinner with the label President who signed and worked with artists ranging from John Mayer and Katy Perry to an A&R Executive who worked at the #1 publishing company in the world. I had to pinch myself, not just as the company I was in, but at how few of us were at dinner.

Anyhow, it was a small group, just 4 of us and a few others joined later.

What’s funny though is, if you talk to record label Presidents, they say the funniest things.

Another time a label President and I were talking about other things. And the subject of dating came up.

I was lamenting to him that I was single and that I had tried one dating service three different times.

Frustrated, I was just over it.

His response surprised me.

He said, “Why not try it a 4th time? Maybe that’s the time that it will work!”

And there, my friends, is the explanation for why he is President of a major record company and you and I are not.

TRY HARDER.

TRY AGAIN.

Maybe if we embrace that attitude we’ll be as successful as him one day!

(Please feel free to forward this email and this email alone to members of your band or other artists you know. But please do not post it on a web site or blog without asking permission from the author. Thanks!)

Copyright @2012. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without author’s prior consent.

Jennifer Yeko
True Talent Management ~ True Talent PR

9663 Santa Monica Blvd. # 320

Beverly Hills, CA 90210
http://www.truetalentmgmt.com

http://www.truetalentmgmt.wordpress.com – Read my music blog for advice on making it in the music business

A record label President tells me…”I work 16 hours a day, so should bands”

I recently met with the President of a major record label.

He told me “I work 16 hours a day, so should bands”.

So, it kind of begs the question – how hard are you working?

Not just how hard.

But how many hours a day?

***

I hear artists bitch and whine all the time that they can’t work a day job *and* work on their music career.

What??!!!

I’ve had artists complain they are too “tired” or not able to focus after working their day job to make music – let alone promote it.

Well, that’s fine.

But do you think this label President is ever going to sign an artist or band with this attitude?

NO!
I mean, if he’s working from 8am to midnight every day, and you’re probably 1/2 his age, why would he sign you if you aren’t working at LEAST those same hours as he is — if not a lot more?

If you want to be successful, sure, you can work “smart”.

But nothing will replace simply putting in the grunt work, the hours.

After all, if you’re working 16 hours a day, and other artists are working 2 or 8 or 10, who do you think is going to succeed?

Do you work weekends?

I do.

Every one.

So should you!

Jennifer Yeko
True Talent Management
9663 Santa Monica Blvd. # 320
Beverly Hills, CA 90210

~Music Marketing~Film/TV Placement~Music Publicity
www.truetalentmgmt.com

““Take a chance. If you never take a chance, then you’ll never know the outcome. So basically, as an up-and-coming artist, you’ve gotta keep hustling and keep trying. Send your demo to people in the industry you respect.’”
HI-Tek

“Don’t wait for a label: be an artist without a label. The days of waiting to be discovered are in the past and labels want to see a bit of initiative. Get out there and play.’”
Richard Zito, Senior VP, A&R