© 2017 Vinny Ribas
- Find what you love – the sound, the writing, the performance and the lifestyle. Be sure you love it all. You find it by trying it all! You never know what you’ll love until you experience it – like an incredible meal or wine that you try for the first time.
- Go where there are already fans of what you love AND where there will be fans of YOU. By that I mean that sometimes you find your’tribe’ because of your interests, hobbies or passions. So for example, if you’re interested in NASCAR, you can tap into race-related groups and events.
- Master your crafts – as many as you can . However, it’s OK to pick just one if that is what you want to and can be known for. So, for example, you can learn to be an amazing songwriter and get away with a good but less than an amazing voice. (Or, if you’re Paul Simon, you find yourself an Art Garfunkel.) Always continue to challenge yourself to better than you were the day before.
- Immerse yourself in it. You’re competing with people who live and breathe what you’re trying to do. You may not have to go to to extremes, but you have to be a contender before you can win. Study the business side of your art so you don’t make rookie mistakes or get eaten by sharks. Take care of business.
- Put yourself and your art out there where people can embrace it. Put YOURSELF out there where people can embrace you! Network, network, network! Surround yourself with great people Music is a relationship business. The more people you know on a personal (business) level, the better your chances of being referred to the people who can make a difference in your career. Always treat everyone with the utmost respect. You will often be evaluated (I hate saying ‘judged’ by how you handle negative people and situations as well as the positive ones.
- Enjoy the journey, the experiences and the people you meet along the way. There is just as much if not more reward in those as their is in gold records.
