© 2015 Vinny Ribas
No one can build a solid and successful music career alone. Most artists immediately think that if they only had a manager they could take the music world by storm. Managers often have power of attorney to make any and all legal and business decisions for you. However, there are 2 major challenges that often prevent this from happening. The first challenge is that not everyone is ready for a manager. In most cases you need to prove that you have taken your act pretty far already. The 2nd challenge is that not everyone can afford a manager. They take a percentage of your total income and so you must be making quite a bit to make it worth their while.
Many artists opt for paying an artist developer. This is someone who helps you put everything in place that you need to put yourself on the market. It can include help to sharpen your songwriting skills, develop your website, get your songs recorded etc. They give you guidance but often make decisons for you (with your permission). Many artist development companies do much of what you need in-house. They often have their own web developer, graphic designer, studio etc. Reputable artist developers are worth their weight in gold. However, they are expensive. That is because, unlike managers, they only take their flat fee and not a percentage of your income.
The last option is one that many artists don’t even think about. It is having a music consultant or mentor. This refers to someone who helps you think differently so you can make wiser decisions for yourself. They won’t always give you straight up answers to your questions, even if they know them. Instead they will help you figure it out on your own so you LEARN instead of parroting what you’ve heard. They are there to lean on, to give you fresh ideas, to provide tips, support and encouragement, to guide you, to increase your industry knowledge and help make the critical industry contacts that you need. In other words, they don’t just make decisons for you or do everything their own way. Instead they help you take complete personal control over the direction and success of your music and your career. That, in turn, can make you very attractive to a high-powered manager and even to a label down the road. And lastly, mentors are not anywhere near as expensive as a manager or an artist developer.
Want to take full control of your music and career? Check out Indie Connect’s mentorship program at www.indieconnect.com!
