Brady Helps

Perhaps this topic is too soon, but hear me out.  Lately, colleagues of mine have been laid off, artists are seeing their tour schedules blown up, and stores are being raided for their toilet paper. I actually think the "fear" from the virus is causing more pain than the virus itself.  "Fear" is a primal emotion that creates action. It's easy to blame the "media" for creating the fear; however, the media was just a "carriage" that brought the emotion to us. We, the people, create the actual stories that are then "carried" to the rest of us via the media. Remember the series about "art"?  Idea: a threat to our existence.Form: a virus.Idiom: A virus for which there is no cure.Structure: It spreads by people in the same space with people.Craft: Someone, or an animal, created it.Surface: The media takes the idea and shares it with everyone.Art: we respond to the message with the emotion "fear."  If you want to create an idea that spreads, start with an idea that threatens our existence - consider the coronavirus.

I've not been writing too much lately. The reason is that I felt I said all I could say - perhaps I have? The minimum viable audience for this blog was musicians. But since I've moved back to Wisconsin, I've been focusing more on my immediate community and less on the global cruise-music industry. Lately, most of my work has been networking with local leaders, learning my new industry, and learning how to be a meaningful contributor to Milwaukee. As a result, I'm making a few changes to this site.Moving forward, you'll see more thoughts on life, job searching, recruitment, and Milwaukee. You won't see as much about music. If you've signed up because you wanted cruise insights, I won't be providing those via the website anymore. You're welcome to message me, and I'll do my best to help! If you'd still like to join and follow along, be my guest.

You have had relationships that have needed to end. We all have.  

When we experience that time, the path ahead is clear - "I'm sorry, this isn't working out, it's not you... it's me."  

Do you know what to do when the way out looks like this?

"This Agreement may be terminated prior to the 350-day period only under the following circumstances: (i) if I want to terminate the Agreement in my sole discretion and I let you know about it, the Agreement shall be terminated upon your receipt of the notice; (ii) if you and I mutually agree, in writing, to terminate this Agreement, or (iii) if, after you have completed at least 180 days on board the ship I've booked you on, you send me a written notice 30 days in advance of your intended termination date. You can't termine while on board in the middle of an assignment, or if, at the time of the proposed termination, the you have a future gig that I've confirmed with the cruise line. If you decide to terminate this Agreement as provided in (iii), you will pay me 50% of the commission you owe me for the days remaining on this Agreement in a lump sum, which will be calculated at your current salary, no less than two weeks prior to the proposed termination date. Also, because I'm upset that you left me, you will be unable to re-hire me for two years."

Remember that yesterday's contract would last for 350 days. So, to get out of this contract, we'd have to wait for that period to expire. If we want to get out before, the above terms apply. Here's what we'd need to do:

• I, the agent, can terminate my contract with you for any reason. Also, I may terminate the relationship at any time, as long as I inform you in writing, and you indicate you've received my notice.  
• If you and I mutually agree to end the contract. What's the likelihood of me letting you go from such a lucrative deal?
• After you've worked 180 days onboard, you may end the contract provided you've given me a 30-day advanced notice.  
• You may also not end the relationship while you're onboard a ship. Or if,
• I have booked you on another assignment with the cruise line.  
• If you decide to end the relationship, you will pay me 50% for whatever is owed to me. If you have 180 days left to go, you will pay me 50% of the 10% you owe me for the 180 days you have left on the gig. You must also pay me that money in a lump sum. The money is due no less than two weeks from the termination date.  

Is this indentured servitude or what? Keep in mind, this is inspired by an actual contract that musicians, like you, sign.  

Questions I have for the agent:

• Why would I pay you 50% of whatever commission you feel is owed for work you did not do?  
• If I hire you to provide me with a service, find me a job, why are you making it more difficult for me to quit than you? Shouldn't this be the other way around?  
• Who are you working for? Me, the person paying you? Or yourselves?  

What if we created a legal defense fund, a non-profit, to negotiate musicians out of these agreements?  

Or, better yet, created a free, direct, and commission-free way to get to an employer?  

The possible future appears inviting relative to the grim present: what will the musicians who work under these conditions do when they want to get out?

A 3-month free trial of anything usually requires you to submit your credit card information to get started. You're eager to get started, so you happily give your credit card for 3 free months. Four months later, you notice less money in your bank account. What happened to your money?  The answer, my friend, is the 3-month free trial, and your paid subscription becomes active. There's no way you could have missed an email informing you of the upcoming charge. How come no one told you? Did you read the fine print? I'm sure it's there.Your, or your friend's, agent has a contract; in it, you'll find terms that look like the following example."If, after 350 days, you are satisfied with my agency's services and would like to continue working with me, you will not need to sign a new agreement. This Agreement will roll over to cover your new contract until you give me notice that you would like to negotiate new terms. "This clause is the free-trial!  After 350 days, if you are satisfied, our contract rolls over - the "trial" period is over!If you are not happy, you are required to notify me in writing, and then we can negotiate. There's not even an option to get out of the contract!  Would you start dating someone without the option to break up?Would you start a free trial of something knowing that you couldn't stop?Then why would you enter a contract that doesn't give you the option to leave?  For the agent, this is a great model. It protects their most valuable asset - you. Is that fair?

Imagine entering into a romantic relationship with someone that asks you to sign a 5-page contract before your first date. Would you do it? If you wouldn't allow this from a romantic partner, why would you let your agent? Folks, not many of us musicians, have experience writing or reading contracts. Some of us didn't grow with up lawyers in the household. For many, English is not the first language. Look, you've gone to an agent because you needed a job. If not you, I'm sure you know someone. In exchange for the gig, you pay them a commission - that's fair. So they can protect their work, they ask you to agree to an agreement - also appropriate. However, their contract is littered with terms that only benefit them and hardly benefit you, Tomorrow - I'm going to review a few clauses with you. Stop by and educate yourself. There are agents, hoping you don't understand the language in your agreement - your ignorance is the price you pay for your loyalty and exclusivity. But, is this really loyalty?

If we're going to change an industry, we need to change how the industry operates. To do that, we need a new idiom. Thinking about agencies for a second, they're a dime a dozen nowadays. No offense, to agent friends of mine, but there are a lot of you. Therefore, to create a new model that does what agencies do, but better, we need to create something different. What if we were all agents for each other? If we created a community of musicians, that invested the time to help each other grow, share the best tips for landing jobs, and then we marketed that community to employers - cruise lines, hotels, etc.? What if that community didn't charge you a commission for the jobs you get? What if that community didn't charge employers a fee for hiring you? The community and employers win. But, there would be challenges - ourselves.

Is there an art to starting an agency? Is there an art to being an agent?  Absolutely! Of course!  What do we know of art:Requires an idea: The agent has a plan to improve the lives of musicians with jobs.We need to use a form: Create a platform that connects musicians with jobs.Here's where things, traditionally, go sideways:   Pick the idiom: Create an agency.Create structure: Musicians pay us 10% of their earnings for gigs, in exchange, we find them work.Apply Craft: put up a website, contact employers, request their attention, and run ads on social media to attract talent.Surface: make the website look nice, do more to make our talent look like artists, and tell our artists we'll "fight" for them to get the best money.  I don't believe the current model produces art. Have we served our idea by asking people to pay 10% on wages that we can't reasonably deliver? Do employers buy the line that you're hiring the best?   We can do better. Perhaps some of us do?Art is the eye of the receiver - you, not the creator - the agents. I put it to you, how many agents do you know that create art?

I forgot to mention! I have started writing another blog that might interest you. www.everydayconfidence.blog It’s for everyday people.It serves these people with content about life, thoughts on health, and journals the experience of someone that struggles, loves, laughs, cries, and does meaningful things - like you. In case that subject matter might be better for you - please visit www.everydayconfidence.blog This blog will continue to serve those musicians seeking to find meaningful work with insights into self-effectiveness, leadership, marketing, and innovative thought. Thanks!

I frequently am contacted by people asking how to start an agency. Just this past week, a new agency came on the market. I wish them well. Still, I'm left wondering - why does everyone want to start an agency? Is it easy money? What are you providing that others can't? Who wants to pay you 10-15% of their earnings for you to send emails? I imagine a world where people stopped trying to be agents - especially in the cruise industry. Instead, I believe in a world where people join together and create a community. Stop creating a chokehold on the industry, and start creating access to everyone. Stop thinking you're the best, and start encouraging others to help others be the best. Stop trying to outdoor the others, and start embracing collective good. The musicians that struggle to find work need other musicians to help them. They need the benefit of experience to know what they're doing wrong, to find connections, and to be held accountable. Create agencies, but then realize you're like everybody else - so what makes you unique?

What if a community existed that connected, networked, and brought together musicians to help them get work? What if, in that community, people offered a helpful critique of one another? What if, like Reddit, we promoted up the people who were crushing it, and making the improvements to become better musicians? Perhaps, employers would see the value in such a community and want to hire people from it? If you're like me, you know a good idea when you see it, and you're happy to share it with others. We can make this a better world for musicians to do work that matters. We need others to say it's the right thing and enroll. I'll be posting more updates via the blog. If you'd like to follow the journey, please do!