Brady Helps

The quality of what you do is more important than the quality of what you do.  You (sarcastically): "Thanks, Brady, for being so clear."I believe there are two types of quality.  The quality of what you do, as it matters to you.The quality of what you do, as it matters to others.A great marriage forms when you reconcile the differences between what matters to you, and what matters to others, and make something better from both. However, this is not often the case.  What matters to youThe other performers who share the stage with you.The repertoire you perform.To execute the repertoire in a way aligned with your style.To receive what you believe to be a fair wage for the work performed.The time it takes to get to the gig.The clothes you'll need to wear, do they align with your style?Any extra tasks that take time away from what important to you.To be treated fairly.To receive what you perceive to be equitable treatment.What matters to others (customers)Do the people who are performing look like they love what they do?I want my guests to be impressed, does the staging area look professional?It's important to me that my guests are not disturbed, are the performers set up before anyone arrives?Will the music performed resonate with my crowd?Will people walk away talking about how this was the best party of the year?Years later, will people still talk about my party?I've got so many other expenses; I hope the music doesn't become a huge line item.Do I have the right lighting?Did I leave the oven on?What matters, mattersUnderstanding how others define quality enables you to understand how to demonstrate it."People who believe what I believe, do things the way I do things."You need to be able to see the world from your customer's position. When you can see the world from their eyes, you can show them that you believe what they believe.When you demonstrate that you believe what they believe, they will work with you.They will work with you because you are safe.Creating the MarriageBefore starting any new project, determine a few things upfront.Who is this for? Create a specific picture of the customer.What do they believe? Empathetically project yourself into their hearts and minds.What do they fear? What are their problems? You don't have the right to be the answer until you know the question!For my customer, what's the impact if things go right? How will you improve their lives?What will make people want to share the experience with others?What will they share?When you take steps to understand how your client/customer defines quality, you'll find more clients that want to work with you.  Go a step further, when you adopt their definition of quality and execute your work in a way that matters to them, you'll find satisfaction in what you do. Why?  Because you've served someone else, they're happy because of what you did for them. Your customer will share with the others. You'll thrive.  Quality matters.  Others matter.Serve them.

Do you enjoy your work? I bet it depends on the day.I'll also bet it depends on what you're playing and who shares the stage with you. How does your customer know you enjoy your work? Do they care?I used to work as a talent agent. I positioned myself as representing the interests of the purchasing client, not the musician. The benefit of taking this position was that I got to see what truly mattered to my client without thinking about selling my band. It didn't matter if the group I sold was mine; it just mattered that I sold the "right" band. Determining the "right" ensemble started as a nerve-wracking journey. For many prospective clients, I produced a slate of the best musicians between Milwaukee and Chicago. I would have been privileged to perform alongside some of these folks. Imagine my surprise when the weekend warrior bands consistently got picked. My clients were not professional musicians. They were "professional humans" seeking to share a feeling with their guests. This feeling came from a memory of a time when they first experienced music in a meaningful way. My clients wanted to rekindle that feeling for their guests. To make this happen, they needed to find people like them who believe what they believe. The weekend warrior may have a full-time job working outside the music industry. In my experience, often they do. In spite of how they spend their day, they love making music with their friends. For them, nothing brings greater joy than playing cover tunes with their friends and sharing that experience with others. As a result, they look like they enjoy their work because they enjoy their work. People who look like they enjoy what they do are like people who want to share a sense of enjoyment with others. As a result, showing enjoyment wins. Go a step further, showing that you are like the people you seek to serve "wins." If you are a serious musician making high art, represent yourself that way. Find others who want serious music and high art. They will gladly pay you for you to share your craft. But then, in the same way, don't represent yourself as the party musician. That's not you, and to be what you're not is fake. Don't be fake. If you want to improve the conditions of your industry - showing enjoyment, no, sharing who you authentically are, wins. Do you enjoy your work?

You operate a string quartet. You are one of ten string quartets in the area, and it's reasonable to assume you're all proficient. You all charge, relatively, the same amount with a few dollars difference. As a customer, who do I choose?  I choose the safest option.Before today, I've written on the concept of safety and threats. As it relates to my example, I'm going to translate what "safety" means to the marketplace.  ACA, a provider in my market, has a long-established and good reputation. They've been around for a long time, and the community recognizes them as a safe provider.Mark Davis, a well-respected jazz pianist, not only has been a Milwaukee staple in the jazz scene as a performer, but he's also an active educator."The Wayouts," they've been entertaining in the city since before I was born. They are safe because of their longevity and appear accessible to the consumer.Dream City Strings, a newer player on the scene but have the awards to back up their claims. Accolades show us, the consumer, that others like us liked people like them.I'm not endorsing the above groups. I know many of them, and I know them to be of quality. What I'm trying to show is how "safety" looks in a marketplace.  If you want to be safe for consumers, do the following:Stick around and show up.Show me, the consumer, that you are someone like me.Show me, the consumer, that others like me like people like you.Educate. People who teach our kids, or ourselves, are trusted.So what makes these groups different than the others who are similar:Lacking longevity in the marketplace.Lacking a specific audience - "I am all things to all people" does not work.Unable to show that other consumers trust their product.Experiences difficulties in positioning themselves as trusted individuals.Are you just starting?Are you all things to all people?  Do you have specific customers you want to help?  Be safe to the smallest group of people.  These people need your services.They'll tell others about you.You'll start expanding.Safe wins.

Seth Godin, on multiple occasions, talks about the "Race to the Bottom," or a race where providers vie for position as the low-cost provider. The problem is, they could win, and hurt everyone else along the way.  Take pianists. In the pianist marketplace, there's a relatively standard hourly rate of $100.00 per hour for a solo pianist gig. Typically there's a minimum charge of 2 hours. Some pianists charge $125.00/hour, while others might cost $75.00. What happens if a Milwaukee pianist started charging $65? Then another started quoting $60? Then another, $50? Do you see where this is going?Wedding/function/party bands. I've seen a similar pricing trend. Milwaukee providers will often charge lower as DJs become more and more popular alternatives to larger bands. For the Milwaukee consumer looking for a cheap option, this is great. However, Milwaukee consumers also hire groups from Chicago, ones that charge a heck of a lot more than the groups from Milwaukee. Why?Chicago is a premium. It's not, they'd like to think they are, but they're not. But, in the minds of our customers, they are. Chicago is at the top. Interestingly, Chicago bands treat their clients differently than most Milwaukee groups.  When a bride buys music from a well plaid Chicago group, they feel as if they're part of an enterprise. Many of these groups not only have bands, but they contract string quartets, jazz groups, they play continuously, it's a network. They feel too big to fail. They're quality, and they're safe.  Stop racing to the bottom. If you win, you'll do it on the backs of others, you won't enjoy your work, and it won't sustain you.  Race to the top. Be different than the rest. Create quality over quantity. Focus on what your customer needs. Deliver on that need better than anybody else. People will gladly pay top dollar for someone to meet their needs.  But for the people that don't want to pay, they're not for you.  They're for someone else.  Focus on others like you.Serve them.

All of the sophisticated arrangements in the world do not grab your audience's attention unless you're performing a concert where people have paid to see you. But at a bar, a wedding, a casual gig - no, no one cares. They didn't come for you; you came for them.  "We have the best musicians," a typical tag line amongst many bands and agencies. Who cares?  Every group will say they have the best musicians. They'd be fools not to answer the question that way, or would they?  Musicianship, the quality by which a musician executes a performance as defined by other professional musicians, is in the eye of the beholder. Truly. How I see a musical performance will be different than how another person will see it. My mother, not a musician, will experience music differently than I, and others like me, experience music. Nine times out of ten, the consumer is not a professional musician. They are a professional human being and often go to music to "feel" something from it.People purchase live music because of the feeling it creates within them. They hope to recreate that feeling for those they're bringing together for a special occasion.  They remember how it felt to hear their first orchestra, band, musical. Experiencing live music might recall memories of their first private lesson. They see in movies couples having their first dance to a live band. People seek out live music because it helps them connect to something that no longer exists - a memory.  All of the musical talent in the world is meaningless unless you can effectively recreate memories.  What Can You Do?Decide to be different.When speaking with customers, make it a goal to understand what they remember about their earliest experiences with music.Adjust arrangements, as needed, to highlight the lyric and the written word.Improvise solos that are hummable by a non-musician.Make personal connections with as many guests as possible and care about getting to know them.Assert how you want your customers to feel.Ensure you do everything in your power to help customers feel your brand.Actively survey and learn what people remembered most about your work.The above brainstorms are ideas. Flesh them out. See if they work for you. Try something else. For myself, I thought about how I would describe myself if I were a jazz musician:  "We bring to your party what a musician brought to you, so many years ago. A lifetime of good memories, positive vibes, and a feeling they'll want to share with others. We also happen to play jazz."If I were a customer, I'd consider having a phone call with me.  Recreate the memory.  Oh!I have a new mailing list feature. If you’d like to receive the Brady Helps' Blog directly to your inbox each day, with no spam, consider signing up. No spam. One email each day. Promise.

The future of the general business, casuals, jobbing musician has changed, is changing; it's "changed!"Every decent enough musician is introducing themselves, and their product, to an over-saturated marketplace.  With so many services appearing the same, I see two differentiators amongst the majority.One group of musicians possesses more sophisticated arrangements and quality of musicianship (as judged by musicians).Groups are competing for being the lowest cost provider.Amongst the minority, I see two differentiators.Longevity in the marketplace. A small number of musicians have been in the market for more than four years.Bands with the highest number of bookings per year appear to enjoy themselves a lot more.How does this impact the customer?The customer gets watered-down choices making it more challenging to determine who's the answer to their question. They have to work harder to find the diamonds in the rough.The quality of musicianship matters less and less. Not every customer possesses enough knowledge to make sense of the difference.Customers make purchasing decisions with the minority. The ones in the market place with longevity are safe. The ones who appear to enjoy themselves are safe and look like them.I'm not suggesting that we quit, throw in the towel, and not try to gig. I am suggesting that we understand the market, what's needed, and go against the grain. The beginning of a series on the marketplace and your role within it starts now.

Failure is only "failure" if you choose not to learn.  

Learn by doing the following:

• Be self-accountable.
• Focus on what matters.
• Let life get ahead of you.
• Accept that you're not always right.
• Temper the pride.
• Set the right expectations.
• Focus on the journey.

I hope this journey was impactful for you. I enjoyed the opportunity to reflect and share insights from my own life.

Yesterday (today) I wrote (write) my last article for the failure series. I felt it appropriate as I had a significant fail that day.

Like you, I have pet peeves or small things that profoundly irritate me.
Like you, I wish people would not do things that irritate me.
Like you, I wish people would do what I say.

I woke up in the best of moods: the sun was out, the wind calming, and I felt a cool breeze. Indeed, in my mind, I was "blessed and highly favored." How could this day get any worse? I live with my sister.

My sister, in the mornings, is not always sunshine and rainbows. I am. I am the annoying person that's up at 4 AM and feels everyone "should" feel as happy as me!

You know those people, right? My sister wishes I would tone it down a notch. Out of respect for her, I probably could. However, this morning, I did not.

My sister asked me, "What do you mean you're blessed and highly favored?" and I forgot what I said, but it was along the lines that I'm alive and grateful to be walking on earth. My sister said, "okay, whatever."

I hate whatever.

Suddenly, the mood when from candy cane dreams to scorched earth. In seconds. I let my sister know how I felt about her word choice and asked her never to use it again. Enter failure.

My failure was to think I could control the actions of another. I can't! I cannot ask my sister, or any other human, to avoid saying something for my comfort and convenience. Life doesn't work that way. Instead, I need to take personal accountability.

Taking accountability for how I let the world impact me led to my freedom. Today, I learned I could not ask my sister not to use "whatever." Instead, I decided to take the step to desensitize myself to the word. I even encouraged her to use it as much as she could!

My sister and I, fortunately, have a fantastic relationship. We're best of friends. I'm glad I could have a conversation with her to share what I learned. She was happy to know that she was okay, just as she was. She was pleased to learn I was making changes within myself. We had a great day.

Failure is only "failure" when you choose not to learn.

Learn through personal accountability.

Change your perception.

Change the dialogue in your mind.

As a child, kids bullied me.   As a child, people would choose others before me. As a child, people always seemed to have better things. As a child, I thought like a child. 

During early adulthood, I would see others and want to be like them. I noticed leaders chose others over me. People would often post about their grandiose life on social media, and I would be jealous. As an early adult, I thought like a child.  

Thinking like a child, in this way, compromises relationships. How can you be everything you're meant to when you're comparing yourself against others?

• Others are not playing the same game you play, not living your life, and don't matter. 
• Other people are living their best and worst lives. They may show only their best one on social media. Those lives don't matter.
• Other people may choose other people before you. You're not for them. Find those you "are" for and serve them.
• Other people may kick you while you're down, but returning the hurt doesn't help. Their lives don't matter.

From my own life, here's what I've learned:

• Others matter: they need care, empathy, support, help, and love.
• Others don't matter: they don't need you to make them happy, be their first choice, fight back when they hurt you.
• Look at others in a way that enables you to help, love, support, and serve them. Doing so, you will create your fulfillment and happiness.

I've learned to realize what matters. Many things don't. When you can tune out the noise and focus on what needs focus, amazing things happen.  

Consider looking at others differently.  

Focus on what matters.

My mind works too fast too often. Growing up as a teenager, it was a struggle. Later as a young adult, it became a headache.

As I've intimated in previous entries, I live with bipolar disorder. I feel people create a stigma in their head about what that means; it means different things for different people. For me, when I've been up, it means that my mind races a hundred years into the future.

One time, while living in Milwaukee, I had dinner with a few business associates and friends. I can't even remember what one of my friends said, but I decided that what was said meant all of our plans would fail, and we should give up. I also decided they were terrible business partners. I fired them. The next morning I could not recall what happened. Thankfully, my friend and "fired" business partner demonstrated enough patience to fill me in.

I can imagine how difficult it would be to call someone so mercurial a friend. Thankfully, things have changed.

I've taken the time to understand a condition that creeps into my life now and then. I know myself and what triggers me. I know how to live mindfully and at peace with the world. I also learned a phrase that helps.

"Let life get ahead of you a bit."

Do you ever feel like you're trying to do too much? Or you just need to get ahead? Or, perhaps, you're thinking too far in the future? Like me?

The problem is that when we get ahead of life, we have to always look back and retrace our steps. That's not efficient. The solution is to let life get ahead of you.

When you let life get ahead, you can see what's coming up. When you can see what's coming up, you can make better decisions.

I failed with my friends a long time ago. My best friend forgave me and is still my best friend today. I've worked hard to be better and let life get ahead of me... a bit.