smart | work By Benita Aalto S


top me if you’ve heard this one: Q: How do you get a musician off your


porch?


A: Pay him for the pizza. Or how about this one: Two people were walking down the street:


one was a musician, the other didn’t have any money either.


Tose gormless jokes aside, you may also


think that, if you want to be in the music busi- ness, you should prepare yourself for a life of pizza-delivery and penury. And it can be difficult to see any alterna-


tive, particularly when so many stars are discovered in their teens and turned into global brands before they hit their 20s. (If Jay- Z hasn’t discovered you by now, it’s probably over, right?) Not necessarily. “Not everyone will be a Rihanna. But there


are countless artists making a living doing what they love,” says Stuart Johnson, presi- dent of the Canadian Independent Music As- sociation, a not-for-profit trade organization whose members include record producers, labels, and other independent music industry professionals. “First and foremost, you have to have a


passion for it. You have to be able to weather the feast or famine days,” says Johnson, who also points out that half of CIMA’s members are sole proprietorships, and most have five or fewer employees. When a small shop is com- peting against multi-national corporations, they have to be willing to look beyond the traditional definition of what a record label does, so they can reach audiences effectively. Illustrating his point about the importance


of diversification, Johnson cites the example of Toronto-based Six Shooter Records which not only releases music, but also programs the annual Interstellar Rodeo music festi- val, which comes to Edmonton in July, and Winnipeg on Aug. 14 to 16. “Six Shooter also signed [Inuk throat singer] Tanya Tagaq, who is a departure for them but who has done very well.”


But first, a reality check: “Just because you can record music doesn’t mean you should”


“I believe in Malcolm Gladwell’s ten thou-


sand hours theory, that people need to put in ten thousand hours to master their craft,” says Alan Greyeyes, the Aboriginal Music De- velopment Coordinator of Music Manitoba’s Aboriginal Music Program. “Good music matters the most. With so many people com- peting now, it’s hard to rise above the noise.” Te idea that you can record music on your


MacBook, release it on iTunes, then shoot a video on your iPad, upload it to YouTube and become a globally connected star is more an Apple ad fantasy than how it actually shakes out in real life. “Technology has made making music


much more accessible, but just because you can record music, doesn’t mean you should,”


Tanya Tagaq on floor at the 2015 Indspire Awards. Supplied photo.


says Johnson. “The industry has changed since the 80s and 90s. It’s not a dollars busi- ness now; it’s a pennies business. You have to find a lot of streams of pennies to make a decent living.” Where do these pennies come from? In ad-


dition to the usual suspects like royalties from radio play and iTunes sales, there’s also song placement in movies, TV and video games. Niiko Soul, a 23 year-old singer, songwriter


and producer, has been working full-time as a musician for the past six years. He gets most of his sales through iTunes and works other angles, too. ”We just sent out my latest single through DMDS, which is a digital radio distributor for Canada and the USA. It was my first time using it, and the response so far has been great.” Soul is quick to say that his job doesn’t end


once the single has dropped. “It’s not as easy as just sending it out there: once the song is sent off, it’s up to you to follow up through the tracking process. When I follow up with radio personnel, I treat it as an opportunity to form relationships.” Soul has also taken on other projects, like composing a custom score for an educational


video project, producing songs for a web series, mixing and mastering other artists’ recordings, and performing as a guest musi- cian in studio and in concert. “Tere are a lot of misconceptions as to


what having a career in the music business means,” says Soul. “But there are thousands of people working in the industry every day who are not Rihanna or Taylor Swift.” “Tere is always opportunity,” agrees John-


son. “But you have to love the music and, in Canada, you have to learn how to do a lot of grant-writing.” Nothing is more canadian than writing a grant proposal


you may be eligible to apply for a number of


local, regional or national grants to cover the costs of recording, touring, or professional development. Check out canadacouncil.ca/ music, or the “Music Funding Organizations” page on socan.ca, to name only two. But don’t stop there. “Going to websites is very passive,” says


Greyeyes. “You need to get engaged. You can call Manitoba Music, for example, and say, ‘I’m trying to put together a tour. Where can I get funding?’“


Music Biz 101 You should also consider becoming a


member of Manitoba Music: a mere $50 a year gives you access to Manitoba Music resource centre where you can use their computers or have a quiet desk to work. You will also get your own manitobamusic.com profile page, access to downloads like the Manitoba media guide, and contract templates, as well as the chance to have one-on-one consultations with staff, who can help navigate the grant-writing process. (And if you’re not based in Manitoba, don’t


despair: your province or territory probably has its own music industry association. Te FACTOR website has a great industry links page with that info. Go to: factor.ca/resources/ foreveryone.) A credit card is not a business plan


Greyeyes notes that, even with a successful


grant application, you may not see the money right away. Some touring grants, for example, disburse the funds after the tour is completed. Since the main source of a performer’s revenue is often live performance, this is a particularly sensitive area, as musicians need to be able to hit the road, which means being able to take the financial risks that come with touring. Tour expenses can include, at a minimum,


renting a van, paying for motels, meals, and gas and allowing for any other costs that can unexpectedly materialize. Many novices would consider simply putting everything on a credit card. But is that the best idea? According to a recent report from Equifax,


you might want to think twice: we Canadians love our credit, and have racked up an average debt load of $20,861 – and that number doesn’t even include having a mortgage. Ouch. Does that sound like your financial situa-


tion? If it does, you might need to bolster your financial literacy: Manitoba Music has offered a DIY Series of professional development workshops on topics like bookkeeping and cash-flowing a tour, for example. Check out manitobamusic.com/workshops to see their latest offerings. And finally… do your best, but don’t wait for the big break


As much as you will work, network, and


multi-task to successfully bring your music to the marketplace, there is a point at which luck takes over, i.e. what happens is out of your control. It can be extremely discourag- ing when you have a clear plan for how your career should proceed, but reality refuses to conform to it. “I was always upset that I wasn’t at the end


goal yet, and I held that against myself every day. It wasn’t a healthy or productive way of thinking,” admits Soul. “When you work in what can be a shallow business, where every- body’s looking for “one big break” to change their lives, it took a while to embrace the idea of enjoying the journey, but I feel like I have finally gotten to a point where I have.” “I understand that every step leads to the


next. Tat’s what excites me now, more than whatever the end of all this may be. I love my life and work now. “ You can see Niiko Soul and Tanya Tagaq


perform on the 2015 Indspire Awards on Global TV and APTN on June 19. Check local listings.


Everything I needed to know about business (and life),


I learned from three furry friends Well, maybe not everything. But I do have three impactful life lessons I carry with me


A


fter a long morning at the office, a client presentation gone poorly, and two board meetings (that obviously ran late), it’s no surprise that the highlight of my days


(both the good days and the bad) is coming home to be greeted by my furry best friends… my three dogs. Tree dogs, you say? Well that’s just plain crazy!


Maybe you’re right. But not only do these goof- balls provide me with unconditional love, laughs, and cuddles, but they have taught me some very valuable life lessons along the way. Lesson #1 – Never dismiss the power of your intuition and instinct Everyone, humans and animals alike, has


these magical gifts. Tey are that little jolt you get when something just doesn’t feel right, or alternately, you just KNOW something was meant to be. How many times do we stop and say, “I should have listened to my gut” or “I wish I had gone with my first instinct?” My dog loves almost everyone. So on the odd occasion


when somebody is introduced into my life that he visibly doesn’t seem to care for, I take it for what it’s worth. Tese people generally enter and then exit my life for good reason. Almost always, my dog was correct with his first instinct. As human beings, we need to learn to trust our instincts


8 Smart Biz


The Corporate Climb


Laura Wittig


and recognize just how powerful they can be. We must have faith in the fact that although it may seem confusing, we generally do know what is wrong or right – whether it is a new relationship, a new job offer, or just a very tough decision. Lesson #2 – Don’t take anything for granted My dog likes to go to the park. My dog likes to


go for car rides. My dog is happy when I wake up and give him a good pat on the head. Dogs never become too busy, or caught up in


small details. Tey care little about something bad that may have happened last week (like punish- ment for chewing my favourite flip flop, ahem). Instead, they live in the moment and appreciate the really simple – but really wonderful – things that are offered to us every day. Don’t forget to celebrate those small wins in


life. Maybe you brought on a smaller, but still meaningful, account to your firm. Maybe you


get to go for a long walk outside in the sunshine when your meeting gets out early. Maybe you decide to turn your phone off for a weekend and head to the lake. Tese are all reasons to celebrate and reflect on just how awesome your life really is – and how LUCKY you are to even have these opportunities. Too often, we get caught up in the bad things or negative experiences that sometimes get tossed our way. Amidst the


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chaos of life, don’t forget to appreciate just how wonderful the little wins can be. Lesson #3 – Loyalty trumps all Sometimes I have really busy weeks and my dogs and I


don’t go to the park as much as we should. Sometimes after getting home from work I quickly feed them and have to run out to another appointment. Perhaps these situations aren’t ideal for them, but they have still pledged to be my best friends, through thick and thin. I make sure to give them a nice home, healthy food, lots


of exercise, tons of love, and as much attention as I can. In return, they give me their undivided love and attention. It’s a seemingly simple relationship and yet a very powerful


one. Never underestimate the power of loyalty – whether it be a mentor in business or life, a good friend, or even a client. Go above and beyond to do the little things. Call to check in, say thank you, and let the important people in your life know how invaluable they are to you. Te benefits of a loyal relationship of any kind will far outweigh the benefits of those relationships that will come and go in your life. A little love as you walk out the door


Te next time that you are running out the door, late for


work, briefcase in hand… don’t forget to stop for a second and give your furry little friends a quick hug or scratch on the behind (yes, they love it). Tey will more than give back in return.


June 2015


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