by David Andrew Wiebe | Mar 15, 2023 | Music
Here’s a viable business idea on a silver platter. If you’ve been waiting for a music business opportunity, take this one.
There are people looking for kalimba instructors and kalimba sheet music. I just received an email from one such individual today.
The problem?
- While there is plenty of kalimba music in tablature form, some people simply do not want to read kalimba music that way. They’d prefer something closer to standard notation.
- Some of the available music features accidentals (sharps and flats) or notes that fall outside of the instrument’s range that cannot be played on all kalimba types.
- There are people looking for instructors in their locality or online who can serve them in their specific time zone (e.g., UK).
You know the market. You know the problem. Now, go and conquer. Let me know how it goes.
by David Andrew Wiebe | Mar 14, 2023 | Music
I’ve been staring at a lot of recording studio sites lately and I noticed something.
With all the mention of COVID policies and Instagram photos showing staff wearing masks, it looks like some sites haven’t been updated since 2020. Which is probably the case.
I understand how busy it can get. Probably the only reason I find time enough to keep all my sites updated is because content is my main source of revenue.
But it’s high time you took new photos and showed your wonderful staff without masks. Even if they are still wearing masks inside the facility during work hours.
I never treated the pandemic as though it were a meme and can’t understand those who do, either.
Look, I’m not here to pass judgment. I fundamentally disagree with the notion that masks are “warm,” “cute,” or “fun,” but you’re entitled to your opinion.
What I’m saying is – let me see the faces of your wonderful staff. Photographing them with masks is mostly pointless. I can’t identify them. I can only see their eyes, maybe their hair. There’s no sense of connection created, and that’s the whole point of photos. If you’re not going to take profile shots without masks, you may as well not even take them.
People connect with people. They don’t connect with studio setups or gear lists. So, if you want to create a connection with your prospects and customers online, show your beautiful faces.
by David Andrew Wiebe | Mar 13, 2023 | Productivity
Unless you’re using a brand-new machine, or you’ve recently reset your computer, your device is slowing you down more than you even realize.
I understand well how mind numbing it can be to back up all your files and login details, and to have to reinstall all your apps and restore your files post-reinstallation.
But unless your computer is five to seven years old, I can promise you that resetting your machine will have a dramatic impact on its performance.
And when your computer isn’t suffering from constant slowdown, your ability to get things done will also be enhanced.
It’s a good metaphor for your personal performance too. When you’re well rested and fresh, you think better, and you can get more done. When you’re tired and dull, you don’t perform at optimal levels.
There are two things that can make a big difference when it comes to resetting your computer:
- An external hard drive. I have a Seagate Plus Portable Drive (affiliate link). I’ve heard good things and bad things about Seagate, but I have not had any issues with this compact, lightweight drive, except that I’ve used up most of its 2 TB capacity. If you make a lot of media, it’s inevitable that you will end up needing more space, though. You can either buy a drive with more space or buy multiple drives.
- Exporting browser logins. Manually backing up all your login data (i.e., by opening a spreadsheet and entering username and password combinations one by one) is deadly. If you already have all your passwords saved in LastPass or equivalent, good on you. Otherwise, you’ll be glad to know most (if not all) browsers have an “export logins” feature. I send the exported spreadsheet to my email before resetting my computer and then I can open it in Google Sheets later. Of course, it would be a very wise idea to create new, more secure passwords for each of your accounts as you’re logging back in. There might be an easier way to do what I’m talking about, and if you have a more efficient method, I’d love to know (leave a comment below).
I know how ridiculous this all sounds but I am emphatic. Resetting your computer will boost your computer’s performance, enhancing your personal performance in the process. It makes a macro difference.
by David Andrew Wiebe | Mar 12, 2023 | Marketing
Knowing whether something is worth marketing is, especially for the solopreneur or independent business owner.
When you’ve created a product or service with resonance, it will almost seem to sell itself. Put it in front of your target audience, and they will respond.
When you’ve created a product or service with zero resonance, it will sit on (virtual) shelves mostly untouched. Put it in front of a larger audience, and the chirping of the crickets will be deafening.
Now, there are many shades of grey in between – products with some resonance, products with a little resonance, and so on.
But we’re usually much too quick to turn to tactics before creating something that’s worth marketing.
I have no tactical issues. I know all the platforms and can share my products to hundreds of channels blunt force trauma on zero budget, and maybe even sell a few.
Will it be worth it? Not if it means pulling myself away from what I’m good at so I can spend all my time and energy doing what anyone could do.
You’ve got to know whether you have something worth marketing. That’s the hard part.
Make things that are worth promoting. Then promote them. The appropriate time to discuss tactics is when your product is the strategy.
by David Andrew Wiebe | Mar 11, 2023 | Operations
Stopping to create procedures will appear a waste of time at first.
In the time it takes to document a new procedure, you could have the task done already.
But that’s not the point.
The point is that while you may need to perform the task many times, you will only need to document it once.
Sure, the document may need to be updated from time to time. But that won’t take anywhere near as long as it did to create it in the first place.
Further, by the time you’ve documented a task, you can delegate it and have someone else handle it. You can free up time in your own schedule to focus on what you do best.
In systems, there’s always a short-term sacrifice for a long-term payoff. From a zoomed-out perspective, building a team is effectively the same way – there’s a short-term sacrifice for a long-term result.
