How to Collaborate Strategically in Your Music Career
These days, I have four to five meetings per week discussing various collaborative opportunities. These meetings only last an hour, on average, and are quite productive. We find that we can get quite a lot done in an hour if we’re focused and clear on what we need to do.
These collaborations have led to opportunities in the publishing, entertainment, health and wellness, as well as the skincare and beauty industries. Some of this makes sense, I’m sure, based on what you already know about me, but I didn’t necessarily expect that I would be launching into the skincare industry!
Your collaborations will take you to new heights. They will make new, unprecedented opportunities possible.
That said, collaboration isn’t always the best idea. It’s certainly not a silver bullet.
I’ve had a handful of collaborations that were successful, but many others that were half-baked, and some which were total disasters. It’s always good to do your due diligence before entering a partnership.
But like it or not, the musical world is built on collaborations. Whether it’s songwriters, arrangers, composers, bands, co-writes, engineers, producers, managers, or otherwise, collaboration is going to form the foundation of your career activity.
And, of course, there are going to be opportunities to collaborate with other bands, radio stations, bloggers, podcasters, YouTubers, and so forth.
To that extent, it’s worth being a good hang and being easy to work with. I know there are some well-publicized jerks out there, but when push comes to shove, attitude doesn’t fly. The music business is a people business, and if you can’t find your tribe, it’s going to be like treading quicksand. Burn enough bridges and no one will want to work with you.
And as with anything else, we need to prioritize the collaborative opportunities that make the most sense. When you’re first getting started, it’s okay to say “yes” more, but as your career train picks up steam, you’re going to want to be more selective.
Ultimately, collaborative opportunities should be sought out and pursued, because in a relationship where everyone is holding their own, 1 + 1 does not = 2. In the right relationship, your collective efforts will be multiplied.
