Music Business Keys To Success with Rodney Holder
When it comes to business success, the entrepreneur path is essential. Most musicians are recognizing that more and more as time goes by. One of the premier places where musicians have experienced insights into how to take their careers to new levels was the Music Launch Summit, created by my good friend Steve Palfreyman last year.
There, over 50 of the world’s biggest names in the business came together to help musicians grow. Rodney Holder was a standout in that series.
I was both an attendee and a masterclass speaker. Being in that summit with many of my good friends and colleagues including Carlos Castillo, Wendy Parr, Yann Ilunga, Benji Rogers, and Cari Cole, it was incredible to experience the insights of so many really incredible people.
After watching Rodney’s session, I knew I had to talk with him. Not only is he a fellow drummer and Australian (I love the Aussie’s!!!), but his methodology of relationship building, learning from experience (which includes embracing failure) and the power of mentorship are hallmarks of what make for uncommon people.
A Little Insights Into Rodney Holder
Rodney is certainly uncommon. You can sense that in every response to my questions in our conversation. He’s also someone who has taken the process of growth and used each experience to bring a new piece of insight to share. That’s really a remarkable element to the science of growth.
He’s the host of Music Business Facts Podcast, the top music podcast in Australia. He’s also a metal drummer in Alchemist Tripsis (so he’s got serious skills behind the kit) and seasoned musician. He also teaches Music Business Studies at Taffe University in Australia.
What I Learned From Rodney In This Podcast
I’ll be honest, one of the best things about hosting the DIY Artist Route Podcast is getting to learn first hand from some amazing people. I know a lot about how to build relationships and a good bit about radio.
But I don’t know everything about either of those subjects. And there’s a TON of stuff in the industry I don’t know. That’s why having conversations and asking good questions are important (if you want help with asking the right questions, get it in a quick 15 minute chat here).
Sometimes we learn things by how they’re phrased. For us creative entrepreneurs, the business side of what we do involves positioning our creations as products. Did you know that every aspect of your creation is a product that you’re offering to your audience? It’s like Rodney tells us,
“You are a product, your songs, your shows, your work are all products.”
Kinda different way to think about things, huh? You are a product, not just what you make. That’s a game changer, and it’s just the tip of the iceberg.
3 Keys To Music Success
One of the big questions, that was kind of a trick (oops, you caught me) was when I asked Rodney if there was just 1 thing you could do to become successful today. In my experience, there’s not magic button that if you master it, all your cards will always be winners.
No poker hand works like that. Life doesn’t either.
On the flip side, there are a few ingredients that typically produce great results the more you do them. Three of those are hard work, continually putting yourself out there (marketing, outreach, gaining experiences), and luck.
Wait, did I just say that luck is how you win?
Yep. But like Rodney put it,
“The harder you work the luckier you get. The more prepared you are and the more you’re trying to get attention, your lucky break will come around.”
You make your own luck, by working hard. The more you keep going the better you get. Honestly, if I hadn’t committed the past 8 years of my professional life to relationship building and connecting with people, I wouldn’t be here in this place right now. I wouldn’t have had the conversations with world-changing folks like marketing guru Seth Godin, fellow musician-entrepreneur Rachael Yamagata or other folks.
Put These Tips To Work For You Today
Planning is a big part of that too, which is where being visionary and focused on what it is that you want to achieve is such a big deal. It’s also where having someone to work one-on-one with you as a guide through this process is so important.
A big thanks to Rodney for joining me in this podcast. We talked about mentoring and having someone in your corner to help your music grow. That’s what I call Growth Farming.
