If you've ever wondered after an interview, "Why didn't I advance to the second round?" or "How else could I have answered that question?" Or "Why was the employer even asking that question?!," then this post is for you. Below are three difficult interview questions...
A talented, accomplished musician, Ellen (a composite of several of my clients), came to me because she'd had several college teaching interviews but no offers, and wanted help. Ellen said the interviews overall had gone pretty well. Except when the employer asked a...
Most musicians think the obstacle to getting great promo photos is money, time, or finding the right photographer. Or we’re waiting until we've lost the extra 10 pounds. But even when all of that is sorted, something still gets in the way. Here are the three...
Because we live in such a visual culture, before anyone hears you play a note, they view your image. In that fraction of a second, they form a lasting first impression. That matters — especially when it comes to booking and promoting your performances. The thing is,...
Donors don't give for the tax deduction. They don't give for prestige. They give because of how it makes them feel. Good about themselves. Good about being able to help a good cause. And the thank you, or the silence, confirms whether they made the right call. You...
Remember what it felt like when you were eight years old? Out beyond our backyard, there was a creek, a ravine, and maybe 5 acres of an abandoned apple orchard with woods and a stream with a Tarzan swing that the older boys on our street had strung up. They also built...
Victim-thinking is deceptively easy to fall into. It can creep into your marketing, your self-talk, your networking, and you won't catch it until it's already done its damage. Are you waiting to be saved? Here's a music career reality check. Telltale signs you're...
Most musicians walk into interviews already judging themselves—before they’ve said a word. In fact, they're so busy trying NOT to come across as “less than” that they stop being fully present. When nerves pull you into scarcity thinking, you start believing that...
Let’s talk about interviewing for a minute. I see far too many talented musicians shoot themselves in the foot in interviews. So here are my hard-won Secrets to Acing the Interview. Trust me, it’s better not to learn these the hard way: it took me bombing a few...
For musicians, Imposter Syndrome Isn’t the Problem—It’s the symptom. Underneath the “feeling like a fraud,” is something more troubling. If I had a nickel for every time a musician told me they felt like a fraud, well, I could build me a small monument to unnecessary...
