Balanced Artist

Have you ever questioned if you’re on the right path. You’re headed down a road that has some benefits, but unsure if ultimately it is the best use of your time or the destination you want to end. To find out, just look at someone in that field, 20 years ahead of you. If that’s not who you want to be, then you’re in the wrong career.
Let's discuss how to audit your current situation....
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https://www.instagram.com/rorygardinermusic
https://www.instagram.com/balancedartist      

When you have kids, people say it's life changing, and they add so much value to your life. Then for the first several years, mostly the diaper stages, you think...this doesn’t seem to have the same ring to it that everyone was talking about.
When does the reward for this diaper changing and sleepless nights come?

Once you realize that nobody hands you a trophy when they turn 18 and congratulate you on successfully raising an adult, you realize the reward is what you’ve had the opportunity to experience over the last 18 years. The good, the bad and the ugly all contribute to what got you here today.
And the same is true for your creative life. 
Let's discuss....
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https://www.instagram.com/rorygardinermusic
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What is your mission? Is it to be a full time artist?

If so, you need a measurable goal. Remember, when marketing yourself, the audience you perform for, isn't necessarily the audience you're selling to.
Sell the benefits, not the features. 

Let's discuss...
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https://www.facebook.com/BalancedArtist
https://www.instagram.com/rorygardinermusic
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I was grateful to be asked by my friend Heather Parady to be a guest on her podcast "create community".  She asked me to help her be funnier. I told her she's already funny, but needs to optimize the tools she already has in her comedy tool belt. 
Here is my discussion with Heather, and the intro is a brain dump of some things that we didn't discuss in the episode, but I though were important around this topic.
We discuss tools like:

• Identifying your point of view and dealing with rejection
• Mind Mapping to find creative ideas
• Testing your work and delivering with confidence

Let's discuss....

Connect with heather:
https://www.heatherparady.com/
https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/
Listen to the Create Community Podcast HERE
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https://www.balancedartist.com
https://www.facebook.com/BalancedArtist
https://www.instagram.com/rorygardinermusic
https://www.instagram.com/balancedartist      

The way people consume entertainment now is completely different that 20 years ago. People don’t listen to full albums anymore, they listen to singles. Stand up comedy is even making a shift. Instead of sitting through an hour long Netflix special, people just watch chopped up bits on social media. Nobody likes change, but the good news is that this gives independent artists a shot to compete with the artists who previously had all the opportunities. The folks signed to record labels or comedy deals with HBO. 

By using a platform like TikTok or Instagram Reels, your short form content can get shared more than a major label artist or celebrity. Doing that consistently,  over time, you will build yourself a digital community of people who crave your content. Some might even refer to this digital community as your “fan base”.

Let's discuss....
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https://www.balancedartist.com
https://www.facebook.com/BalancedArtist
https://www.instagram.com/rorygardinermusic
https://www.instagram.com/balancedartist      

What are you trying to do with your creative career? How do you know when you’ve made it? Is there goal you’re trying to reach? An annual income you’re trying to meet? Take the entertainment industry for example, because that is my industry. Achieving a level where you can do it full time is a good goal, but once you get there, then what? 

Then there’s rewards and accolades you want to achieve. Charts you want to climb, venues you want to play. Your fan base is never big enough. You’re playing venues you never thought you’d be in, but compared to Metallica you’re not a Rockstar, you’re a pebble. 

If the career ahead of you is a never ending pursuit, then why not slow down, take it in and absorb some of it. Instead of judging other or feeling inadequate, why not identify as a learner. What did they do to get to where they are, and what do I need to do to achieve the same results.

Let's discuss...
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https://www.balancedartist.com
https://www.facebook.com/BalancedArtist
https://www.instagram.com/rorygardinermusic
https://www.instagram.com/balancedartist      

You’ve heard the expression that your income is related to the 5 people you spend the most time with. Or your environment is directly correlated to who you hang with and where you spend most of your time.
Your creative career is similar. If you spend 100% of the time the same circles you’ve always been a part of, how are you supposed to be introduced to new ideas, perspectives you never thought possible?

Let's discuss..
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https://www.balancedartist.com
https://www.facebook.com/BalancedArtist
https://www.instagram.com/rorygardinermusic
https://www.instagram.com/balancedartist      

Here is part 2, where we are joined by 2 of my favorite indie artists, Nicki Kris & Natalie Jean. We discuss why woman often don’t support other woman, and tips for licensing your music. We also dive in to how to be more aggressive with your email follow ups, and if TikTok is needed for artists today.

Natalie & Nicki are co-founders of Sisters In Music (SIM) an organization that promotes and encourages educational opportunities, collaborative musical works and performances among women to raise awareness and funding for various female focused charities.

Connect with Natalie:
https://www.facebook.com/NatalieJeanObsession
https://www.instagram.com/nataliej0819
Connect with Nicki:
https://www.facebook.com/NickiKrisMusic
https://www.instagram.com/nickikris/

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https://www.balancedartist.com
https://www.facebook.com/BalancedArtist
https://www.instagram.com/rorygardinermusic
https://www.instagram.com/balancedartist      

In this episode we are joined by 2 of my favorite indie artists, Nicki Kris & Natalie Jean. We discuss whether to niche down into a micro genre, or try spreading ourselves across multi platforms. Creating for entertainment vs making a social impact, and balancing a busy personal life & day job with your creative career. 

Nicki Kris is a female singer / songwriter based in Raleigh, North Carolina. Her music has captured an international audience since the soul stylings of her debut to the Americana flavor of her follow-up EP. She’s launched several electronic-influenced singles leading up to her award-winning album release, Heartbeat  in 2019.
Nicki’s songs have been featured in award-winning movies, TV shows, and on radio stations worldwide, and she is a feature artist on my latest single “I keep rollin”.
https://www.facebook.com/NickiKrisMusic
https://www.instagram.com/nickikris/

Natalie Jean is an award winning, multi-nominated singer/songwriter performer, and a Voting Member in the Recording Academy (GRAMMYS). She sings and writes for many genres, such as Jazz, Pop, R&B, Blues, World, Rock, Country, Americana, Inspirational, Adult Contemporary, Alternative, and, Dance, and sings in multiple languages: French, Spanish, English, and Haitian Creole.
https://www.facebook.com/NatalieJeanObsession
https://www.instagram.com/nataliej0819

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https://www.balancedartist.com
https://www.facebook.com/BalancedArtist
https://www.instagram.com/rorygardinermusic
https://www.instagram.com/balancedartist      

Some believe that you need to go all in on "plan A". Some want to play it safe with a "plan B". As Balanced Artists, we like to live somewhere in the middle(B+ ?!).
This allows us to execute plan A from a place of creativity, rather than a place of desperation. 
Let’s discuss….
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https://www.balancedartist.com
https://www.facebook.com/BalancedArtist
https://www.instagram.com/rorygardinermusic
https://www.instagram.com/balancedartist