Tuesday, August 31, 2010

The view inside your fish tank

Greetings everyone.
At this writing, I seem to be entering a new chapter in my life.   My partner and I are faced sadly with the unenviable position of saying goodbye to "our kids".  We are "parents" to two 12 year old's Sable & Minx (our dog and cat)  arrived in the same barn, and traveled several hours to our home, and hearts 12 years ago, and  have decided  they together have more work to do elsewhere.... without us.

This has caused us to really look closely at our lives and how dependent upon them we have become, facing the world without our most "trusted companions" some days really seems unfathomable.   It's during these major life changes that I find myself really looking at "my view of the world"  and how it is so easy to create habits and routines that often "limit our worlds"  which has a direct impact on our piece of the world and how we live in it.

If you find your world has become very small, read on.... 

The view inside the fish tank

As we have all lived life, our experiences, parental values influences, and socio-economic status have all shaped how we view “our” worlds.  Living day to day, we acquire routines, rituals, and ruts that may be really limiting the size of our world and what we can do.

Much like a fish in an aquarium, all the water  and tank represent your surroundings, how you live, others in your life, your routines, your wasted time all-swirling about.

In an Aquarium when a fish gets sick, you must treat the whole tank to save the fish, this means cleansing the water, dumping all the pollutants in the environment.
How is being this fish in a tank any different than you and me?
Take a real close look at your surroundings.  Is this environment working for you? Or are things around polluting your heart, your mind, your spirit, and limiting your view of the outside world?
Much like the built up algae that appears on the walls of the tank obstructing our broader view of the world…. Do you need to cleanse your tank? & Get rid of the stuff that is polluting your world?

That may include the people you hang around.   Business coach Jim Roan is quoted as saying “your income will become on average the same as 5 people you choose to hang around most.

Who are you associating with on a daily basis?  Do you go to a job where you work in an environment where you are not respected? Your not encouraged to grow in a healthy balanced way.  In your work and social circles you need to associate with individuals that have a higher degree of success, and learn success habits from THEM.  Then a shift occurs in mindset and how you view your world.
I'm not suggesting you be something or someone your not, rather, reaching out to attain your purpose and full potential!  (not what someone ELSE has dictated you "should" or "must do" to be successful). 
Suddenly, you will act and feel differently. You will begin to see a world in a positive light as a successful person.  

You can see OUT to a MUCH bigger world that you couldn’t see before. you may feel overwhelmed or frightened by this.   This is completely normal.  If your reading this, you have access to tools and guidance available to help you unlearn the old habits, and help guide you toward organized, productive time management, and creating a way of life that incorporates balance, and doing what you love for a living wage.  Isn't it time that you not let fear and other people's expectations stop you ?

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Bird in the Tree: Artist Interview: Tamra Engle's Vision for Action

Bird in the Tree: Artist Interview: Tamra Engle's Vision for Action: "I met Tamra Engle after seeing she was teaching songwriting in Berkeley. I soon found out she was not only a teacher, but a powerhouse of a ..."

Thursday, August 19, 2010

TAMRA ENGLE- Business Strategist-BLOG: The business of being a artist

TAMRA ENGLE- Business Strategist-BLOG: The business of being a artist: "Have you stepped back and taken a look at your looked at your art AS a business? If you don’t have a “business background” or know where t..."

The business of being a artist


Have you stepped back and taken a look at your looked at your art AS a business?  
If you don’t have a “business background” or know where to begin, or you feel business and art have nothing to do with one another,  you may not have done this.


If this is the case, how is this working for you? 
Are you happy with where you are professionally as a artist? Probably not, 
It's ok- you one of hundreds of thousands  who are not getting what they want from their creative pursuits, and as a result are not able to make a living wage doing what they love.

You realize you can do something to change that?
Let's back up and start at the very beginning to  do a little “check up” to see if you are ready to start a business?

Answer yes or no to the following questions:

1. Do you think your ready to start a business?
2. Have you ever worked IN a business similar to what you are planning?
3. Would people say you are well suited to be self employed?
4. Do you have support from your family & friends?
5. Do you consider yourself a leader and self starter?
6. Would OTHER people consider you a leader or self starter?
7. Are you willing to invest a significant portion of your savings or net worth  to get your business started?
8. Are you prepared if needed to temporarily lower your standards of living  for a couple of years until your business is firmly established?
9. Are you willing to commit long hours to make your business work?
10. Have you ever written a business plan?

If you answered NO to more than 3 of these questions then perhaps the making a living as a self employed artist  isn’t something you are suited for- and you can continue to languish in obscurity.

  If you answered yes to many of the questions, and want to take steps to change the trajectory of your artistic career, then re-framing how you view your music, as a BUSINESS and creating a business structure around it will insure you  have more success. 

The degree of your success depends entirely upon you having a GREAT product, GREAT plan, & lots of hard work on creating a foundational plan to build your career upon.

I have listed these items in the order they should be addressed each step is dependent upon the next to be successful

CREATING YOUR ARTISTIC IDENTITY:
    This will help you distill and clarify what it is your doing, what space your competing in, what value you are providing your audience, & why they should care about what your doing.

A PROFESSIONALLY WRITTEN BIO:
    When you write your own bio, you know it, and so does everyone reading it.
The information you provide your readers is vital to them understanding who you are-  Listing the unique facts about you, relevant experience, and phrasing it in a clear concise way that compels the reader to want to know more about you
Carefully cultivating the unique qualities that make you different than everyone else.

YOUR PLAN:
Every SUCCESSFUL business has a plan-& goals. It doesn’t matter if you are the only person in the business you still need a roadmap detailing what your business does, what direction your headed in, who your customers are and what core values are important to you and guide you.

BUSINESS CARDS:
  This simple tool is often over looked- and a key tool to show that your serious about what you do.  Often I get a card and  find it is missing a website, or email address, last week at a conference I got a card that just had a name on it. that's it.  I nearly tossed the card, then I googled the name thinking ah a clever ploy to get me to the artist website. NOTHING, not even a facebook page.  I tossed the card, and that artist probably doesn't realize how many opportunities that have been missed by trying to be cool and different.  Clearly missed the target.

Use a standard sized card- if it doesnt fit in a wallet it will get tossed or annoy people that it wont fit in their wallet.
Print on ONE SIDE, on a NON GLOSSY card,   when people who care about you get your card, & if they want to make a note about you on the back of the card, for possible follow up.  They can’t if the card is two sided or glossy.

Include:  NAME PHONE # EMAIL WEBSITE ADDY & your ARTISTIC TAG LINE
(the tag line comes  from your work on your artist id)

You can order great cards from http://www.printsmadeeasy.com/



A SMART PHONE: 
 If you are not easily accessable, you will miss opportunities and not even know it.  A prospective client talking with you, hearing beeps and clicks as you hit the keypad, and then dead air because you hung up on them.
 With today’s technology you need access to your phone calls, & emails-and RESPOND to requests within 1 business day unless you are "out of the office" then you have a message indicating that you will be returning on a specific date and will be returning messages THEN.
   At this writing Whether you are with ATT or Verizon  get either a iPhone or a Droid-  they both run multiple apps are dependable (as much as the two largest wireless providers can be).  And most importantly they make you available to do business.   Do not mess with bargin brand phone service, or pay as you go services-  You get to WRITE OFF this expense when you do your taxes. YOU CAN"T AFFORD NOT TO HAVE ONE.  Do not short change yourself, in having a key communication tool available.

The bottom line is, You never get a 2nd chance to make a 1st impression-  by having the correct  BASIC tools, shows the outside world you are:
-       Organized
-       Open for business
-       Have a Plan 
-       Serious about your career

If your potential customers or fans are unsure about you or the service you offer they WILL NOT BUY your products, it is up to you to clarify and make it easy for them  

If you need help getting organized, clarified, and realize the success you imagine, contact me I can help you put the correct pieces in place for YOU to make a powerful impression on your prospective fans, business partners & investors. 
In teaching you how to succeed these tools can be used in ALL areas of your life, it happened for me, it's happened for my clients, it can happen for you. It just takes the acknowledgement that you want to, and are ready to make a positive difference in your life.

Tamra Engle is a performing songwriter and business strategist who offers business solutions for creative minds to help them succeed in the evolving music and entertainment industries. As a performing singer-songwriter,  she has worked as a studio musician in Los Angeles; toured the U.S. and enjoyed the placement of her songs on television and nationally aired commercials. Her recent album was on the final round ballot for the 2008 Grammy's in the Best Contemporary Folk Album category.

PASSION PROJECTS:
Helping others achieve success doing what they love.
Insuring music education remains accessible to school age children.
Ending Violence against Women & Children.
Reef Preservation/Restoration
Deep Sea Diving


         http://www.tamraengle.com


Friday, August 6, 2010

Discovering your purpose

One of the greatest gifts my parents gave me was the love of books, and the desire to do anything I set my mind to.
(as long as I had a plan to do it right).


  I have conversations with friends and collegues everyday who are frustrated with being stuck and simply not knowing how to be able to make a living doing what they love.
 Many of us spend our lives endlessly searching for the quick fix to fill us.  I know I spent years, focusing on making money because that's what I thought, and was told,  was the important thing to focus on.  Yes, the great green does provide us with the "comfort" of having "things" around us, it doesn't really quench our thirst for fullfillment to do what WE love.


I know I have been given blessing  to search and seek what I love. For me, it took a huge life changing moment to stop me to acknowledge what I had known deep in my heart, that  I was chasing the wrong thing for the wrong reason. 


So I set forth to follow my calling,  and part of my work is to share this with others, and  help others "discover their calling" then, drop by drop our little pool grows into a great ocean of fulfillment.


We spend our lives seeking to feed 3 hungers:


1) To connect w/ the creative spirit of life:  At some point we become aware of the creative energy all around us.


2) To know and express your gifts:  Everyone contains some unique talent(s) some discovered some yet to be discovered- for the undiscovered many seek fulfillment in countless ways, 
the fastest cars, the biggest house, affairs, addictions, distractions from the day to day constantly searching for "IT".  Many spend their lifetimes looking for the thing that will provided the fulfillment they seek.


3)To know our lives matter:  Each of us wants to know that we will leave behind a reminder of their existence, a impression that we have left for others to see and experience after we have left.


Fulfillment is achieved by feeding all 3 of these hungers- we can make alot of money, have fame, but success w/out fulfillment means you are not feeding all 3 hungers!


DISCOVERY
First start with yourself- not the external demands put upon you or the situation.


Then, discover what makes you unique?  Where do you find your joy and passion?  When you connect with your passion your chances of success are HUGE. 


Finally find peace / solitude- The greatest gift you can give yourself is a quiet space, maybe it is a favorite hiking path, a favorite rock to stare out on the city, ocean or open space.  maybe a sunny corner of your favorite room.  If this solitude place is someplace that takes time to get to, then create a space where you can find a similar peace of mind.
 A client of mine, used posters, colors, and a ipod  to replicate the beach in her urban space.  This quiet place will help you deal with the starting w/ yourself, uniqueness, discovering where you find joy and connecting.  Your imagination is a powerful, and FREE tool you can use anytime everyday!


WHATS YOUR ANSWER?


What is your ideal of "living the good life"?  In today's society  we are consumers, we focus on "things" the kind of car we drive, the designer clothing we wear, the cool new gadget everyone has, the neighborhood we live in.  Distill things to these elements:
Living in a place that you feel you  belong, with people your love and in relationships that work (including the relationship with yourself).  Having the right work.  When you focus on something you believe in with your heart & soul in a environment that represents who your are, and doing the tasks w/ purpose  you have suddenly found the meaning for yourself,  rather than trying to be something to everyone else.








ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Tamra Engle is a performing songwriter and business strategist who offers business solutions for creative minds to help them succeed in the evolving music and entertainment industries. As a performing singer-songwriter she has worked as a studio musician in Los Angeles; toured the U.S. and enjoyed the placement of her songs on television and nationally aired commercials. Her recent album was on the final round ballot for the 2008 Grammy's in the Best Contemporary Folk Album category.

PASSION PROJECTS: 

  • Helping others achieve success doing what they love.
  • Insuring music education remains accessible to school age children.
  • Ending Violence against Women & Children.
  • Reef Preservation/Restoration
  • Deep Sea Diving



References:


Richard Leider- The  Power of  Purpose
as recommended by Robert Temple 
http://www.roberttemplemusic.com