You cancel a performance because you’re sick.
Your students don’t show up for their lessons.
You’re on holiday (I know, like you ever take one.)
Your agent is on holiday (like, all the time.)
You are between contracts. For what seems forever.
You just don’t feel like singing and want to lie down somewhere for a few weeks. (Okay, make that a few years.)
Basically, no matter how glamorous you think your life is, the truth is if you are self-employed and you’re not showing up, then you’re not getting paid.
This is obvious but pretty damn important…surely you didn’t spend all that money on training, on music, on tickets to performances, on material for your business, on that website, on paying for your agent to have lovely long lunches with other people, all that investment (as Gordon Brown likes to call spending) to be sitting at home, waiting for the phone to ring, and not earning anything more for all that hard work you’ve put in to your career?
Don’t you fancy getting paid…wait for it… even when you’re not performing? (shock gasp horror!)
Because one fine, sunny day, you wake up and discover that you’ve lost your voice. Or decide you can’t be bothered any more. Or you have kids, or an accident, or you just simply run out of time and energy. And did I mention running out of money?
The big question is – are you prepared?
What are you doing right now to make sure you can support yourself when the music stops?
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Oh this is so true for so many people… as a business coach I help people get past this dilemma quite often (ironically as a coach there is at least partially a time for money equation going on too!!). Three great ways to move past this if you are in a service business are: build a team, build products that teach and make sure your pricing covers your risks!
I love your suggestions – “build a team” goes to the heart of a book I recommend called “The E-Myth” by Michael Gerber, but I would drill down deeper and say build a SYSTEM that this team can function within where the core values of your business remain aligned and supported even if you delegate. Building products is essential too (I would suggest it is actually the most important thing), but the key is learning how to market these in the most efficient way – the internet is PERFECT for this, obviously (and cost of production vs pricing is also well covered here.)
I’m currently working on creating a product designed to help performers who are starting from scratch to build their own web businesses to support their careers – so I really value your comments. Welcome!