Resources
Dear HBO, Please Keep ‘Silicon Valley’ Real!!!
Startup life is a hot topic in Hollywood right now. From Joshua Michael Stern’s “Jobs” to the Amazon original series “Betas” there’s an undeniable appeal to life in Silicon Valley for those both inside and outside the startup bubble.
Of course, Hollywood is famous for exaggerating or overlooking important aspects of reality for entertainment purposes, but so far, HBO’s “Silicon Valley” looks promising. Despite the dramatic plotline and startup stereotypes, the show provides a mostly accurate portrayal of entrepreneurial life and may even help demystify some aspects of startup culture.
Can ‘Silicon Valley’ Avoid Hollywood Startup Myths?
“Silicon Valley” follows the lives of near-genius, socially awkward computer programmer Richard Hendrix (played by Thomas Middleditch) and his friends as he attempts to launch his company in the star-studded world of Silicon Valley.
The show was inspired by the real-life experiences of director Mike Judge, who was a Silicon Valley engineer in the ’80s. Living up to his “Office Space” brilliance, Judge carries the mindset of the tech community to the small screen and introduces a number of well-cast (if stereotypical) characters we can all relate to: that bright but socially awkward programmer and the naïve entrepreneur with a lot to learn.
“Silicon Valley” seems like a winner so far, but the question is whether it can avoid falling prey to a lot of the common myths Hollywood likes to perpetuate about startup life.
Myth 1: A good idea automatically equals success.
When all you read about are the multibillion-dollar success stories, it’s easy to think that success is a sure thing if you have a good idea — or that good ideas are immediately rewarded with plentiful funding.
In reality, it’s not that simple. The venture capital world is complicated, and there’s a lot of competition to secure funding of any kind. A good idea needs a good plan, a good team, and a lot of luck. And even with all those things, failure is all too common.
Myth 2: Genius and social skills are mutually exclusive.
In shows like “The Big Bang Theory” bright, technology-obsessed characters are often stereotyped as socially awkward geeks. Or, as we saw in “The Social Network,” brilliance in Hollywood often translates to arrogance, self-importance, or standoffishness on-screen.
While there are plenty of antisocial geniuses, tech shows distort reality. Succeeding in Silicon Valley is not for wallflowers. By and large, entrepreneurs must be bright, motivated, and willing to listen and learn, as well as equipped with good social skills.
Myth 3: It’s easy to put together the perfect team.
Television shows often give the impression that it’s easy to pull together a highly skilled, highly compatible team right off the bat. But in the real world, there’s no casting call for the right skills and the right temperament. The perfect team isn’t just sitting around waiting for your breakthrough. The right people can be challenging to find and motivate to join the team. Your team’s chemistry relies on a combination of referrals, trial and error, and luck.
Shortly into its debut, “Silicon Valley” has done a good job of presenting a microcosm of the real Silicon Valley, especially for first-timers. And it’s popular for a reason: To those outside the startup bubble, it’s a fascinating world with a mysterious way of doing business. Anyone who has spent time in the tech industry will see where Judge gets it right, and anyone who hasn’t will find themselves more informed about the realities of Silicon Valley.
But the truth is that startup life is not particularly glamorous or mysterious. It’s not about fancy campuses or billion-dollar algorithms — it’s about bright, motivated people who work very hard every day to make an impact on the world.
Until next time,
Kelli Richards
CEO of The All Access Group, LLC
PS, The right mentor should also have the right CONNECTIONS to move you forward. Be sure to ask who they think they can bring to the table around advisorship, possible collaboration and even funding.
Originally posted: https://www.forbes.com/sites/85broads/2014/05/06/dear-hbo-please-keep-silicon-valley-real/
3 SEEMINGLY OBVIOUS TECH MERGERS WE’RE STILL WAITING FOR
THESE TOP COMPANIES DO BIG THINGS SEPARATELY; IMAGINE WHAT THEY COULD ACCOMPLISH TOGETHER.
One of the best parts of working in the tech industry is having a ringside seat to watch heavyweights like Google and Apple duke it out for market share and to be the first to develop the next big thing.
When tech titans acquire smaller, hotter companies or struggling enterprises that have been around the block, the result is often an exciting jolt of innovation and a threat of a bold industry upset.
When Google acquired Nest Lab this year for example, it was great for business and the consumer. Google had a vision for Nest as a game changer in the smart home category, and Nest enjoyed a long list of benefits. Google accelerated Nest’s strategic initiative, took it off the market to prevent its competitors from acquiring it, and boosted its own brand appeal. Nest was young, sexy, and desirable–an image that Apple has dominated for years.
Likewise, Facebook acquired Instagram in April 2012, when it was extremely small, for $1 billion–inheriting a rock-solid user base and carving out a larger chunk of the social sphere.
Successful mergers drive the tech industry forward and make new devices and services accessible to the average person. In the case of Nest, it made the young company able to reach more consumers with its clean tech initiative, and Instagram’ following quadrupled to more than 150 millions monthly active users after its acquisition.
There are several tech giants that have been dancing around some promising acquisitions for a while now, and I think I speak for everyone when I say they just need to do it already!
1. APPLE ACQUIRING DISNEY OR NETFLIX
Everyone knows that Apple has a huge war chest to buy relevant companies, and of course they’ve employed it several times over the years.
While Apple devotees around the world were disappointed to learn an Apple-Tesla merger was not in the cards for Elon Musk (at the moment, anyway), a more likely scenario is that Apple will try to acquire a major content company like Netflix or Disney in the near future.
Of course, Disney would be a big catch for Apple. The brands both embrace creativity, innovation, and delivering an amazing customer experience. In a merger, Apple would be able to ship the long-awaited Apple TV with access to ESPN, Pixar movies, and other Disney content. Consumers would have access to a much broader content library largely on-demand in the cloud, and Bob Iger and Tim Cook would be a dynamic duo that could boost shareholder confidence and inject innovation into both brands.
Netflix boasts a similar advantage of on-demand streaming and high-quality original content. An acquisition would reinforce Apple’s commitment to a seamless customer experience by offering a completely integrated content ecosystem. Owning a major content company would give Apple greater leverage when negotiating other forms of movie, TV, and sports content and make it virtually unstoppable in the media space (beyond its existing bench strength).
2. AMAZON ACQUIRING RADIO SHACK OR BEST BUY
Amazon has long expressed a desire to have a retail footprint, and Radio Shack and Best Buy both need a savior.
Brick-and-mortar electronics stores can’t match Amazon prices, but people still want to go into a store to play with the products or speak with a knowledgeable representative. Most people will go to Best Buy to kick the tires, then turn around and buy a product for less on Amazon.
It makes perfect sense that Amazon would want to offer the best of both worlds. Jeff Bezos has expressed the idea that he would be interested in physical retail locations, but only if Amazon had a “truly differentiated idea.”
What better way to accomplish that goal than to acquire a chain of established stores and existing real estate in local neighborhoods?
3. SAMSUNG OR GOOGLE ACQUIRING FITBIT
These companies are focused on innovation, delivering seamless data integration across all their devices, and creating functional, stylish products that consumers rely on daily.
The race for the ultimate wearable is on, and both Google and Samsung have thrown their hats into the smart watch solutions ring.
Samsung released its Gear Fit fitness tracker in April. The verdict is still out about Gear Fit’s performance, but if it’s not a blockbuster success, Samsung may want to consider buying Fitbit to knock out its chief competitor. Samsung would also gain Fitbit’s audience, technology, and great customer experience.
Google hasn’t come out with a smart watch yet, though the Google Gem is rumored to be almost ready for market. The Gem is reportedly clunky, so it may fail to take off simply because it’s too large and unwieldy. The ability to offer consumers the sleeker Fitbit may appeal to Google, especially because it would take the company off the market for Apple or Samsung.
Industry behemoths will only make a move to acquire another company when they see the potential for huge returns (or a threat from a partnership with their competitors).
These players are primed to disrupt the industry together, and these acquisitions would also bring exciting changes for the consumer. These companies already provide a great customer experience individually–just imagine what they could do together.
Until next time,
Kelli Richards, CEO of The All Access Group.
PS, The right mentor will also have the right CONNECTIONS to move any effort forward. Be sure to ask who they think they can bring to the table around advisorship, possible collaboration and even funding.
Originally posted: https://www.fastcompany.com/3029955/3-seemingly-obvious-tech-mergers-were-still-waiting-for
Cheri Huber
Dear HBO, Please Keep ‘Silicon Valley’ Real
May 7, 2014,
Forbes
Startup life is a hot topic in Hollywood right now. From Joshua Michael Stern’s “Jobs” to the Amazon original series “Betas,” there’s an undeniable appeal to life in Silicon Valley for those both inside and outside the startup bubble.
Read the entire article here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/85broads/2014/05/06/dear-hbo-please-keep-silicon-valley-real/
3 Seemingly Obvious Tech Mergers We’re Still Waiting For
May 5, 2014,
Fast Company
One of the best parts of working in the tech industry is having a ringside seat to watch heavyweights like Google and Apple duke it out for market share and to be the first to develop the next big thing.
Read the entire article here: https://www.fastcompany.com/3029955/3-seemingly-obvious-tech-mergers-were-still-waiting-for
What are the 5 Best Steps to Deepening Your Relationship with a Mentor?
Once you’ve chosen a mentor, or accepted a mentee, and established the ground rules of working together, the pressure is on to keep the conversation productive and relevant. After you’ve built a solid rapport, consider using these unconventional questions to deepen and advance the conversation into new areas of insight:
1. What qualities do you look for in the people you hang out with? Have you ever heard the saying that you are the average of the top 5 people you spend time with? A top performer knows that their time is valuable and not to be wasted on people who don’t help them become better in some way. If you can start a conversation with those you mentor about what they look for in others, you will get a 10,000 foot glimpse of the qualities they are trying to develop within themselves.
2. What values are you committed to? Having values at the center of your business is invaluable. In fact, one of the little-known secrets to Apple’s success is its unwavering commitment to challenging the status quo. Strong values such as these provide grounding and direction whenever you are faced with a new problem or opportunity. Spend some time defining and exploring a time when remaining true to their values required a mentor or mentee to embrace extra work or strong personal or professional sacrifice.
3. When is breaking the rules okay? Rules exist for a reason, but a top performer knows that many rules regarding “the way things are done” are simply a product of social construction, and no heads will roll if you break them. Why not ask for the story of a time when your mentor or mentee decided to break a rule in their own business and how it panned out. How did they evaluate the risks and benefits? Would they do anything differently today?
4. How do you keep your feelings from clouding your decision-making? Humans are far from purely rational beings, and yet we’re expected to make hundreds of decisions every day from a place of logic and reason. Top performers recognize the powerful role emotions play in tough decisions and develop constructive habits to raise their own awareness. Talk this over for a while to gain more insights into both parties.
5. How do you challenge your underlying beliefs or assumptions? While it’s not easy to prevent emotions from clouding one’s judgment, it’s even more challenging to recognize when you are operating from an assumption that may not be true. Top performers know that they don’t have it all figured out; the most successful people actively seek out new perspectives that challenge them to grow. Talk about how each of you challenges underlying beliefs and stringencies.
Until next time,
Kelli Richards
CEO of The All Access Group, LLC
PS, The right mentor will also have the right CONNECTIONS to move any effort forward. Be sure to ask who they think they can bring to the table around advisor ship, possible collaboration and even funding. If you’d like to discuss mentorship with me and learn more about my own connections and process, please reach out by email.
Important Security Measures for Small Businesses
With business data breaches becoming a common story on the evening news, small businesses need to be vigilant about securing their systems and technology to protect their customers and their operations. Symantec’s 2014 Internet Security Threat Report found that web-based attacks, targeted attacks and the number of breaches all significantly increased in 2013 and one in eight websites have a liability vulnerable to attacks. Make your business data difficult to access and manipulate so criminals move on to easier targets by knowing how data breaches occur, minimizing risk and regularly monitoring security.
How Data Breaches Occur
Equifax Personal Solutions Senior Vice President Scott Mitic cautions companies that data breaches aren’t just happening by anonymous hackers in cyberspace. Although breaches do occur this way, companies are also vulnerable to security breaches from physical access to sensitive confidential information. Physical access to systems can be by employees who use databases, vendors or outsourced IT service personnel who are onsite to perform work. A company’s website or interface are opportunities for hackers to try their hand at finding weaknesses in security that they can exploit to get further access to business financial data, employee data and customer data. Red flags that indicate data breach activity include missing company equipment such as laptops, smart phones, or tablets that may have sensitive data and suspicious phone calls about employee remote access to systems or password resets. Reports from systems monitoring programs or services about unauthorized access attempts help small businesses know when their systems are being targeted so they can increase security measures.
Minimizing Risk
Adam Levin, writing for Forbes on “How to Prepare Your Small Business for an Inevitable Data Breach,” recommends taking proactive security measures rather than waiting until something occurs that puts your data at risk. He recommends doing the following:
- Implement security policies and procedures and put someone in charge of maintaining compliance with them.
- Train employees on your security policies and procedures and about security issues such as phishing emails that try to get them to reveal or reset passwords and not leaving unsecured physical files or devices unattended.
- Limit and monitor access to systems and databases and put someone in charge of doing so, along with assigning someone secondary responsibility for checks and balances.
- Put financial systems on a separate, isolated computer than other systems in use.
- Use an outside security audit for regular review of systems threats.
Regularly Monitor Security
Make security a top priority with regular, ongoing security monitoring. Conduct and document frequent network penetration testing to determine if there are ways to get unauthorized access and fix any vulnerability as soon as you become aware of them. Automate security alerts for unusual activity on your systems to be able to take action right away. Identity theft protection software, such as LifeLock, can protect your personal and business information and monitor all of your data. Make it a mandatory policy to regularly install all new security updates on all equipment, even smart phones and other hand-held devices your employees bring in to work. Take care with vendors and require them to follow the same security policies and procedures as your company. William Hughs, Guest Blogger for the All Access Group, LLC
———————————————————-
PS: If you’re building a team to move your best projects forward, remember that the music to making it all work is your mentor. A powerful mentor should be an ally who sees your vision, a leader who brings the very best people and advisors, and a clear picture of how to get from starting point to end game. If you’re looking for that, I’d love to have a conversation with you.
Kelli Richards
Matt Swafford
Tom Rodrigues
How to Build a Strong Relationship with Your Mentor?
There is nothing more valuable for your personal and professional growth than finding the right mentor to guide and challenge you. But working with a mentor is not a transaction; it is a relationship, and as with any relationship it can be easily destroyed if you don’t take good care of it. Here are 8 things you can do to build a strong and productive foundation with your mentor:
1. Develop clarity around WHY you want a mentor. Before you meet with your mentor, ask yourself what type of help you are seeking and what qualities you hope to find in a mentor. Are you looking for someone with an entirely different skill set from yours? Someone who will call it like it is, even if it hurts? Knowing your own reasons for seeking a mentor will help you establish meaningful goals together.
2. Be OPEN and TRANSPARENT. You must be completely honest with your mentor about every aspect of your career – your hopes and fears, your strengths and weaknesses, your ideas, goals and highest aspirations. Your mentor will be able to have meaningful insights to enable him or her to propel you forward.
3. Set SMART goals. When creating goals, make sure they’re SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound. Review your goals every so often to make sure you are on the right track. If not, revisit and realign.
4. Decide when and how you will COMMUNICATE. Meeting regularly and face-to-face, or communicating mainly through phone and e-mail; once you’ve established what form of communication will take, don’t forget to discuss duration and frequency.
5. Be PREPARED for your sessions. It means coming to the conversation with a specific focus and a list of key questions. Be punctual, well organized, and ready to give a brief update on recent progress. Don’t hesitate to propose an agenda for the conversation.
6. Build TRUST and RESPECT. Mentoring is a sacrifice for both parties, but especially for the mentor. Be respectful of their time, boundaries and other priorities in life. Do everything you can to avoid trust-breaking behaviors.
7. Be RECEPTIVE to criticism. Your collaboration is mostly for your benefit, so it is vital that you never take it for granted. Be open and receptive to feedback as well as criticism.
Finally, keep in mind that your mentor is likely to give a lot more than you do in the relationship. Focus on the relationship, not the results, and always make sure to express often that you value and appreciate your mentor’s guidance.
Until next time,
Kelli Richards
CEO of The All Access Group, LLC
PS, The right mentor should also have the right CONNECTIONS to move you forward. Be sure to ask who they think they can bring to the table around advisorship, possible collaboration and even funding.
Search Resources
Topic Areas & Guests
Categories
Join our mailing list
For insights on industry trends, and for details on special projects/events. We respect your time and your privacy.
VIP Breakfast for Apple Alumni at the Silicon Valley Capital Club, San Jose, CA
I’m thrilled to invite you to join me for a VIP Breakfast for Apple Alumni at the Silicon Valley Capital Club in San Jose, CA on Thursday, December 8th, from 7-8am. I look forward to hosting an intimate breakfast and discussion exclusively for present and former Apple employees. This 1-hour Power Breakfast is about re-connecting & networking with Apple colleagues. We will explore how to take our businesses and our lives to a whole new level of success in the next year by building on the synergy of Apple alliances. The focus of this breakfast club will be my forthcoming eBook “The Magic & Moxie of Apple: An Insider’s View“. VIP Breakfast and a copy of the eBook (valued at $37) are limited to the first 12 people who respond.
RVSP by Friday, December 2nd to reserve your VIP seat at the event. sandy@allaccessgroup.com
Kelli Richards
CEO
The All Access Group, LLC
A Fantastic Freebie from Fanatic.FM
To celebrate Fanatic.FM and their great contribution to DIY brand building for artists, Fanatic.FM is offering a special bonus for Kelli’s tribe. Click here for a free subscription to The Fanatic and enter to win a 1-hour session with the Fanatic.FM social media tune-up experts. Deadline: December 5.
At Fanatic.fm, musicians, brands and fans unite to create music that changes the world. For musicians, Fanatic.fm is an innovative album publishing platform where brands bid to sponsor new musical projects. Bands take control over choosing sponsors. Every time music is played using the Fanatic.fm player, which can be embedded in any site or social media page, the band is paid a set cost per music play by their sponsor. Learn more at www.fanatic.fm.
Kelli Richards
CEO
The All Access Group, LLC
We did it! #1 on Amazon in Music!!!
A HUGE thank you to everyone who supported the Amazon Launch for “Taking the Crowd to the Cloud – Social Media for the Music Industry” – an eBook that raises the bar and demystifies social media marketing, helping musicians, agents and anyone in our industry to THRIVE. Not only did we spend all of last weekend at #1, as I write this, we’re STILL top ten!
Essentially, Taking the Crowd to the Cloud empowers and transforms the marketing mindset for artists. Featuring a few tips on the most commonly used social networks (like Twitter and Facebook); it also holds the keys to eMail marketing, Streaming Radio, YouTube, and Meetup Groups. (It even covers how to port your MySpace contents to Facebook Music.)
Although we’ve put the price raise into Amazon, it’s STILL at $3.99 while they process it, so grab your copy now if you haven’t already.
If you choose to, you may buy the book from my website for full price ($37) and have access to continually refreshed and updated content on this topic as a BONUS addendum.
Kelli Richards
CEO
The All Access Group, LLC
Hypebot Promotes “Taking the Crowd to the Cloud”
I’ll write a separate blog about how my eBook went all the way to #1 on Amazon this weekend, but I wanted to take a moment and offer a special thanks to Bruce Houghton – a powerful voice in the music industry – who writes for HypeBot. He made an exception to his SOP to review the book, and his observations are spot on and very important to me. Because of the holiday weekend, I made the executive choice to leave the eBook at the launch price just until mid-week, giving all of the artists out there a chance to grab it (and use it!). MANY thanks to Bruce and to everyone who supported our effort to offer a hands-on, simple, DIY look at social media for the music industry.
~ Kelli Richards
Kelli Richards’ Social Media For Music eBook Just $3.99 Today Only – Published 11/11/11
I don’t normally due blattant pitches for book’s seminar’s, etc. But after downloading Kelli Richard‘s eBook Taking the Crowd to the Cloud – Social Media for the Music Industry
Kelli’s guide covers all the usual modern marketing avenues from a musician’s perspective: Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, blogging, email marketing and even MySpace. There are also chapters on less utilized recources like Blog Talk Radio, Linkedin, Meetups and live event networking. Along the way, there are examples and short case studies.
Finally, she takes a look at several of the major players in ditect to fan marketing including ReverbNation, Topspin and Nimbit as monetization tools. It’s all there. But don’t just read about it. Use it.
$3.99 today only:Taking the Crowd to the Cloud – Social Media for the Music Industry
Written by Bruce Houghton, in DIY for Hypebot
Kelli Richards,
CEO of The All Access Group, LLC
11/11/11 eBook Launch! Help me hit #1 on Amazon!
Taking the Crowd to the Cloud –
SOCIAL MEDIA for the Music Industry
Kelli Richards’ new eBook, “Taking the Crowd to the Cloud – SOCIAL MEDIA for the Music Industry,” teaches you to run your content, your revenue, your merch and your fan base ANY WAY YOU WANT TO. It’s easily the best eBook on Social Media for Musicians, ever. Today is the ONLY day you can get the book on Amazon at $3.99. https://amzn.to/eBook-Crowd
This eBook raises the bar and demystifies the social media process. It will help you THRIVE in this tough economy and transform your online presence and your marketing mindset.
It provides an overview of the top 10 online spaces and gives a brief look at how to maximize your social media presence to build and keep your audience – and turn them into your own personal sales force.
- MORE FANS! The ultimate end-game!
- BRAND TRANSFORMATION! (Yes, trust me, you are a brand!)
- MORE MONEY! That’s an easy one, more fans + more content = more sales.
- SIMPLE! Written in easy-to-follow language with easy-to-implement instructions.
- FAST! You’ll learn about 8 no cost Resources to build your brand and your fan base!
- STOP WORRYING! No more worrying about missing the opp for social media success.
- No Cost Online Business Tools and List Building Tools worth 10X’s the cost of the book.
- FR EE DOM! How about turning your work into a business that does not depend on a label, a manager or ANYONE. Do what you WHAT you want, WHEN you want, and WHERE you want… You can set your own hours… You can live anywhere… All you need is an internet connection… The sky is the limit.
Kelli Richards’ new eBook, “Taking the Crowd to the Cloud – SOCIAL MEDIA for the Music Industry,” teaches you to run your content, your revenue, your merch and your fan base ANY WAY YOU WANT TO. It’s easily the best eBook on Social Media for Musicians, ever.
Today is the ONLY day you can get the book on Amazon at $3.99. https://amzn.to/eBook-Crowd.
A Digital Insider Scoffs at Townshend
As an industry insider – on way more than one level – it’s hard to take Pete Townshend’s comments as anything more than another great artist railing at the system. Look, in the end, we all have to admit that the system is broken. That’s one thing that Townshend got right in that interview. After that? Well, it’s all up for debate. But the fact that the debate was called to the floor again, that’s a good thing.
Let’s look at what he probably got wrong. Apple is not the villain here. In fact, probably the opposite. Apple is responsible for 75% of all LEGAL music downloads. And there’s no way that this makes them a vampire. It makes them a hero, of sorts. By creating a closed system, where one download went to ONE machine, Apple stopped the bleeding of way more than royalties. It addressed a cultural shift that it was OKAY to steal music. “Sharing.” So there’s something else that Townshend got right in that interview. Stealing and sharing are not the same thing – and the mere idea that music should be free is an utter insult to the millions of people who give their lives to create it.
I should disclose here that I was part of Apple way back when and helped launch digital music before it broke wide open, but my 13+ years in digital consultancy have certainly shown me every side of this equation (and argument).
Whether or not music should be free has gone where it belongs. It’s gone to artist-controlled DIY. DIY creation and DIY distribution. The indie artists have unlocked the code. Give away great material to build a tribe, and get that tribe to adore you. They’ll show up with the money, for sure, but only after the love affair has begun.
Here’s the other problem with Pete’s point of view – it assumes that Apple controls the digital distribution industry, and quite simply, it does not. In the world of Spotify and MusicShark and locker systems, Apple is only one giant float in the parade. Let’s clarify, they may even be leading the parade, but after a brief initial claim to the universe, way back when, they’re far from alone. Having said that, it’s obvious that the consumer, overall, loves Apple. Quite simply, in the words of futurist Gerd Leonhard, it’s easy. It’s a plug and go solution. It meets busy consumers where they want to be met, and serving the consumer IS the end game on the business side of music (and anything digital).
The artistic side? Producing great content and hiring mentors to aide and abet that? I wish I could ask Townshend why that is at all iTunes’ responsibility. That is a model that we see fading at every label, sadly (& that’s me wearing my hat as a former A&R exec at one of the majors). From this insider’s viewpoint, however, it will fade, but not die. There is a space for grooming artists, from a label’s point of view – otherwise we end up with the music industry’s version of Yentl for every project. (The same Editor, Producer, Writer and Actress, if you needed me to spell out that comparison.) Without label support, bands have limited objectivity of their work, at best. But we KNOW what percentage of artists get signed. So this new world of digital DIY is an amazing opportunity for artist AND consumer. Which brings us to Townshend’s issue with gatekeepers – one that social media and DIY will summarily trump, given enough time. Spaces like iLIke and Facebook will level the playing field.
Finally, it’s NOT Apple’s job to bridge the gap between labels and DIY. They are, like it or not, a retailer. Why should they be expected to fix what’s broken in music? The business model for direct sales/acquisition of recorded music in the traditional sense is collapsing.
But with all of the GREAT minds in the digital and music space, of course we’ll find a new model. Music does far more than soothe the savage breast, it is the most vital language of unification. Ask the millions of Chinese listening to Gaga or Beiber – or just look at the worldwide recognition of Mozart. Or the global domination of Idol.
Yes, there are definitely parts of the foundation with cracks, or worse, but I have full confidence from my life experience of consulting with the industry leaders and artists, that we’ll find a new and more powerful model to propel us forward. Until then, in the immortal words of Sonny and Cher, the beat goes on.
Kelli Richards
CEO
The All Access Group, LLC
The Future of Content, by Futurist, Gerd Leonhard
Gerd Leonhard is a media futurist, writer, keynote speaker and strategist with 25 years in the tech and entertainment industries in all major markets. Leonhard’s focus is on new technologies in content, media and technological convergence, and he’s just published his newest book on Kindle, “The Future of Content.” https://gerd.fm/focbook
Leonhard’s intent to publish this eBook via Amazon Kindle, exclusively, at this very low price, is to make these ideas and concepts as widely available as possible while still trying to be an example of what digital, paperless distribution can look like, going forward. Definitely a GREAT investment at $2.99.
Gerd Leonhard has been writing about the future of content (i.e. music, film, TV, books, newspapers, games etc.) since 1998. He has published 4 books on this topic, 2 of them on music (The Future of Music, Music 2.0). For the past 10 years, Leonhard has been deeply involved with many clients in various sectors of the content industry, in over 17 countries, and it’s been a great experience, he says. “I have learned a lot, I have listened a lot, I have talked even more (most likely:) and I think I have grown to really understand the issues that face the content industries – and the creators, themselves – in the switch from physical to digital media.”
This Kindle book is a highly curated collection of the most important essays and blog posts Leonhard has written on this topic, and even though some of it was written as far back as 2007. “I believe it still holds water years later. I have tried to only include the pieces that have real teeth. Please note that the original date of each piece is shown here in order to allow for contextual orientation.”
[audio:https://allaccessgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Gerd-Leonhard-Final-Edited.mp3|titles=Gerd Leonhard Final Edited]You can hear my recent one-on-one interview with Gerd here.
For those of you who do not know, I’m part of The Futures Agency, an online industry think-tank founded by Gerd Leonhard. The Futures Agency is based on 5 key principles: 1. Knowledge grows when shared, therefore we share everything 2. Proudly find elsewhere (PFE) 3. Do what you do best and link to the rest (*Jeff Jarvis) 4. Spend less time being important and more time being relevant 5. The leaders of the future are connectors – not just directors.
I’m proud to be part of this stellar group, and encourage everyone to pick up Gerd’s latest eBook and to spread the word and support your own followers and colleagues with this great collection of Gerd’s work.
https://www.amazon.com/The-
Kelli Richards,
CEO of The All Access Group, LLC
The Pandora Box of Mobile – The Sky’s the Limit
If you were at the Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco last week, you probably heard Pandora Founder Tim Westergren share that SEVENTY PERCENT of their usage is through mobile venues. Yes. 70%. And having created a super-successful digital space for themselves, Pandora doesn’t see Spotify, iTunes, or any other competition eating their lunch any time soon.
Tim Westergren shared the following about the portability of the iPhone and its impact on Pandora, “Overnight it transformed our business. We almost doubled our growth rate. It changed Pandora from being desktop computer radio to being like real radio.”
One can’t completely appreciate the enormous (and growing) impact of the mobile industry without really understanding its past. On my BlogTalkRadio series, I recently interviewed my longtime colleague, Anthony Stonefield, a leader in the mobile and digital industries, who literally pioneered downloadable song distribution in the 90’s and popularized ringtones worldwide in 2000 (creating today’s $8 billion ringtone market). Anthony also executive produced the worldwide mobile program for the Live 8 event, and the mobile charity part of Melissa Ethridge’s “I Run for Life” breast cancer campaign, among others. I asked Anthony Stonefield where he thought super distribution will take us in the next few yeas and to talk about SmartPhones and their broad effect on users.
“Smartphones put everything that you had on your PC into your hand… I think what’s happening now is that we’re unlocking the true internet. Until today, we have always thought that we are driving the web, but now, SmartPhones are reaching down into the emerging markets, to the next several billion individuals, and these people are creating revolutions, changing the face of the planet, because they’re getting their first real-time connection to the rest of the world, through SmartPhones. As these phones infiltrate emerging markets, we have a whole new world to embrace… this is changing the nature of the human being and the way we interact.”
“My experience is that entertainment media is always consumed on impulse. So the technical solutions are also part of this equation. 4G will eventually enable a distribution model that can scale, but until then, we face serious limitations of scale… 4G has a way to go before it can provide viable, reliable user experiences, but it does enable a way to discover and present media very rapidly.”
You can hear the entire interview here.
Getting back to the future, so to speak, Pandora’s founder explained at the Web 2.0 Summit that Pandora transformed from a simple desktop radio to a “real” radio when users started taking their iPhones and plugging them into their cars and living rooms. It’s important to realize that, conceptually, Tim Westergren does not consider Pandora competition to Apple, Spotify or other subscription music services. He considers it a streaming radio service, and does not charge for participation.
With revenue skyrocketing due to ad sales, similar to traditional radio, Pandora has forayed further into radio, actually developing programming and content – and perhaps even newscasts and “sports radio” broadcasts in the future, further solidifying them as the leader in this industry – at least for now. Like any great industry, competitors WILL show up. AOL, who could arguably be called the founder of online radio, relaunched its own product within hours of Westergren’s speech, with half of the audio commercials. (And AOL Radio already carries ESPN Radio and ABC News stations.)
It’s hard to know if AOL will be the biggest contender in the mobile war, but with Smartphones becoming the “transistor radios” of the future, Pandora’s box is definitely filled with opportunity.
A client of mine is about to launch her 2nd eBook. I’d like to change the price on her FIRST eBook on Amazon (and everywhere else it’s up). Could someone tell me how to do that? If you need to see the eBook for some reason, it can be found at: https://www.amazon.com/Taking-Crowd-Cloud-Industry-ebook/dp/B005H3ZK1Y
Kelli Richards,
CEO of The All Access Group, LLC
Celebrity Wrangling.
When it comes to celebrity wrangling, helping a corporate client or event organizer secure the right celebrity to support their event or product campaign is definitely more art than science. The most important part of the process is bringing my 25 years of listening and experience to a discussion about the objectives of the client. Is it a company celebration? Is the event or campaign about supporting their employees (internal) or their brand (customers)? Is it to thank their sales team? Or perhaps an industry conference with VIPs?
From there, we create a wish list of who they’d love to have stand on their stage or showcase their product or company, as well as what “type” of spokesperson or entertainer – for instance, a musician, a comedian, an actor or actress. Then we put together a prioritization and an outreach plan, something I’ve developed strong expertise in doing successfully after many years. We also create a list of gives and gets – is the celebrity or artist being compensated? Is the event so grand that it’s simply a win/win for them to participate? And then the back-and-forth between the client and the celebrity rep begins, and the process of creating a strong win for both sides unfolds.
The biggest impact in terms of having a celebrity or artist aligned with a campaign or event is what I call the “halo effect” – when an audience feels cared for and honored when a celebrity or artist that they trust is behind the company or the product. This generally results in a memorable experience and a long lasting increase in trust and credibility.
In addition, celebrity involvement can result in much greater visibility, acceleration, and traction for a start-up – and much greater exposure if you’re doing something on the web or in social media. It increases the attraction to the product or company like a magnet, based on the following and popularity of the celebrity and their brand. Finally, with the timeless nature of the web, this association with an artist will stand the test of time, being discovered again and again through a simple Google Search.
Not sure how a celebrity or artist might fit into your start-up, product or event? Reach out to me and ask. Kelli@AllAccessGroup.com
*****************
“Kelli’s contributions as co-producer of ‘MusicBiz 2005′ have been essential. Her relationships and management of them, as well as her conceptual abilities have been a cornerstone of the business we have been developing. I can’t imagine that it (the conference) would have happened without her. For starters, she brings a tremendous understanding of the market, a stellar reputation, loyal relationships among the leaders in the field, highly developed written and oral communication skills, untiring work ethic, excellent team building skills, and total reliability….”
~ David Schwartz, Executive Producer – MusicBiz
“Kelli has proven to be an excellent resource for Red Herring Events. She contacted over 50 musicians and celebrities for our Herring on Hollywood event. Kelli is both professional and a pleasure to work with. With her assistance, we were able to book the musician Ice-T to speak on the music panel. We will definitely be using Kelli’s services for future events.”
~ Beth Curran, Event Producer – Red Herring Magazine
Kelli Richards,
CEO of The All Access Group, LLC
Billboard.Biz – “Music-Industry Characters You Need To Follow”
Even with the best of intentions, in today’s hyperdriven digital age, it’s easy to use someone else’s article or lyrics and misunderstand how copyright and sourcing needs to be applied. And so, in addition to sharing some great insights around the global issue of copyright, on today’s blog I also want to thank Billboard for sharing their Twitter list of “Music-Industry Characters You Need To Follow” which was used, in large part, in my own social media eBook, “Taking the Crowd to the Cloud – Social Media for the Music Industry.”
Because she had made a few significant changes to the list, my copyeditor did not realize she should source the list and link it back to Billboard. I’ll certainly change it in reprints, and will source Billboard.biz in my webinars and teleseminars on the topic, but I also wanted to publicly acknowledge and thank Billboard and Billboard.Biz for being an amazing source of information and support to the music industry.
Copyright is definitely one of the greatest issues that has come to the forefront of the new digital age. Of course, it was always an issue. But when music and literature were hard pressed into vinyl and pages, and the middlemen controlled the product funnel, believe it or not, it was much easier to keep tabs on who owned what. With media passed around at the speed of light via digital distribution, solutions like meta-tagging and “watermarking” become an artist’s lifeline to their work. In our recent one-on-one chat, thought leader Thomas Reemer shares about the application (and implication) of watermarks and how they effect digital distribution.
(For those who don’t know, Thomas Reemer is the CEO of 88tc88.com – an online service that, among other things, translates western titles and artists, enabling access for Western Music to the vast Chinese mobile market, including direct access to China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom – the trifecta of the Chinese tech industry.)
Please click here to listen to my entire interview with Thomas, and if you’d like to be included on the MP3 distribution for my entire interview series (with industry leaders like Ian Rogers, CEO of TopSpin Media; Michael Robertson, CEO of MP3.com and DAR.fm; and groundbreaking musicians, such as David Pack, Musician, Songwriter and Lead Singer for Ambrosia; and Academy Award Winner, Irene Cara) simply sign up for “VIP Access” at the top of my website at AllAccessGroup.com.
Kelli Richards,
CEO of The All Access Group, LLC
PS: To get your own copy of my eBook, “Taking the Crowd to the Cloud – Social Media for the Music Industry,” and be invited to the exclusive webinar to support my readers on this topic, please click on the title.
*******************************************************
Search Resources
Topic Areas & Guests
Categories
Join our mailing list
For insights on industry trends, and for details on special projects/events. We respect your time and your privacy.
9 Ways to Make a Lasting Impression at Your First Conference
October 27, 2014, LinkedIn Articles Success in business is all about connections and relationships. And with more and more people working virtually and face-to-face meetings becoming fewer and farther between, the stakes have never been higher for making a good first impression. Read the entire article here: https://www.inc.com/kelli-richards/9-ways-to-make-a-lasting-impression-at-your-first-conference.html
Turn Up Your Volume: 5 Big Moves Entrepreneurs Can Learn From Music Moguls
October 24, 2014, Inc. Music moguls and entrepreneurs have a lot to teach each other. But don’t worry; you don’t have to sing like Beyoncé or turn tables like Skrillex to bring the music to your business. Read the entire article here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/turn-up-your-volume-5-big-moves-entrepreneurs-can-learn-richards/
Carla Harris
Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/kelli-richards-interviews-carla-harris
Stephanie Redd
Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/kelli-richards-interviews-stephanie-redd
Wearable Technology – iWatch and Wait
Formally known as “The Apple Watch,” Apple again forces us all to ask one existential question: What is it? Is it a bird? A plane? A watch, computer, bracelet, phone, or tablet? Now, you might be saying: Smart watches aren’t a new idea. But, in the end, Apple really does just do everything better.
The Ultimate Guide to Delegating (for Entrepreneurs Who Hate Delegating)
October 17, 2014, Inc. Freeing up your time won’t just make you more productive; it will also help maximize the skills and strengths of everyone on your team — including you. Read the entire article here: https://www.inc.com/kelli-richards/the-ultimate-guide-to-delegating-for-entrepreneurs-who-hate-delegating.html
The Secret Weapon of Billionaire CEOs and Other Wildly Successful People
October 10, 2014, Inc. If you’ve reached a plateau, it might be time to hire a business coach. A business coach can be a valuable asset to any executive and leader. Read the entire article here: https://www.inc.com/kelli-richards/the-secret-weapon-of-billionaire-ceos-and-other-wildly-successful-people.html
9 Ways to Make a Lasting Impression at Your First Conference
October 3, 2014, Inc. Conferences and industry events are a great place to initiate, establish, and nurture valuable business connections, but if you do the work before and after, you’re much more likely to maximize your time when you’re face-to-face. Read the entire article here: https://www.inc.com/kelli-richards/9-ways-to-make-a-lasting-impression-at-your-first-conference.html
Peter Hoddie
Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/kelli-richards-interviews-peter-hoddie
The Super Connector’s Guide to Making Powerful Business Introductions
September 26, 2014, Inc. If you aren’t actively looking for ways to make valuable introductions for your connections, your network isn’t as strong as it could be. Read the entire article here: https://www.inc.com/kelli-richards/the-super-connector-s-guide-to-making-powerful-business-introductions.html
Elaine Dennis
Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/kelli-richards-interviews-elaine-dennis
3 Essential Steps to Creating a Successful Personal Growth Plan
September 19, 2014, Inc. Drawing up a plan with the counsel of trusted advisors can not only help you visualize your goals and the necessary steps to achieve them, but it can also remedy a lot of the uncertainty that held you back in the first place. Read the entire article here: https://www.inc.com/kelli-richards/3-essential-steps-to-creating-a-successful-personal-growth-plan.html
Music and Your Brand: Five Ways to Tune Your Demographic In With the Right Band
Attention is a scarce resource—and that means it’s a costly one. In a world of hundreds of competing voices, art and music have become a powerful way to bring a brand back into the spotlight. The perfect example? The “marriage” of Alicia Keys and Blackberry. Blackberry didn’t just bring Keys in as a spokesperson, either; it made her its creative director. That wasn’t just some made-up title to give the “Girl on Fire” credibility; Keys has brought in some stellar ideas to create user (and fan) engagement. For her first act, Keys shot videos in every location of her tour, and she invited local fans and residents of those locales to send their own photos to include in the video clips. Photos chosen went on Alicia Keys’ on-stage video projection. Now that is a huge win around user experience—one of the fastest ways to turn engagement into ROI. Make It Relevant Right now, consumer brands are marketing more and more with music and entertainment. In fact, it’s become so important that some major brands have started their own record labels—including Red Bull, Scion, Mountain Dew, and Converse. Why? Music is a powerful way to create a cultural connection and engage with an audience while drawing your product even closer to your demographic’s lifestyle. Being hip, cool, relevant, and present as a brand is important, but the more important issue can be the cost to your image if you resist popular trends. (Just one example: Levi’s missed the hip-hop boom, and it cost the company $1 billion in sales—in one year.) Tuning in isn’t just a smart way to connect with your audience; it can be vital to your brand’s survival. The New ‘A&R’ Brands are becoming a trusted source for breaking hip underground artists to the mainstream media. The iTunes team at Apple (my alma mater) chose specific, obscure artists to create buzz around the launch of iTunes. That curating practice was really a form of Artist and Repertoire (or A&R), which used to be the domain of a record company. An “A&R” role—which I once did for EMI Music prior to launching the music vertical at Apple—was responsible for cultivating new talent for a label. Now, brands are performing that role themselves. By partnering with artists who fit your audience, you can create the perfect exposure for your brand to the right people. Here are a few ways to start: Find the right sound. If you don’t know which artists may make sense for your brand, hire people who do, or spend time online and on social media networks researching what your audience is listening to. Just ask and explore; they’ll tell you which artists you’ll want to pursue further. Target your age group. Brands vying for the attention of younger audiences—especially those 13-25—must be tuned into the entertainment world, especially when tie-ins between brands and bands are core to success. By partnering with exactly the right artistic act, you’ll net far more attention—and credibility—with your target audience. Get in touch. Many brands are approaching artists directly. If the artist is signed, the label may be involved, but it’s best to start with the artist’s manager (if an established band) or the artist directly (when a rising indie artist). Go where your audience is. Music festivals create the perfect audience for a brand. You’ll place yourself in front of thousands of viewers and kindle a shared passion with your artists’ fans. There are lots of music festivals catering to diverse audiences; find your niche. Unify and balance. Merging the needs of artists, brands, and fans can create powerful results. When an artist has a song that ties into the theme of a brand campaign, it resonates with the audience and is doubly powerful. Behind the Music There’s nothing quite like a smart, well-executed match between a brand and an artist. When Rihanna debuted her clothing line for River Island during London Fashion Week, she helped generate buzz and boost awareness in the United States around the UK-based clothing brand. When Panic at the Disco partnered with Honda Civic for the Honda Civic Tour in 2008, the group created an original, exclusive song for Honda’s Civic commercial. The band reached a much broader audience, which resulted in higher CD and ticket sales, and Honda was on the cutting edge with a new kind of branded content. Apple’s commercial for the launch of the MacBook Air featured a soundtrack from a little-known artist, Yael Naim. “New Song,” which was recorded in Naim’s Paris apartment, jumped up the charts and subsequently led to a wildly popular US tour—and critical success. Those are just a few examples; dozens of artistically interesting campaigns have benefited from the touch of a complementary musical act. That creative matchmaking is different every time, and it brings a new, fresh twist to a brand’s perception. The reason is simple: By its nature, music is both emotional and powerful. That’s why fans gather around their favorite artists, creating strong, tightly knit subcultures. Tuning into those communities can be the difference between becoming “white noise” and making a truly engaged connection—and that’s every advertising campaign’s goal. This post was originally published on Marketing Profs.
How to Make Money By Talking to Cool People
September 5, 2014, Inc. Hosting a podcast series helps increase brand recognition and provides a credibility boost.
Music and Your Brand: Five Ways to Tune Your Demographic In With the Right Band
September 15, 2014, LinkedIn Articles Attention is a scarce resource—and that means it’s a costly one. In a world of hundreds of competing voices, art and music have become a powerful way to bring a brand back into the spotlight. Read the entire article here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20140915152830-9638-music-and-your-brand-five-ways-to-tune-your-demographic-in-with-the-right-band/
How to Harness Power Like a Celebrity
September 11, 2014, Inc. Three strategies of the stars that business professionals can use to make a difference in the world and do things that truly matter to them. Read the entire article here: https://www.inc.com/kelli-richards/how-to-harness-power-like-a-celebrity.html
Star-Struck: Tapping into the Power of a Celebrity Speaker
September 8, 2014, LinkedIn Articles Creating a well-designed event is a balancing act. Tapping industry leaders and controversial renegades, orchestrating brilliant panels, and throwing awesome after-parties all help draw people in, but a well-informed celebrity speaker can elevate your event to “can’t-miss” status with real punch and energy. Read the entire article here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20140908165516-9638-star-struck-tapping-into-the-power-of-a-celebrity-speaker/
Lisa Wellman
Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/kelli-richards-interviews-lisa-wellman
How to Harness Power Like a Celebrity.
Three strategies of the stars that business professionals can use to make a difference in the world and do things that truly matter to them.
In the mid-1990s, Apple ran a series of insightful ads entitled “Power Is,” featuring several celebrities describing what power meant to them.
Star-Struck: Tapping into the Power of a Celebrity Speaker
Creating a well-designed event is a balancing act. Tapping industry leaders and controversial renegades, orchestrating brilliant panels, and throwing awesome after-parties all help draw people in, but a well-informed celebrity speaker can elevate your event to “can’t-miss” status with real punch and energy.
Personal Glimpses of a Comet: Comic Genius Robin Williams
Sometimes there are people who touch our lives in brief glimpses – and those encounters are so magical that we hold onto them and look forward to the next one over and over. They’re friends of friends or colleagues we bump into at events or meetings or random connections where it seems serendipity is at work.
Only the Good Die Young: Robin Williams & Other Creative Geniuses Taken Too Soon.
I’ll never forget the first time I met Robin Williams. I was a teenager attending a taping of “Mork & Mindy” on the Paramount Pictures lot. He was incredibly gracious and encouraging to my 16-year-old self with aspirations of working in the entertainment business and making my dent in the universe.
Only the Good Die Young: Robin Williams & Other Creative Geniuses Taken Too Soon
August 16, 2014, LinkedIn Articles I’ll never forget the first time I met Robin Williams. I was a teenager attending a taping of “Mork & Mindy” on the Paramount Pictures lot. Read the entire article here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20140816040437-9638-only-the-good-die-young-robin-williams-other-creative-geniuses-taken-too-soon/
Jamie DeWolf
Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/kelli-richards-interviews-jamie-dewolf
John Cook
Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/kelli-richards-interviews-john-cook
5 Important Books to Create Your Best Success on Every Level
Attention, book lovers – and CEOs – and artists – and entrepreneurs…. Here are five books I absolutely think you should read, and why. Yes, some of them have been out a while, but if you haven’t read them, give yourself an early birthday gift and order all five. (Then share them with someone you mentor. Remember, trusted advisors don’t just give advice and make powerful connections, they share the good stuff out there that inspires change and action.)
5 Conversation Tools For Nurturing Your Relationship With A Mentor
July 29, 2014, Forbes We’ve all longed for a classic mentor-mentee relationship at some point in our careers. We want someone who is savvy and seasoned. We want her to provide the perfect insights and career advice that will help us reach our goals. We want someone who will guide us to our destination. Read the entire article here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/85broads/2014/07/29/5-conversation-tools-for-nurturing-your-relationship-with-a-mentor/
How Technology Has Made Home Business Easier
Of the 28 million small businesses in the United States, 52 percent of them are home-based. Maintaining and organizing your business from home is easier with the advancements in mobile technology. With the latest apps and services you can organize your business’ finances, organize your team, market your product, and provide your customers with top-notch customer service. These technologies have made it easy for home businesses to streamline processes and produce products that mimic larger organizations.
Steve Hayden
Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/kelli-richards-interviews-steve-hayden
Eren Niazi
Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/kelli-richards-interviews-eren-niazi
Randy Haykin
Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/kelli-richards-interviews-randy-haykin
A Hard Day’s Night for Digital Legacy – The Lost Beatles Recordings
Great work will never die in today’s ever expanding online digital world. According to the IDC “The digital universe is growing 40% a year into the next decade. By 2020 it will contain nearly as many digital hits as there are stars in the universe.” In fact, according to Science Daily, 90% of all the world’s data has been written in the past 2 years. Wow. That is an incredibly daunting idea. Literally 90% of the information that is readily accessible to the world today was not available only 2 years ago.
Annual Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference
“Allen & Company is a private investment firm formed in 1922, located in New York and London. Allen & Company has advised, helped found and/or invested in numerous companies including BET, InterActiveCorp, Oxygen Media, Discovery Communications, News Corporation, the Coca-Cola Corporation and Google.”
Kick-Finishing: The Next Big Thing in Promotion – from Linkedin Influencers
It’s no surprise that artists and entrepreneurs alike frequently turn to crowdfunding — it works.
Crowdfunding campaigns raised more than $60,000 every hour in March. That’s a huge network recognizing and supporting individual projects and careers.
But it’s not just the initiation stage of a project that can benefit from a crowdfunding network. By using crowdfunding to spread the word after you’ve completed your project, you can turn your fans and partners into a massive marketing team and drastically increase the reach of your brand. This tactic is called kick-finishing, and it’s exactly what my musician friend Brent Bourgeois is doing with his new album.
Brent Bourgeois and the Origins of Kick-Finishing
Brent is a rock musician based in the San Francisco Bay Area with an extensive career in performing, songwriting, and producing. In the ’80s, he was a founding member of a fantastic band called Bourgeois Tagg and has since collaborated with numerous other talented artists.
Kick-Finishing: The Next Big Thing in Promotion
June 29, 2014, LinkedIn Articles It’s no surprise that artists and entrepreneurs alike frequently turn to crowdfunding — it works.
John Holland
Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/kelli-richards-interviews-john-holland
How to Build a Strong Relationship with Your Mentor?
There is nothing more valuable for your personal and professional growth than finding the right mentor to guide and challenge you. But working with a mentor is not a transaction; it is a relationship, and as with any relationship it can be easily destroyed if you don’t take good care of it.
Why Apple’s Beats Acquisition May Be Its Smartest Move Yet
The most talked-about “secret” of 2014 was Apple’s $3 billion acquisition of Beats. Although it wasn’t officially announced until May 28, rumors swirled around the Internet for weeks.
Tune in for my powerful interview with Brent Bourgeois
Brent Bourgeois is a long-time colleague and notable American rock musician, songwriter, and producer who most recently worked with Julian Lennon on their single ‘The High Road’ off of his New Album ‘Don’t Look Back’ (with sales supporting Julian’s White Feather Foundation).
Why Apple’s Beats Acquisition May Be Its Smartest Move Yet
June 9, 2014, LinkedIn Articles The most talked-about “secret” of 2014 was Apple’s $3 billion acquisition of Beats. Although it wasn’t officially announced until May 28, rumors swirled around the Internet for weeks.
Eventual Millionaire Interview: How to Network With Celebrities and Thought Leaders like Steve Jobs, with Kelli Richards
Eventual Millionaire Interview: How to Network With Celebrities and Thought Leaders like Steve Jobs, with Kelli Richards
How Your Brand Can Rock the Socks Off A Music Festival
Summer music festivals are full of sunshine, fun, and community, but they’re also packed with thousands of potential customers and brand advocates. Advertising at these events is nothing new, but startups that can find a way to become part of the festival can reap significant benefits.
How Your Brand Can Rock the Socks Off A Music Festival
May 21, 2014, LinkedIn Articles The most talked-about “secret” of 2014 was Apple’s $3 billion acquisition of Beats. Although it wasn’t officially announced until May 28, rumors swirled around the Internet for weeks.
Nancy Duarte
Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/kelli-richards-interviews-nancy-duarte
Dear HBO, Please Keep ‘Silicon Valley’ Real!!!
Of course, Hollywood is famous for exaggerating or overlooking important aspects of reality for entertainment purposes, but so far, HBO’s “Silicon Valley” looks promising. Despite the dramatic plotline and startup stereotypes, the show provides a mostly accurate portrayal of entrepreneurial life and may even help demystify some aspects of startup culture.
3 SEEMINGLY OBVIOUS TECH MERGERS WE’RE STILL WAITING FOR
One of the best parts of working in the tech industry is having a ringside seat to watch heavyweights like Google and Apple duke it out for market share and to be the first to develop the next big thing.
Cheri Huber
Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/kelli-richards-interviews-cheri-huber-0
Dear HBO, Please Keep ‘Silicon Valley’ Real
May 7, 2014, Forbes Startup life is a hot topic in Hollywood right now. From Joshua Michael Stern’s “Jobs” to the Amazon original series “Betas,” there’s an undeniable appeal to life in Silicon Valley for those both inside and outside the startup bubble. Read the entire article here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/85broads/2014/05/06/dear-hbo-please-keep-silicon-valley-real/
3 Seemingly Obvious Tech Mergers We’re Still Waiting For
May 5, 2014, Fast Company One of the best parts of working in the tech industry is having a ringside seat to watch heavyweights like Google and Apple duke it out for market share and to be the first to develop the next big thing. Read the entire article here: https://www.fastcompany.com/3029955/3-seemingly-obvious-tech-mergers-were-still-waiting-for
What are the 5 Best Steps to Deepening Your Relationship with a Mentor?
Once you’ve chosen a mentor, or accepted a mentee, and established the ground rules of working together, the pressure is on to keep the conversation productive and relevant.
Important Security Measures for Small Businesses
With business data breaches becoming a common story on the evening news, small businesses need to be vigilant about securing their systems and technology to protect their customers and their operations. Symantec’s 2014 Internet Security Threat Report found that web-based attacks, targeted attacks and the number of breaches all significantly increased in 2013 and one in eight websites have a liability vulnerable to attacks. Make your business data difficult to access and manipulate so criminals move on to easier targets by knowing how data breaches occur, minimizing risk and regularly monitoring security.
Matt Swafford
Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/kelli-richards-interviews-matt-swafford
Tom Rodrigues
Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/kelli-richards-interviews-tom-rodrigues
How to Build a Strong Relationship with Your Mentor?
There is nothing more valuable for your personal and professional growth than finding the right mentor to guide and challenge you. But working with a mentor is not a transaction; it is a relationship, and as with any relationship it can be easily destroyed if you don’t take good care of it.
Cathal Furey
Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/kelli-richards-interviews-cathal-furey
Is a Joint Venture Right for Me?
Entering into a Join Venture is not something to undertake lightly. It is a major decision and requires careful consideration. Here are some of the basics of how Joint Ventures work and some key points to keep in mind when considering whether or not it’s the right move for your business.
Want to Take Your Project to the Next Level? Collaborate!
Although our culture tends to celebrate the idea of the “lone creative genius,” the truth is that a look behind the scenes of any success story will very often reveal the work of a stellar team; a group of passionate people who worked together to challenge and motivate one another. Steve Jobs famously promoted collaboration to increase productivity and creativity at Apple. It was one of the benchmarks of all the work that went on during my years there, and it continues to be a best practice of the corporation, and the alum that worked there.
The Who What Where When & Why of Startups
Essentially, startups form because a group of rebels are fueled to the brim by enthusiasm, innovation and passion about their ideas and products. Sadly, those assets are not enough though. Without the resources, infrastructure, and / or the knowledge to develop it on their own, it’s very likely to go supernova before it ever develops a comfortable orbit. Mentoring is a core part of running a successful startup.
John Amaral
Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/kelli-richards-interviews-dr-john-amaral
4 Steps to Ace an Early-Adopter Culture
In this era of rapid innovation, a new technological breakthrough can shake an entire industry in an afternoon, and consumers are hungry for the most advanced gadgets available. Businesses are constantly expected to be at the forefront of emerging technology.
Chris Dotson
Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/kelli-richards-interviews-chris-dotson-inc
4 Tech Dinosaurs That Will Finally Die in 2015
In recent years, technology has changed the way we view work, entertainment, media, and even our workout habits. While most people are focused on what’s next for wearables, cloud computing, and syncing gadgets, few have taken the time to consider the tech we’re going to be sending into retirement in the coming years.
4 Steps to Ace an Early-Adopter Culture
March 12, 2014, Entrepreneur In this era of rapid innovation, a new technological breakthrough can shake an entire industry in an afternoon, and consumers are hungry for the most advanced gadgets available. Businesses are constantly expected to be at the forefront of emerging technology. Read the entire article here: https://www.entrepreneur.com/leadership/4-steps-to-ace-an-early-adopter-culture/232132
How to Vet a Crowded Industry for Hidden Innovation Opportunities
Most of the 10 million thermostats sold every year throughout the U.S. were clunky, inefficient, and impossible to program, but a simple, Wi-Fi-enabled device that could be programmed via a smartphone — that could be a game changer. Fadell and Rogers saw this opportunity, left their jobs at Apple, and got to work.
5 Unlikely Music Legends With Great Advice for Entrepreneurs
We usually expect business wisdom to come from the likes of Mark Cuban, Elon Musk, and Warren Buffett — not Jimmy Buffett. But there are a few big names in entertainment who would surprise you with their entrepreneurial spirit and business acumen.
4 Tech Dinosaurs That Will Finally Die in 2015
February 27, 2014, Forbes In recent years, technology has changed the way we view work, entertainment, media, and even our workout habits. While most people are focused on what’s next for wearables, cloud computing, and syncing gadgets, few have taken the time to consider the tech we’re going to be sending into retirement in the coming years. Read the entire article here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/85broads/2014/02/27/4-tech-dinosaurs-that-will-finally-die-in-2015/https://www.forbes.com/sites/85broads/2014/02/27/4-tech-dinosaurs-that-will-finally-die-in-2015/
Two Steps to Creating Collaborations and One to Surviving When they Go Wrong.
Today I had the privilege of interviewing Ian Miller. Ian is an expert brand and marketing strategist with 30 years of experience building hugely competitive brands and the CEO and Founder of The Brand Practice, a business and brand strategy consultancy. A recognized expert / lecturer in Ingredient Branding, Ian Miller has led the creation and global launch of the ingredient brand, NutraSweet, and worked closely with over 50 partner brands, including Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi – creating great synergy and collaboration around the business world.
5 Tools Every Entrepreneur Needs in 2014
Entrepreneurs must be practical experts, according to author and leadership expert Simon Sinek. A new business owner needs to specialize in his craft, as well as marketing, graphic design, and plant maintenance. He sweeps, writes press releases, and keeps the books. An entrepreneur is everything to everyone. Juggling so many jobs can be a huge task, but happily there are new tools and tech to get you through it without losing your mind.
Albhy Galuten
Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/kelli-richers-interviews-albhy-galuten
Step Away from the Smartphone
Of the 93% of Americans that use cell phones or wireless devices, one-third of them are using “smartphones,” with which you can browse the Web and check e-mail. In other words, most of us are spending our days walking around with our eyes glued to our phone screens, as chillingly demonstrated in this telling YouTube short.
Brent Bourgeois
Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/kelli-richards-interviews-brent-bourgeois
Bobby Fried
Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/kelli-interviews-robert-fried
The Benefits of BYOD Across Different Company Sizes
Anyone connected to the business world has heard about the rampant popularity of bring-your-own-device policies, better known as BYOD. The trend will continue for the near future and likely beyond, with Gartner analysts claiming that 50 percent of companies will mandate a BYOD platform over the course of the next five years. The popularity and gains in morale aside, however, does a BYOD set of policies make sense to a company on a financial standpoint? In terms of dollars and cents, some businesses may get more out of BYOD than others.
The Secret to Becoming a Super Connector
January 28, 2014, LinkedIn Articles A few years ago, a former colleague reached out to me. He was working at Cisco, helping the company organize its 25 anniversary employee celebration. For the event’s entertainment, CEO John Chambers wanted Jerry Seinfeld. Read the entire article here: https://www.inc.com/kelli-richards/the-super-connector-s-guide-to-making-powerful-business-introductions.html
iPhone: Hover Technology Coming Soon?
Imagine having dirty or wet hands, not wanting to touch your phone, but still needing to use it- you can. It takes new phone anxiety and consequent over protection to a whole new level. But beyond aiding neat freaks in protecting their phones, this technology has immense potential, and really left me wishing that my phone could do the same cool new tricks.
Peter Hoppenfeld
Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/kelli-richards-interviews-peter-hoppenfeld
Live Viewing Services for YouTube Verified Users?
In a day and age largely defined by the creation and expansion of social networking, and sharing, YouTube’s expansion of live video services to all verified users, may not seem so revolutionary or even like a new idea, but it will no doubt prove its versatility.
Coin: Access to All of Your Cards in One
Coin is a new type of credit card that stores all of your accounts on one card. How can this be possible, you ask? Coin works just like any other credit card and you can swipe it in any machine, only this card comes with out hassle. To choose which account you want to use for each particular purchase, simply click the round button on the card and scroll through each account on the small display screen until you find the correct account.
4 Unique Gatherings for Thought Leaders in 2014
We live in a rapidly changing world, and it’s not about to slow down in 2014. Here are four exciting events in the coming year that will keep you on the bleeding edge of innovation.
International CES “It’s a lab. A social hub. A marketplace. And a few things they’ve yet to create words for.”
Mike Koenigs
Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/kelli-richards-qa-w-mike-koenigs-ceo-of-traffic-geyser-0
Chip Schultzman
Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/kelli-richards-qa-w-chip-schutzman-miles-high-productions
Anthony Cordova
Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/kelli-richards-interviews-anthony-cordova
Jeffery Weber
Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/kelli-richards-interviews-jeffrey-weber-author-producer
Brenden Mulligan
Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/kelli-richards-interviews-brenden-mulligan-ceo-of-onesheet
4 Must-Have Gifts for the Music Fanatic in Your Life
You’ve eventually got to get creative when it comes to buying gifts for your music lover. Here are 4 awesome ideas to get you started that are sure to please any music fan.
Lyle Workman
Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/kelli-richards-qa-w-musician-composer-lyle-workman
Christine Arylo
Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/kelli-richards-qa-w-christine-arylo-author-and-coach
Luke Potter
Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/kelli-richards-qa-w-singer-songwriter-luke-potter
Frans Johansson
Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/kelli-richards-interviews-frans-johansson
Scott Fox
Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/kelli-richards-interviews-scott-fox-0
Judy Robinett
Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/kelli-richards-interviews-judy-robinett
Dave Ulmer
Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/kelli-richards-interviews-dave-ulmer
EOS 3D: A Radical Step Forward for 3D Technology
But all this has changed with the introduction of EOS 3D – which literally prints 3D objects. These machines are capable of “printing” in plastic, metal, and sand manufacturing, and the appeal to various industries – ranging from aerospace to medical and lifestyle products – is undeniable.
How to Start a Rabbl: Tell Your Favorite Bands Where to Play, and When
With the advent of various personal music-creating and editing programs (from Audacity, to Garage Band, to Logic Pro) it has become increasingly easy, and more popular for individuals to dive into the independent music industry. Success stories of amateur musicians, making it big from small, at-home “studios,” are rolling in daily.
Freddie Ravel
Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/kelli-richards-interviews-freddie-ravel
Dave Jaworski
Listen to the entire podcast here: https://jeeni.com/track/kelli-richards-interviews-dave-jaworski-3rd-ever-employee-of-microsoft-canada
Carol Pepper
Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/kelli-richards-qa-w-carol-pepper-author-wealth-manager
Linda Ronstadt
Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/kelli-richards-interviews-linda-ronstadt
Search Resources
Topic Areas & Guests
Categories
Join our mailing list
For insights on industry trends, and for details on special projects/events. We respect your time and your privacy.
Kelli’s monthly newsletters are her direct line of communication to clients and friends. Each edition includes a personal note, an overview of recent activities, book recommendations, and more.
Some past newsletters are included on this page. To become part of this community, and to receive the most current communications from Kelli, you can sign up by clicking the button below.
We’re thrilled to have you join us!
Search Resources
Topic Areas & Guests
Categories
Join our mailing list
For insights on industry trends, and for details on special projects/events. We respect your time and your privacy.