Resources
The Power of True Friendships is Timeless
As a ’super-connector,’ I know a lot of people and have made a lot of friends over time through various jobs and communities I’ve been a part of — like many of us have. For years (even decades) I was pretty good at keeping in touch with most of them. However as time has passed (I’d say over the past ten years in particular), I’ve drifted away from many people who I really care about. It’s not something that I’m proud of, and I’ve made a vow to close the gap and re-sync with more of my people.
I’ve realized that when someone crosses my mind, it’s important to reach out and let them know I’m thinking of them. Inevitably it means so much to them, and though time may have passed, the depth of the relationships we’ve forged remains and we pick up as if there have been no gaps. I’ve found this to hold true both for friendships and for business relationships.
I was sitting in my favorite coffee shop not long ago, and when I looked up I saw one of my favorite Apple Alum – Peter Hoddie – who was one of the original engineers that developed QuickTime technology. We had an unexpected catch-up on the spot which was really delightful. I hadn’t seen him in years but as referenced above, it was as if no time had passed.
More recently, I flew to San Diego for a celebration of life of a dear friend who passed unexpectedly last fall. One of my close friends from my year of doing graduate coaching training with Alan Cohen, Montie Sommers, lives in San Diego so I took the opportunity to see if she was available for brunch. We had a fantastic visit that lasted a couple of hours and really lit me up.
So I guess the moral of this story is, do your best to stay in touch with your friends and colleagues; we all need people in our lives who know us, our history, who care about us – and who we care about in return. Life is short, and it’s important to retain those ties and not to let time and other distractions carry us too far apart for too long. Consider reaching out to folks who are meaningful to you when you think of them and not putting that off; that’s a great way to stay actively engaged.
I’m curious if you have ways you like to keep your friends and community close to keep those ties intact; let me know!
Be well,
Kelli
The Benefits of Having a Garden Sanctuary for Visionary Innovators and Leaders
Having a garden sanctuary in your environment is more than just a luxury; it’s a soul-nourishing necessity in our fast-paced, digitally driven world. In this article, I share why creating and maintaining such a space is really essential for your well-being, creativity and alignment as a visionary innovator and leader.
Spotlight
We Can Do It Women Podcast
I was recently interviewed by host Debra Morrison for this podcast. The community is focused on empowering women over 50, and it pivots around the notion that it’s never too late for women to reinvent themselves and to create impact. Our discussion centered on my journey and insights around innovation and reinvention throughout your life and career.
Spotlight
ARK Big Ideas Report 2025
I recently watched Cathie Woods of ARK Invest do a talk on trends in innovation that are important for investors to pay attention to. Cathie is a top stock picker and founder of the $60B ARK Invest which over the years has made phenomenal returns on her investments in cutting-edge technologies. She and her team have just come out with their “Big Ideas 2025” report which is a deep-dive guide to breakthrough technologies poised to boost productivity dramatically, to revolutionize industries, and to create long-term investment opportunities. It’s a must-read report that centers on transformative change.
Media Recommendations
Lonely Planet – (Netflix)
One Friday night recently, I was home alone and didn’t have a clear idea of what I wanted to watch when I came across a Netflix film entitled “Lonely Planet” starting Laura Dern – I always enjoy her films. I enjoy romcoms, especially after a long work week, and as a lightweight film this looked like it would fit the bill for the evening. The film centers on a restless, somewhat reclusive novelist who attends a writer’s retreat in Morocco designed to gather together a host of prestigious authors. She runs into a younger man while at the retreat (Liam Hemsworth) — and what starts off quite casually turns into a love affair. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would, and would definitely recommend it if this type of movie is what you’re after.
Longevity Guidebook: How to Slow, Stop, and Reverse Aging — and NOT Die from Something Stupid
Peter Diamandis is an entrepreneur, futurist and a doctor. He’s perhaps best known for being the co-founder and executive chairman of Singularity University, and the founder and chairman of the XPRIZE Foundation. I’m a big fan of his insights.
In this, his latest book, he shares insights on cutting edge technologies, therapies and trends that can allow us to live healthier, longer lives. It’s a book designed to inspire you to optimize and maintain your best health to take best advantage of the transformative breakthroughs taking place rapidly in the science and medical fields. He maintains that over 70% of your potential longevity is based on your lifestyle, not your genetics, and is therefore within your control. He goes into great detail about his own health regimen and protocol, sharing his diet and exercise routines, including the 75+ pills he takes daily.
Delivery Sensitivities for Wildfire Victims Who Lost their Homes
Companies delivering packages or mail to homeowners impacted by the loss of their homes due to fire or other disasters need to instruct drivers to be mindful and sensitive enough not to leave anything when there’s no house. In this article, I share some practical tips that both delivery services and homeowners can take to better manage this type of scenario.
People Say the Nicest Things…
“I’ve had the pleasure of working with Kelli – and her refreshing candor and genuine desire to help others grow and reach their full potential truly set her apart from anyone else that I’ve worked with. Kelli tells it like it is and pushes you out of your comfort zone to think differently…even when it doesn’t come naturally.
One of her most valuable assets is her extensive network, which is a testament to the respect and trust she has earned over the years. She is remarkably well-connected, and she leverages these connections to open doors and create opportunities where others may not see them. I found the conversations that she facilitated with her contacts to be transformative in terms of how I began thinking about the next phase of my career.
Most importantly, I see Kelli as more than just an advisor. She’s a catalyst for change and that voice of encouragement in your mind to give you the confidence you need to reach higher than you thought you could before. During my work with Kelli, I felt like I had a true friend and a thought partner by my side helping me raise my game. If you’re looking to elevate your thinking, see new possibilities, re-imagine your capability and grow your network, then partnering with Kelli is truly one of the best decisions you can make. I look forward to continuing to work with her and to referring her to others who can benefit too.”
— Adam Harter
CMO, LIV Golf and Former SVP of Media, Sports & Entertainment, Pepsi
Me after a yoga class on the beach in Hawaii at a retreat – including my friend Montie (brunette on the right with glasses). In fact, Montie led the class – she’s a yoga instructor.
Delivery Sensitivities for Wildfire Victims Who Lost their Homes
LinkedIn.com, February 2025- Last week, the actress Mandy Moore pointed out that Amazon left a package for her in-laws on the curb of their former home that was destroyed by the recent wildfires in LA, which would have been quite obvious to the driver.
Read the entire article here: Delivery Sensitivities for Wildfire Victims Who Lost their Homes
The Benefits of Having a Garden Sanctuary for Visionary Innovators and Leaders
LinkedIn, Februrary 2025 – Having a garden sanctuary in your environment is more than just a luxury—it’s a soul-nourishing necessity in our fast-paced, digitally driven world. Here’s why.
Read the entire article here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/benefits-having-garden-sanctuary-visionary-innovators-kelli-richards-wioac
The Skill of Resilience is Underrated
Just a couple of weeks ago, several regions of Southern California were hit hard by raging wildfires that came on very suddenly, as a result of 100 mph Santa Ana winds, and two of them in particular – the Palisades fire and the Eaton fire – wiped out whole towns swiftly and completely. The damage spanned over 50,000 acres, and thousands of homes and memories were lost in an instant – displacing many thousands of people and animals.
Many of my friends and colleagues were among those who lost everything and it’s soul-crushing. It’s hard to imagine the devastation and the impact on those affected, but while it will take time and a lot of support, these people will get on with their lives. We’ve had these types of fires in Northern California over the past several years with similar experiences (and the Lahaina fire in Maui!) so we’ve witnessed this before. Situations like this are where humanity is tested; one thing I know for sure is that we are nothing if not resilient.
On a smaller scale more personally, two of the closest people to me in my inner circle are getting ready to move to other states — and this will be a real test of my own resilience. I know we’ll remain tight, but I won’t be able to see them as often and this will most certainly be a challenge for me.
I also had a scary incident during the Holidays, where a trusted vendor who has been managing my website hosting and back-end maintenance for the past several years suddenly just disappeared without a trace. My site, which is a cornerstone of my business, was down for a week as a result (thank goodness restored by the heroic efforts of my business coach who had the chops) — and it was unnerving not to be able to reach the vendor who vanished. I still have no idea what happened to her, but I’ve since found a terrific resource to replace her, and all is well for the moment. That episode required resilience for me to get through a nail-biting experience.
The only thing we can count on in life is change — and sometimes there are hidden gifts we can’t see until we’re on the other side. In the case of my IT support, my new team is already adding so much more value.
What are some examples in your life where resilience allowed you to prevail in challenging circumstances? I’d love to hear about them.
Be well,
Kelli
Empathy in Action – Supporting Wildfire Victims
In the wake of the recent devastating and catastrophic Palisades and Eaton wildfires in Los Angeles (similar to those we’ve suffered through in Northern California and in Lahaina, Maui), our hearts go out to the many individuals and families who have lost their homes, belongings, their lifestyles and their sense of security. Disasters like these leave a profound impact, not only on the victims but also on the broader community. Here are some ways we can lend a hand. Remember, help is needed long after it’s no longer front page news!
If you’re seeing this on THURS Jan 30th, today is also the day of the FireAid Benefit Concert to support LA fire victims featuring many of the biggest artists in the business — all lending their time and talent to the cause.
Read the Article
The LA Fires
A Note from Rob Tercek
I’ve been in touch with several of my friends and colleagues in LA in the wake of the recent fires. My friend Stewart Copeland (best known perhaps as the drummer of The Police) tells me his family home and studio were spared; the fire was held back to within 700 yards of their property!
And here’s a really meaningful post shared on Facebook by another long-time colleague in media and tech, Rob Tercek (photo on the left), who resides in the hills above Hollywood. Here’s what he had to share:
“Today I dealt with some tasks I’ve been avoiding. Sweeping up the dust that has settled on every surface, and writing a big check for property taxes. Death and taxes. Sweeping the floor after a wildfire offers a silent moment of meditation about impermanence, fragility and human vanity.
There is dust everywhere. The dust comes from ashes that fell like snow from the sky last week But these big fluffy white snowflakes are different from mountain snow, because they instantly turn to black tarry ash when they land on a flat surface. The decks and patios are filthy with grime. My grand piano usually gleams with a deep black sheen. Today it’s coated with a dull grey patina. The couches and floors, too. I am sweeping up the last remains of 10,000 houses that were incinerated a few miles away. The Santa Ana winds ensure that every house still standing in Los Angeles County will get a random distribution of the missing ones.
Two weeks ago, the dust that now covers the floor and bookshelves in my house was somebody’s home and all the stuff in it: family photos and scrapbooks, childhood mementos stuffed in a box in the garage and long forgotten, now lost forever. Someone’s favorite chair, a cherished painting, a family’s beds and sheets and towels and several closets filled with clothing. Their ugly wallpaper, maybe, and their curtains and rugs. Their shoes, piled up by the back door. The contents of their kitchen cabinets, pantries and linen closets.
The couch where the family watched TV. The TV, too. All gone, burned to ash. Some dude’s carefully-restored vintage Porsche that he washed and polished every Sunday. Reduced to a black skeleton and dust. The pool toys, chairs and wooden decks that surrounded a now-empty swimming pool, a black hole in a vacant yard next to a scorched chimney to mark the spot where the living room once stood. Books, paper records, and electronics, all incinerated. Some kid’s game console, Dad’s old desktop computer, all the electronic crap that we fill our houses with. Now it’s reduced to grey goo and ashes. Toxic byproducts of consumer electronics, a reduction of rare earths, copper, some cobalt from the Congo. Now transmuted to aerosol dust, spread evenly across my living room floor. I am sweeping it all up in a dustpan.
It has not escaped me that the floors I am sweeping are destined for the same fate. Someday, hopefully not soon. But eventually. As I sweep, my mind lights on the Buddhist epigram about a porcelain cup: “Imagine the cup is broken because that is its inevitable fate. Then you won’t suffer when it finally happens.” This train of thought makes me feel empty when I put the broom away and sit at the table to write a big check to the County of Los Angeles for my annual property taxes.
Every year, the taxes go up, based on the assessor’s premise that property values always rise. That has been every assessor’s premise since the railroad boom in the 1800s that brought eager migrants here from the East Coast. Each migrant sought a little parcel in paradise, benefitting from the pro-growth policies that saw the population double and double. So many people arrived that tens of thousands of single-family houses spread across the landscape, covering rich farmland in the valleys and stacking up along the hillsides and pushing ever deeper into the canyons.
For 200 years, each year brought more migrants, more houses, more prosperity, and the presumption of ever-rising land value. The California dream was a dream about more and ever more. Is that assumption still valid? What is the value of a house sited on a ridge above a wooded canyon, deep in an area that is subject to high winds and the ever-present threat of fire? Will my taxes go up next year? Sure, but it won’t be an accurate reflection of the true value. Paradoxically, the home insurance premiums rise every year, too. They can’t have it both ways. If a house is more vulnerable then it can’t be more valuable. Pick one. Because this is California where we don’t know how to resolve disputes, the matter will be litigated in a courtroom three years from now.
Last night a neighbor phoned me to tell me that she has decided to pack up and sell her house. Where will you live? I asked. There is no place for 100 miles around that she can afford. She’s moving back to the East Coast where they have normal storms, not the kind that transform entire neighborhoods into charred ruins in an afternoon. Hurricanes? That she can deal with. She loves it here. Of course she does, because this is a lovely neighborhood with a quiet canyon and a big park next door. She has a cozy little house perched on the steep hillside above Beachwood Canyon. It’s cute and comfortable. But she’s done with the strain of anxiety and drain of watchfulness: endless doom-scrolling, the steady ping and gong of notifications and alerts and updates, the random evacuation warnings that keep us on edge day and night. She’s cracking, and she does not like it. I can’t blame her. She’s right. This is exhausting.
Other neighbors have organized a watch group on WhatsApp. Why? Because the official notifications come too late, or not at all, or to the wrong location. You can’t rely on the government (so why do we pay property taxes again?). These folks are taking matters into their own hands. Self-sufficiency, one of the prized virtues of the Old West. We agree to alert each other if we see Griffith Park ablaze.
The illusion of human agency is tempting. It promises an antidote to feelings of dread and helplessness. Everybody wants to believe that they can do something to control their fate. The hard reality, of course, is that it is vanity. The next fire will come licking down a canyon’s walls, maybe this canyon, maybe another one, maybe this year, maybe next. The next fire will light up the forest and scrub growth and dead branches and fallen leaves that lie before it like so much kindling. Then all the apps and notifications in the world won’t do anything to stop it. The only thing that will stop it is rain. Eventually, I hope and believe, rain will come. When that happens, this year’s emergency will come to an end.
But only for a year. The rain will foster more growth. The burned-out hillsides and denuded suburban landscapes will turn green and lush once again, but only until the dry season, when desiccation sets in and those plants turn from green to brown. Then they will turn to fuel and the cycle will begin again.
We tell ourselves that we will be ready. I want to believe that is true. So I will busy myself with precautions, do my hillside clearance and rearrange the deck chairs. But in my heart I know that my house is a porcelain cup.”
Media Recommendations
No Good Deed (series) Netflix
This is a dark comedy mini-series (eight 30-minute episodes in Season 1) starring Ray Romano, Lisa Kudrow, Denis Leary, and Luke Wilson, among others — a strong cast. It pivots around the storyline of three families vying to buy the same house in an upscale LA neighborhood. The series centers on the interactions of the characters, each with challenges going on with their own lives, that they believe the house for sale may help them resolve. But the house holds secrets of its own based on the existing tenants and the back story of their lives. There are a lot of plot twists revealed throughout the series — it’s intriguing and well-acted. I recommend it.
A Man on the Inside (series) Netflix
This is a new comedy series focused on a retired professor and widower who finds his calling as an amateur PI when a detective hires him to go undercover inside a San Francisco-based retirement home to help solve a crime. In the process, he becomes an integral member of the community. Ted Danson stars alongside a seasoned cast of veteran character actors. The plot lines are great — well-acted, funny and heartwarming.
When a Key Vendor Abandons Your Business
For any of you who run your own small business (or even if you are managing a group within a larger organization), what do you do if and when a long-time trusted vendor suddenly goes dark without warning and effectively ‘abandons’ your business? Unfortunately, this happened to me recently; honestly, it was pretty scary and frustrating. Here are some insights and learnings I’d like to share that hopefully will blunt the impact if something similar ever happens to you and your business. Maybe some of this advice is obvious, but as we start a new year it can’t hurt to be mindful.
People Say the Nicest Things…
“Kelli, the power of what you do and how you help those in transition to transform themselves is undeniable, powerful and very much needed. Keep on sharing your gifts with those fortunate to have recognized them.”
Elaine H – Marin, CA
The Lahaina Banyan tree is the largest in the US, and it is the heart and soul of the town. Despite being badly burned, it was spared miraculously in the fires that flattened the town back in August of 2023, and it has been coming back strong since. It’s a sign of hope to all those who are watching its resurgence, and a terrific example of resilience. This is a photo of it from July 2024 (source unknown).
Empathy in Action – Supporting Wildfire Victims
LinkedIn.com, January 2025- In the wake of the recent devastating and catastrophic Palisades and Eaton wildfires in Los Angeles (similar to those we’ve suffered through in Northern California and in Lahaina, Maui – and the flooding of Asheville, NC), our hearts go out to the many individuals and families who have lost their homes, belongings, their lifestyles and their sense of security. Disasters like these leave a profound impact, not only on the victims but also on the broader community.
Read the entire article here-Empathy in Action – Supporting Wildfire Victims
When a Key Vendor Abandons Your Business
LinkedIn.com, January 2025 – How to build a backup plan for the key parts of your enterprise. Here’s a step-by-step checklist for you to follow.
Read the entire article here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/when-key-vendor-abandons-your-business-kelli-richards-tdyrc
The Lack of Critical Thinking Skills in Today’s Society (and the impact that results)
LinkedIn.com, Dec. 2024 – The decline in critical thinking skills in today’s society is a multifaceted issue with profound implications for our future. Here’s what we can do about it.
Read the entire article here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/lack-critical-thinking-skills-todays-society-impact-results-richards-wlfdc/?trackingId=1wd4vBPZSbmPSphFlbgcBA%3D%3D
How to Perform Better Due Diligence (for investors and advisors alike)
LinkedIn.com, Nov. 2024 – Performing effective due diligence before investing in – or advising – startups requires a thorough evaluation process to understand potential risks, assess the viability of both the business model and the founders, and gauge the potential for growth, scale and impact in the marketplace. Here’s my checklist for success.
Read the entire article here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-perform-better-due-diligence-investors-advisors-alike-richards-ih9oc
The Curse of the Visionary (In Work and in Life)
LinkedIn.com, Oct. 2024 – Visionaries often see possibilities that others may not recognize, but this ability comes with several inherent challenges that can often feel like a curse. Here’s my approach to working with it.
Read the entire article here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/curse-visionary-work-life-kelli-richards-mauyc/?trackingId=T5XEc%2F3XT42qcWwaSvoqOA%3D%3D
Celebrities as Brands and Entrepreneurs (several have become billionaires outside their core focus)
LinkedIn.com, Sept. 2024 – The rise of celebrities becoming billionaires as entrepreneurs is a trend that has grown significantly in recent years – and shows no signs of slowing down. Here’s what’s happening.
Read the entire article here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/celebrities-brands-entrepreneurs-several-have-become-outside-kelli-2bwoc
LinkedIn.com, Sept. 2024 – The rise of celebrities becoming billionaires as entrepreneurs is a trend that has grown significantly in recent years – and shows no signs of slowing down. Here’s what’s happening.
Read the entire article here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/celebrities-brands-entrepreneurs-several-have-become-outside-kelli-2bwoc
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3 Best Practices for Digital Distribution & Audience Building in an Ever Evolving Online World
Over the last decade, the shift from physical media to digital distribution is a trend explored literally in front of us every single day. From the music industry, videos and movies, to information and gaming, television and radio, there’s no aspect of the media world that has not been completely transformed. An ancillary trend to this has been the increasing reliance upon service-centered business models over stand-alone content sales. Increasingly empowered consumers, who not only have greater choices than every before, are also actively creating their own content – their own music, videos, films and games – further revolutionizing an industry already under pressure to reinvent itself almost daily. So what is an artist to do to continue to remain vibrant and build their audience in an era when even the audience itself may become a competitor on any given Sunday? Here are 3 Best Practices for digital distribution and audience building in an ever evolving online world: Remember your ABC’s.
A. Audience Building. No matter what tactic you’re taking in your distribution, remember that your overall goal is audience building. You might think it’s sales, and yes, of course that’s true. But if your audience is constantly, consistently growing, your sales will be also. If your sales are there, but your audience remains flat, sooner or later, they’ll definitely be pulled in one of the endless other directions available. Remember, even the amateur entertainers are eating up market share (Justin Beiber anyone?). So be engaged in finding and embracing new fans and friends in as many directions as you possibly can. To take a more in-depth look at one very powerful aspect of audience building (social media), get my comprehensive 50-page ebook. If you would like to be on the waiting list to receive this ebook and be offered a special discounted cost, please register here. (Select eBook Pre-Order)
B. Basics. Don’t forget that for every great new idea that comes out, you still need to have your basics in place. Wanting to go for every new option that comes down the pike (and believe me, they are almost endless right now) can easily become what I call *shiny new object* syndrome. With all of the possibilities out there in digital distribution, don’t forget that tangible distribution still sells and builds audiences. It’s the reason we all love souvenirs when we visit someplace new (or even someplace old). Holding something in your hands creates an experience. So along with the endless digital opportunities, definitely be handing out CD’s, DVD’s, USB Wristbands, and amazing merch every chance you get. That might mean at concerts and tours, or it might mean contests and giveaways on your website and social media venues.
C. Constant Creativity. There’s no way to stay on top of the ever-changing world of digital distribution without having a team member, mentor, or advisor in place who can keep you abreast of all the opportunities available to you, as an artist. Digital downloads, podcasts, mobile apps, Itunes, Amazon, Virtual Worlds, YouTube, StageIt, GigMaven, EnConcert, Rhapsody, Gigswiz, and the list goes on and on. This is one of the principal reasons that I produce this newsletter each month, because sharing the best practices out there is a vital part of what we do at the All Access Group, and quite simply, bringing that knowledge to a wider audience is exciting to me.
If you have any questions, please feel free to drop me a note at info@AllAccessGroup.com.
To your success, Kelli Richards, CEO, The All Access Group, LLC
Michael Robertson Talks about DAR.fm, MP3tunes, Amazon and the Cloud Music Industry…
Excerpt of Kelli Richards’ Q&A with Michael Robertson, the Bad Boy of the Digital Music Industry. Michael Robertson is a longtime provocateur of the music business and the founder and former CEO of MP3.com, one of the most popular Internet music sites ever. His newest startup, DAR.fm, is a centralized Web-based TiVo for radio. Users can search the programming schedules of over 600 music and talk-radio stations and schedule DAR.fm to record up to 4 hours of any broadcast. Robertson sees this as the savior of the radio industry, and he may be right.
Michael Robertson has fought more high-profile battles with the record industry than anybody in technology, and his experience in digital music is nearly unmatched. Over his career he has raised more than $100 million in private capital and orchestrated transactions with a combined value of nearly a billion dollars. This is definitely one of the best fireside chats in a great series of impactful interviews. (To hear this entire interview, visit the Resources Page on my Website.)
Kelli Richards: Let’s jump right into present time, Michael, because it’s so compelling – later we’ll go into your remarkable background in digital music. Although it could be a big competitor to MP3tunes, Amazon’s choice to enter the “locker” business is huge. Let’s ask two questions about that. First, would you talk about the basic structure of MP3tunes and how it changes the digital music world – why it’s a better product than what Amazon’s launching – and finally, explain to our audience why, in this unique case, Amazon could prove to be more of an ally to MP3tunes than a competitor.
Michael Robertson: Amazon recently launched a sort of personal cloud music server that, on first glance, is very similar to what we’ve been doing on MP3tunes for years – in that it lets people store music online. But there are some really big differences that consumers should know about. One of which is that MP3tunes lets you put your music in and get your music out. Amazon will happily store your music, but it’s kind of a sinkhole. So if you get a new computer or you want to download your music to an iPod, etc., it’s almost impossible to do with Amazon. They literally make you click on every single song to get your music down. With MP3tunes it’s quite different. We literally give you software to get your music out in one click. We’re not holding you prisoner. I believe it’s YOUR data – whether it’s your music, photos, whatever – and that should always be in full control of the consumer.
Another important difference is that we have an API. What this means is that you can connect to your music in a myriad of ways. With Amazon, today, you can only stream your music to Android. So maybe they’ll make an Apple IOS application and maybe they won’t, but you’re completely at the whim of Amazon. With MP3tunes it’s the exact opposite. We publish to the whole world how anyone can make an interface to their library. What this means is you can use your Android Phone to hear your music, or your iPhone, or a Windows 7 phone, or your Palm App, or even Internent Radio – Logitech or Audiovox – stuff like that. So we’re really trying to build an open approach – an open platform that isn’t controlled and dictated by any one company.
On the legal side, while MP3 and Amazon may be competitors on the consumer mindshare front, on the legal side they need us to win. We’ve been a lawsuit for nearly four years with EMI music that says we’re in a state of copyright infringement when a consumer stores their music in our application. Obviously, I disagree. Like us, they don’t have licenses either; Amazon is an un-licensed application. So in this regard, they are likely to be more of an ally than a competitor.
Kelli Richards: Michael, what do you think happens with Apple and Google in this niche – now that they’re said to be jumping into the cloud / locker mix?
Michael Robertson: I think that the really fascinating part of where the industry is at, is that there have been hundreds, if not thousands, of stories about what Apple and Google are going to do, but neither has done anything so far. I think for sure they’re working on it on some level. I’m fascinated by the state of the industry. What I mean by that is this: Amazon has basically flouted the industry and said, “You know what, we’re not going to get a license, we’re just going to launch a service.” So the industry is now in a tough spot. If they don’t take a legal stand against Amazon, why would Apple agree to pay them a licensing fee? Why would Google agree to pay a licensing fee? Let’s put this another way: Imagine two competitors decide to have a lemonade stand. Imagine one guy gets all his lemons for free. And the other guy wants to compete, but if he has to pay for his lemons, his lemonade is going to be more expensive and he’s not going to be able to compete. And that’s sort of where the industry is. If I’m Google or if I’m Apple, well, the music industry is very onerous. They want up-front money, guaranteed. They want restrictions and limitations and regional restrictions and things like that. And you don’t get any of those if you go for an unlicensed structure… So the music industry is really in a perplexing situation. If they don’t take a legal stand with Amazon, they’re going to see a big response in the industry. A lot of companies are watching this and will be over the next six to twelve months, to see if they move toward a licensed or unlicensed approach. If I were the industry, I’d wait and see what the consumers wanted.
(To hear this entire interview, please visit the Resources Page on my Website.)
*To get your own 2 GB of online music storage at no cost, visit https://www.mp3tunes.com
Kelli Richards, CEO, The All Access Group, LLC
Peter Rafelson – A New Chapter in a Long Hollywood Legacy
When you talk to Peter Rafelson, whether you know him or not, you cannot help but feel like you’ve been friends for years. His open demeanor and easy going style just feel warm and familiar. That laid back nature is a strong irony, of course, when held up to his long list of achievements in the music and film industries. For those of you who don’t know, Peter Rafelson is from some pretty good Hollywood stock. The Rafelson family has an amazing legacy in Hollywood – beginning with Samson Raphaelson, who wrote The Jazz Singer in the 1920’s. Peter’s father, Bob Rafelson, was among the first catalysts of the independent film movement of the 1960’s (and the Producer of cult favorite, The Monkees).
Growing up surrounded by Hollywood royalty, like Jack Nicholson, The Beatles and Bob Dillon, and being immersed in the renegade, independent film business of the 1960’s, Rafelson was blessed with a myriad of artistic role models. He shared this thought with me in a recent interview, “Growing up in that environment, it was very hard to distinguish between dreams and reality. For me, seeing people in my living room and then watching them on TV that night didn’t seem unnatural. Because of that, I was encouraged to and supported in pretty much anything I wished to pursue.”
Of course, it’s a certainty that being surrounded by a successful 
family tapestry can go either way. It can create a weight so heavy that it weighs down its subject – or it can become like wings, moving a person to even higher achievements. Thankfully for Rafelson, and for us, it’s always been the latter. Believing he could create his own legacy, he went into the music industry at a very early age and began a long, long success story that continues to be written.
As a songwriter and musician, Peter has worked with industry giants like Jackson Browne and Sir Elton John. He’s written a long list of successful songs, including Madonna’s # 1 single “Open Your Heart” (with 27 million sold) and top 10 singles for Stevie Nicks and Britney Spears, among others. In fact, Rafelson has had more than twenty #1 songs. (In addition, he has acted in over 10 feature films, including fame.) In his current life, he’s signing and producing artists for his own label, RM Records, as well as developing projects for film and TV – and he recently traveled to Southeast Asia on a diplomatic mission to develop business relations for the entertainment industry. He’s also the President of Rafelson Media, which produces and consults for new technology and media companies, and his client list reads like the Fortune 500, including industry giants like Microsoft, Apple and Toshiba.
None of this defines who Peter Rafelson is as a person, of course, and how the rich tapestry of the Rafelson legacy affected his life. Before going into legacy further, be assured that Peter Rafelson is, quite simply, one of the good guys. He’s gracious, talented, extremely smart, inspiring and a thought leader in the world of technology and media. And he’s always up for a new challenge and a new project.
As a Producer and the CEO of the All Access Group, one of my passions has always been to produce a series of legacy artists who come from Rock and Roll Royalty or film royalty and how that impacts how they live their lives. So this question of legacy is one I take very seriously. Asked about this, Peter responded with his typical, uncanny honesty.
“It was intimidating. My heart goes out to anybody who has a legacy to live up to… It’s tough, because expectations are higher, and the bar has been raised substantially. The caviat is constantly comparing yourself to family members and not being discouraged and trying to find your own identity and establish and position yourself apart.”
Luckily for us, establishing his own identity was only the beginning for Peter Rafelson. A visionary, an artist, a writer, and a friend, his is a story that is surely to be continued.
Kelli Richards, CEO, The All Access Group, LLC
To hear my entire interview with Peter Rafelson, see my Industry Insider Interviews at https://bit.ly/AllAccessQandA
Google kills SEO – Stay Alive with Social Media
3 Best Practices for Social Media in a Changing SEO World
I don’t know how many of you saw the news, but Google is changing how SEO is formulated. What? Yes, they’re tossing the algorithm out the window and writing a new recipe for how page ranking works. While some of the formula will remain as it is, a huge new piece will be based on what they’re calling a “social media grid.” What that means is if you are looking for digital video cams, and I recently tweeted or posted to Facebook about digital video cams – if we are connected on either network, my post will come up in your search. This is one of the biggest changes to online marketing to come in the last decade, and definitely ramps up the importance of social media.
To that end, I am sharing with you all three best practices for underused social media avenues. This is a very brief look at a topic I’ve covered comprehensively in a 50-page ebook. If you would like to be on the waiting list to receive this ebook (and be offered a special discounted cost), please register here . (select eBook Pre-Order)
When it comes to social networks, one of the most underutilized but amazingly useful is BlogTalkRadio. BlogTalkRadio is effective and easy-to use as you share your expertise, to build your fan base and increase your branded recognition. It can take a little time to build a following for your live broadcasts, but the fact that you can build a library of your recordings (at no cost) is huge. It has the added benefit that your shows can be produced live, and easily downloaded to podcast for listeners to enjoy later (so don’t be disheartened if you have no live attendees the first few times you broadcast). Listeners can call in live or conveniently listen online. Depending on the strength of your already-existing platform of fans, BlogTalkRadio could be a super win, as far as audience participation and brand building are concerned.
This is one platform where you will need to do the tutorials so you can run the back end, but trust me, it’s an easy system to learn and use. If you plan to run the “one-man” show, you don’t even need to use the back end – simply calling in to the host number will broadcast you live. If you have a guest, or wish to take audience questions or comments, however, this is essential, so definitely invest the time to create a knowledge base and comfort level. You can even have a live chat session going while you broadcast – another way to engage your audience.
Profile
Like all of your online spaces, be sure to set up a complete and compelling profile. This is how people will find you and your band; it’s also good for SEO purposes, sending your audience to your website, product pages, MySpace, and other social networks.
Go to https://www.BlogTalkRadio.com to get started. Once you’re on the site, click Register (on the top right hand of the page). As you set up your profile, you’ll see that you can choose a “Display Name” – this is vital. Be sure to choose a name that identifies you and / or your band or music. This cannot be changed, so be sure you’ve given this a lot of thought. Consider using an email address that you set up just for social media purposes. Check the “I want to host my own show,” as well as YES for the BlogTalkRadio newsletter. Once you have confirmed your registration, you’ll have an opportunity to add your other social networking sites and a description for your show.
Shows
Be prepared with the date, time and vital information when you go to set up your first show. A few tips, be sure to click on and change the duration button, as it defaults to 15 minutes. I recommend that you keep your shows to no longer than 45 minutes – the shorter the show, the more people attend and download. (In fact, the free version of BlogTalkRadio allows only for 30 minute broadcasts.) You can upload start music for your show if you like, but I recommend NOT doing so until you have the hang of things. It’s easy to start talking once your show begins and forget to wait for the music to queue. Remember, choose a date and time you can do WEEKLY to build a following. NOTHING works as well as consistency.
You are here to build a great presence and you probably have more to share than you might realize. Holding guest interviews to half an hour is not necessarily easy either, so if this is a format you love, consider using the pro version. Do take the time to script your show, at least loosely – this can mean literally writing down every word you plan to say, or it can mean simply making a cheat sheet of things you want to share in case you go off topic or lose your place. If you’re really not sure what to start with, go through old blogs and use them as a guide or a script, or simply have a great intro and three songs that you want to share, then ask for audience questions or remarks. Have a few friends “planted” to ask questions the first time, just to be safe.
Having guest speakers builds a closer relationship between you and your guest, so if you want to collaborate with a great musician or songwriter or producer, this is one way to begin that discussion. Be sure to get permission from your guest to use the show for marketing purposes and even to download into a product. (It’s polite to allow them to do the same, of course.) Other reasons you would have a speaker are to mix up your content, make your show more interesting, and especially to create joint venture opportunities. After all, your speaker will want his or her audience to hear the show also, so it’s fair to expect them to promote it to their various lists. This provides you much-needed exposure to new audiences. Do be sure to have an approved set of Q&A in place at least a day before your call, and if they’re a musician also, you can upload their music as the lead-in for the show.
I’m going to be more technical here on the “how-to” than I have on other networks, just because BlogTalkRadio’s a somewhat of an undiscovered treasure. I strongly suggest you take the tutorials available, but this will give you some quick “get started” instructions. When you’re ready to host your show, simply log into BlogTalkRadio and click the MyBlogTalkRadio button at the TOP right hand corner of the page. Then click the MyAccount button. (This is also how you will add new shows, or edit those you have coming up at a future date, should you need to.) On the left side, you will see a button called My Switchboard. Once you go in there, it is fairly obvious how you will conduct your show. Some things to keep in mind are that you need to call in five minutes early. Your call-in number and HOST CODE are on the right of your switchboard. You can unmute (and mute) callers on the right by clicking on their microphone symbol. Keep in mind that if you intend to have a guest call in, you will want to know their phone number. If you will be the only speaker, you don’t even need to be near a computer, you can simply call in by phone, enter your host code, and voila!
You can also click Start Chat Button to have another facet to your call. This is where callers can type in questions and you can either type your response, or announce their question (and your answer) on the broadcast – a very sexy feature for your audience connect-ability.
Friends, Fans and Followers
BlogTalkRadio actually has a spot on their home page for helping you to promote your show. Simply hover over the HOME button on the top of the page and click HELP. This will give you a page featuring BLOGTALK 101, FAQs, and MARKETING, as well as some other useful pages. Allow yourself an hour or so to surf this info and do the tutorials involved. I realize you maybe be overwhelmed creating great content and working with your team and running your gigs – but if you’re not also a marketing maven, then you’re missing the end game.
If you really embrace BlogTalkRadio it is one of the most interesting, easy and fun ways to build your brand. Remember to also send an email announcement to fans for every show. You can also create an “Event” on your other social networks (such as Facebook, Linkedin, etc., etc.) as well as an announcement on your Blog and Twitter page with a link to your Show. Remember to use a shortened Bit.ly link so that you can track its effectiveness. https://bit.ly
Once you’re on the air, feel free to ask business partners and / or clients, etc., if they would like to sponsor your show. This can be a very good source of revenue for you. It is also a way to create a Joint Venture – simply ask ANOTHER BlogTalkRadio host to swap sponsorship with you. That would mean that they announce you and your show at the top of theirs, and you do the same for them.
Finally, after your show has been broadcast, you can push it out onto your various online portals, such as your Facebook Profile and Fan Page, your Blog, Twitter, etc.
You can also put them up again and again, as your subject matter or music becomes relevant to various groups of people or current events and issues. After a time, these shows become a long-standing library that your audience and client base can refer back to. Finally, you can easily download your audio, use one of many easy software options, like Jing to add a slideshow, and post it to YouTube also.
Meetup Groups – Social Media Network AND Live Networking
Meetup Groups is a very cool idea, a great social network and a terrific way for an artist to engage a fan base both virtually and in real life. In fact, for artists and musicians, I would take the risk to say this is the most important network for you to be on. Here’s why. Meetup is an online portal where participants actually meet through live local, regional events (for instance, gigs, meet and greets, merch events, rehearsals, etc., etc., the list is limitless). Let your fans and followers know about this opportunity for them to meet each other face-to-face and build their community. In fact, SoundCloud (a great resource for bands and artists) has its own Meetup page and over 70 Meetup groups globally. https://soundcloud.com/pages/meetups. This is a way to encourage their users to exchange tips, answer questions, create collaboratively and learn from the success of others. You can also run virtual events – inviting fans and members to tune in for a live BlogTalkRadio broadcast of you and your band rehearsing (for example). (There is a fee to own a group, but you can do it for about $15 or less a month.)
Meetup works a LOT like an online group. To begin with, you can message all of your members with updates – and you can have ONLINE meetings or teleseminars too – not just live meetings, as mentioned above. In fact, be sure to invite your Meetup Group members to all of your events – even if it’s a group you simply belong to, in addition to those you own. If a group you belong to doesn’t allow you to email the other members, ask the owner if they’d be gracious enough to share your event with everyone.
Profile
Once you sign up for Meetup, you’ll be asked a host of questions to help you define yourself. Definitely do this and do it well. Remember, you don’t just want to think about what you want, but what keywords would your number one fans use that would lead them to you. This is a networking effort, after all. Where would your audience be?
Joining Groups
Go ahead! Join a few groups and attend a few events. (You’ll see a big box at the top left of the page that says “Find a Meetup Group.”) There’s no faster way to create a buzz than to show up at a like-minded event and hand out some fliers to upcoming gigs or meet and greets. (If you have a team, obviously you can delegate this and spread the love.) I try to choose groups with large numbers, but even a small group of your best brand advocates (fans) can be a great way to market. Each group you join will ask you to introduce yourself through their profile, so be prepared with your bio handy.
Friends, Fans and Followers
Here’s the how to on this to make your life easy. The button to start a group is on the top left of Meetup.com. They’ll walk you through the whole process. But do have your group description written before you get there, just so you can have it thought out and effectively written. The process of filling your meetup is amazing. You’ll be asked to fill out a few areas of interest when you do your profile – and when you go to promote your meetup, those keywords on other people’s profiles become part of your outreach. Meetup will basically pass along an invite to anyone who’s used the keywords you choose for your group within your regional area.
One thing you’ll definitely want to do is set up an autoresponder welcoming all new members and pointing them to your website or store – that’s a secondary place where you will provide your basic bio, product and corporate info, and where to find you (other social networks, for instance). And definitely take it viral! After you’ve got some momentum going, put the call out in an email and/or blog post to challenge your mob to support you. Make it a routine to recognize those fans / friends and encourage more people to get involved.
Promote it! Send a Facebook event invite out for all of your Meetup activities and get togethers. Then, be sure to send a link to join your meetup through all of your other social media efforts (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc., etc.). Not all of your members have to be local, especially if you are – or expect to be – touring any day soon. Going to Madison Wisconsin for a gig? Change the location of your Meetup to that zip code and start promoting it anew to build a vibrant fan base! Cross-networking is super important by the time you’ve got all of this in place. For instance, Set up a Twitter hashtag for your meetup group (i.e. @KelliRichards and #OnStage). Give people a handout at each meetup with the account, the hashtag and all the presenter’s/participants Twitter accounts and ask your members to tweet about the event.
Be sure to send out emails in advance of your meetups that are hand formatted to look different from the one’s send out automatically by meetup. as people tend not to read those. Schedule these with your other emails and newsletters in mind, of course. Remember, your list is your goldmine – don’t abuse your people & never SPAM them..
Mobile Messaging
Like I said, there are many options worth exploring in each of these arenas. I’ll be suggesting only one or two, however, in order to simplify this discussion and help you get started. When it comes to engaging your fans, anyone who’s involved in the direct-to-fan distribution discussion will tell you that getting your fan’s email address and mobile numbers is a huge win. By collecting contact information from followers through a sign-up form, artists can create very effective campaigns utilizing e-mail and mobile promotions. A cool ancillary program you can attach to your Fan Page to accomplish this is Mozes, a leading provider of mass promotional text messaging. Mozes powers the mobile marketing of some big, well-known artists, such as Rihanna and Kings of Leon. It won’t cost your users anything additional to join your “mob” and receive your texts (other than their normal text fees from their carrier), but there is a fee for you – the band or musician, which can be as low as $10 per month for a very simple campaign. You’ll need to actually request a quote through their plans and pricing page. There are a myriad of plans, but the most simple will allow you to create a self-service platform for engaging fans and driving sales. You’ll also be able to run mobile sweepstakes, distribute mobile coupon codes and broadcast trackable links to online storefronts and sales pages. There are higher levels of service with more applications and fan outreach options as well.
This is a very brief look at a topic I have covered comprehensively in a 50-page ebook. If you would like to be on the waiting list to receive this ebook (and be offered a special discounted cost), please register here. (select eBook Pre-Order)
Kelli Richards, CEO, The All Access Group, LLC
Join Me for a “Fireside Chat” with the Leading Minds in Tech and Digital Music / Media
I’m pleased to share with all of you that my weekly “All Access Radio” Show has developed a strong and loyal following! Over 15,000 downloads in only a few short weeks.
I’ve also been graced with some of the top digital visionaries and leading voices in the music and technology industries, including Ty Roberts, Ian Rogers, and Tom Silverman (among others). That list continues in the upcoming weeks. I hope you’ll be able to tune in as I interview Media Futurist Gerd Leonhard; the President of Rafelson Media (and well known songwriter) Peter Rafelson; and entertainment technology visionary (and one of the sharpest minds in digital music) Jim Griffin.
Here’s the schedule and some background on each:
Gerd Leonhard – Monday 4/11 – 5pm Pacific Time
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 and media and technological convergence. You can listen online at https://bit.ly/GerdLeonhard or you can simply call in and listen over your phone (626) 696-8608.
Leonhard’s work focuses on digital content, media, telecom, marketing and communications. He was the Co-Founder and CEO of SONIFIC and in 2010 Gerd Leonhard established The Futures Agency. The Futures Agency offers think-tank and training events, workshops and executive seminars, keynote speeches and advisory services to leading companies in the telecom, media, advertising and tech industries.
Peter Rafelson – Monday 4/18 – 5pm Pacific Time
Peter Rafelson is the President of Rafelson Media, which produces and consults for new technology and media companies – with a client list that includes industry giants like Microsoft, Apple and Toshiba. Peter is a well known writer and musician, working with music greats like Jackson Browne and Elton John. He’s written many successful songs, including Madonna’s # 1 “Open Your Heart” (27 million sold) and top 10 singles for Stevie Nicks and Jane Wiedlin of the GoGo’s. In addition to scoring and composing, he has acted in over 10 feature films, including FAME. You can listen online at https://bit.ly/PeterRafelson or you can simply call in and listen over your phone (626) 696-8608.
Peter is currently signing and producing artists for his own label, RM Records and developing projects for the film, TV. Peter recently traveled to Southeast Asia on a diplomatic mission to develop business relations for the entertainment industry. He is currently a staff producer for 2K/Virgin Records, an EMI record label.
Jim Griffin – Monday 4/25 – 5pm Pacific
Jim Griffin is an entertainment technology visionary and one of the sharpest minds in digital music. Griffin is the Managing Director of OneHouse, a company dedicated to the future of music and entertainment delivery.
Jim Griffin is focused on accelerating the pace of scholarly research thru collaborative tools and open access to knowledge. He started and runs Choruss LLC, incubated by Warner Music Group, and successfully led the team that built a new model for sound recordings: Sharing music with flat-fee access to unlimited downloads for students.
He also ran the tech dept at Geffen Records for 5 years (distributing the first full-length commercial song on-line, by Aerosmith). He is often a keynote speaker or moderator (Internet Summit, Giga Conference, Comdex, CES, Webnoize…) and lectures at business schools (Harvard, USC, UCLA, Berkeley). He also serves as an expert witness in digital entertainment. You can listen online at https://bit.ly/Jim-Griffin or you can simply call in and listen over your phone (626) 696-8608.
So please join me each week as I host an intimate “fireside chat” with some of the leading minds in technology and digital music and media. You can find my entire library of recordings at https://allaccessgroup.com/articles-and-resources/blog-talk-radio as well as some personal interviews where I share about my own experiences over a twenty plus career in music and tech. See you there!
Kelli Richards, CEO, The All Access Group, LLC
Making a Mark at Digital Hollywood Spring
I’m very excited to share with everyone that I will be moderating a panel session at Digital Hollywood Spring at the Ritz Carlton in Marina Del Rey on Wednesday May 4th. Here are the details on my panel, and some more information on the event itself.
Music Apps for SmartPhones, Tablets & Social Media is one of the hottest issues and opportunities in the digital arena right now, and I’m excited to have an amazing panel of experts to lead in that discussion.
My panel:
Wed. May 4th from 2:15 PM – 3:30 PM
Track III: Music Apps for SmartPhones, Tablets & Social Media – Reaching Millions – Monetization
Panel Members include:
Larry Miller, founder – Chairman, ROBA Interactive
Michael Schneider,CEO, Mobile Roadie
Les Borsai, founder, Gridmob
KamranV, CyKiK
Timo Poijärvi, co-founder, Hitlantis
John Rudolph, CEO, Bug Music
Nik Miskov, VP of Business Development, CamUp
Robert (Leo) Rodgers, Sr. VP & Label Liaison, Bungalo Records
The entire event runs from May 2 through 5 and is jam-packed with a schedule of in-depth discussions and networking focusing on the top business issues impacting technology in entertainment today. The Summit’s unique environment enables attendees to engage, debate and refine the latest tech developments in the entertainment marketplace. With an unprecedented group of opinion leaders, the summit will focus on how companies can capitalize on innovations in technology and is a “must-attend” event for individuals and companies working at the intersection of content, technology and entertainment. *Attendees will be free to move from conference room to conference room during the day.
If anyone has any questions or wants to make arrangements to connect with me, please reach out directly by email at info@AllAccessGroup.com
Kelli Richards, President & CEO of The All Access Group, LLC
BIG VISIONS * BIG CONNECTIONS * BIG RESULTS
Author of the forthcoming book:
“You Say You Want a Revolution: An Artist’s Manifesto
for Success in the Digital Age” (due out 11.11.11)
Co-Author of “The Art of Digital Music”
Jeff Brandstetter – Thought Leader in Digital Music and Entertainment
To hear the entire interview, please visit https://allaccessgroup.com/articles-and-resources/blog-talk-radio.
Jeff Brandstetter is a digital music and entertainment lawyer with over 20 years of experience in film, TV, music, literary, new media and entertainment financing matters. He is also the co-author of the highly acclaimed book “The Music Business Explained in Plain English.” He appears frequently as a speaker and moderator on entertainment law matters and is also the Co-Founder and CEO of IndiePlaya, a revolutionary online film distribution platform optimizing the marketing and distribution of independent films.
Kelli Richards: Jeff, what do you think the future of distribution is going to look like in say, five years, and how much of an impact do you think on-demand digital distribution will have on media?
Jeff Brandstetter: It’s interesting that you’re asking me this question. As you know, eleven years ago I was asked this exact same question on a panel about the future of the music industry. I think people tend to accelerate adoption faster in their minds than it actually occurs. I think the reality is that we well see physical product around for a while, and there will still be revenue around physical product for a long time… I think what the landscape will look like in 5 years is that content creators will fast become the hub. Right now everybody is chasing the distribution outlets du jour… because they see the largest numbers in terms of traffic going in that direction…. Indie content providers don’t need huge numbers of their own content to recoup their production budget, and that’s what they should be most interested in. Where are they going to maximize their revenues? As long as they’re passing their content along to 3rd parties, and essentially giving them all of the rights, wholesale, to distribute it and buying into that sell of, “You know, you’re a content provider. Don’t worry your pretty little head about this. We’ll take care of the marketing, promo and distribution. You just focus on making more content.” As long as they buy into that, there’s no rational reason to believe that the outcome is going to be any different than it’s been up until now – which is that the vast majority of them aren’t going to make any money.”
Kelli: I don’t want to live in the way back machine, but that was one of the main impetuses, as you’ll recall, for Todd Rundgren and I crafting Patronet fifteen years ago. The goal was to really encourage artists and other content creators to take the reins and go direct to their fans with their brands – and to see themselves as a brand and, frankly, to model 80 / 20 where they were making the majority of the money – to a smaller audience perhaps, but with fewer middle men.
Jeff Brandstetter: No doubt about it, it was a good model
Kelli: So, Jeff, how important is buzz? Do you think it’s vital to a label that an artist has a social media platform and following – or is having a great sound still the number one driver to getting signed?
Jeff Brandstetter: I think the two go hand in hand. I want to believe that, on the audio side, having a great sound – or a great product whatever vertical you’re talking about – is still then number one driver. Now if you’re talking about getting signed – getting picked up by a major label – you’re talking about the distinct minority of artists who get picked up by a major. But when it comes to social media, disintermediation is happening on the promo side, but it’s not happening in the terms of the monetization. What I mean by that is just because you’re able to promote your brand using social networking doesn’t mean that you, as the artist, are actually reaping the lion’s share of the benefit of that.
Kelli: Unless of course the only way somebody can buy your CD – or one of the ways – is through your website, where the vast majority of the proceeds are going directly into the artist’s pocket, I think most fans would want that to happen. Given the choice, I think if they knew that they could support the artist by buying direct, more would. And that’s why it’s important for an artist to sell their music and to collect email addresses on their website, in addition to having a social media platform to promote from.
Jeff Brandstetter: That’s exactly right.
You can catch Kelli’s show every Monday at 5pm PST. https://BlogTalkRadio.com/AllAccessRadio.
Kelli Richards, CEO, The All Access Group, LLC
The Futures Agency
I was recently invited to be part of The Futures Agency by my good friend and colleague, Gerd Leonhard.
For those of you who do not know, The Futures Agency is the name of Gerd’s company, but he’s also created an online industry think-tank of friends and colleagues. I’m super excited to be part of this think-tank and elite group of leaders in the digital industry. I’ll be writing more about this over the coming weeks and months, but for now, I’d like to invite everyone to *like* The Futures Agency Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/FuturesAgency to become part of the growing conversation around creating meaningful change in how data is shared, sold and created.
Here’s a great example of Gerd Leonhard (at TEDx Warwick). For more information about Gerd Leonhard’s company, The Futures Agency, please visit his website: https://www.thefuturesagency.com
TEDxWarwick – Gerd Leonhard – Friction is Fiction: The Future of Business, Communications and Media
To your success! Kelli Richards, CEO of The All Access Group
* A few notes: TFA is based in Switzerland and is currently comprised of 15 Associates working directly with Gerd Leonard on an independent basis: Jack Myers, Glen Hiemstra, Ross Dawson, Mike Masnick, Alan Moore, Jonathan MacDonald, Kei Shimada and Didier Marlier, to name only a few of them. Gerd Leonhard will serve as CEO and plans to grow his company into one of the most amazing agencies on the planet, 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.
Gerd’s free iPhone / Android apps are available here: https://gerd.fm/cvd1lK
An Interview with Dave Kusek, of the Berklee School of Music, and the Co-Author of “The Future of Music”
I recently interviewed Dave Kusek, of the Berklee School of Music, and the Co-Author of “The Future of Music.” Dave Kusek is a digital music executive and is responsible for helping to create the market for digital music as an entity, and in 1980 he founded the first music software company, Passport Designs, which made it possible for musicians to record and produce their music at home with its award-winning software.
The Future of Music is a best-selling music business book, and wildly popular among industry executives and musicians themselves. Dave Kusek also provides advisory services to the music and media industries via Digital Cowboys. He is a co-developer of the Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) industry standard that opened up electronic music to millions of people. His efforts, along with others, set the stage for the multi-billion dollar digital music market that exists today.
He created a hugely successful online music school berkleemusic.com for the prestigious Berklee College of Music. Berkleemusic has become the world’s largest music school teaching over 15,000 students a year globally. Kusek has written for or been featured in the NY Times, Boston Globe, Billboard, Wired, Associated Press, MTV, CNBC, Forbes, NBC-TV, Nightly Business Report, NPR, Financial Times, and is a featured speaker at Midem, Digital Music Forum, NAMM, AES, IEBA, MacWorld, Comdex, Digital Hollywood and has been a featured guest on radio and television stations around the world.
Here’s a brief synopsis of our discussion… you can hear the entire recording at: https://allaccessgroup.com/articles-and-resources/blog-talk-radio/all-access-radio-interviews/
Kelli: Dave, talk about the future of Digital music if you would. With the role of labels changing almost daily, where do you think the industry is headed?
Dave Kusek: I have been working in the music industry all my life. I was one of the first to capitalize on the commercial potential of computers and music and have been having lots of fun in this space ever since. We’re missing a new format. There’s no new format to monetize, and without that, I think it’s going to be very difficult making music. Without that new format, I think that business might just go away. There’s no real indicator that recorded music in any form is going to turn up in any way or become a revenue generator in the next five years. If we had a new format that was valuable enough and hard enough to come by, then recorded music might come back. But it may just be that recorded music was an anomaly in time. Something you could make money at for 70 or 80 or even a hundred years at its end, but only for that moment in time.
Kelli: What role do you think direct-to-fan distribution is going to play going forward?Talk about how you think this could create what you’ve called a middle class of musicians, and in that context, what do you think will happen to the big labels, as a result.
Dave Kusek: I do believe the opportunity to make music is there for anyone who wants to do it – and anyone who wants to try and turn that activity into money or a living has an opportunity to do it. it’s always been difficult, but I think there are tools today to promote and distribute your music and communicate with your fans that are so beyond what we could even think about five or ten years ago. But if you have a good team around yourself, you can make a good living being an artist. Good being a relative term. It’s very difficult to go and make $25 million dollars – but it’s not that hard to make $50 grand or $150 grand depending on how big your team is. … I think there’s a lot of opportunity – more than ever – for people to make a living in music.
If you build a good team around yourself – a business person, a marketing person, someone who understands the web, who understands mobile, who understands cell phone communication, how to build a community, how to build an audience, you can do pretty well.
Kelli: You seem to be very active on social media – what role do you see that playing for artists as time goes by?
Dave Kusek: I think it’s a great way to distribute your music and to distribute information about yourself and what you’re up to. To communicate directly with people if you have the time for that and you have set up a structure that allows that to happen. It’s a way to connect on a local level with people far more easily than any other way to do that. Again, direct marketing techniques applied in the modern era. I mean, I could find everyone in the Chicago area if I go there. Either Meetup or have a meet & greet, or come to my show, or tell your friends, or have a contest, or whatever.
I think the difficult part is doing it all yourself. As an artist, you should be focused on making music, writing great songs, practicing, playing with other people – you should have your brother, your cousin, a friend, someone you hire working on the website, focused on the social. It’s so hard to do it all yourself.
Kelli: Oh yeah, that goes back to the discussion about picking the right team members around you. You’ve got to have somebody focused on that around you. To your point, artists make music. You really need to have some help I think. With all the things an artist needs to be focused on. But I think we both agree that there really needs to be a presence on social media – that’s really driving a lot of activity and traffic for an artist.
Dave Kusek: And it’s so hard to measure the impact sometimes.
Kelli: And yet may artists do. That’s how they fill their shows. They route their tours and reaching out to their fans directly. People tell their friends, and you’ve got a full house when you show up out in Minnesota!
To hear the entire Q&A with Dave Kusek, go to: https://allaccessgroup.com/articles-and-resources/blog-talk-radio/all-access-radio-interviews/
Duran Duran – All You Need is Now
One of my favorite parts of being on the cutting edge of the music industry is watching the innovators cut through the effluent in life’s tides and rise above the noise. That is precisely what Duran Duran has done with their newest release, “All You Need is Now.” The release date ironically falls on the thirtieth anniversary of the band’s first release, “Planet Earth,” released to enormous fandemonium in 1981. “All You Need is Now” was produced by Grammy Award winner Mark Ronson, who has worked with Amy Winehouse, The Kaiser Chiefs, Lily Allen and others. Ronson himself called this album, “The follow up to Rio that never was.” (A big relief for all of us who rocked our way through Rio and simply waited for the next move.)
This is the band’s 13th album and all four original members of Duran Duran – John Taylor, Roger Taylor, Nick Rhodes and Simon Le Bon – have joined to recreate the original upbeat sound that made them famous and sold over 80 million records during their three-decade career, With the collaboration with Ronson strongly in place, the band went on to bring in longtime friend, Ana Matronic of the Scissor Sisters and R&B/neo-soul superstar Kelis, with Owen Pallett of Grammy Award winning “Arcade Fire” to do the album’s string arrangements.
Never one to overlook the visuals, the band engaged up-and-coming British visual artist, Clunie Reid, for the artwork and packaging. Clunie’s work is very well known and has been shown at the Saatchi Gallery and the New Museum in New York.
Highly collaborative and innovative, Duran Duran has spent thirty years fusing pop music with art, fashion and technology, bringing music videos from a marketing tool in the 80’s to one of the music industry’s most valued creative assets.
From a distribution perspective, Duran Duran seems to be one band that really understands how important it is to have an engaged fan base. Their website is as much fan homage to their fans as it is a platform and a staging area for their work. For a mere $35 a year, fans are treated to VIP ticket packages, presale events, and meet & greets, as well as direct communication with band members and exclusive video, photo and written content. Each fan also gets to build their own personal fan site – including fan blogs, journals, photos, etc. They’re also able to participate in fan-to-fan forums and private messaging. Basically, Duran Duran has brilliantly built an army of brand advocates to support their every move. Something all bands should emulate in today’s online world.
The group looks as great as ever, and while they’ve evolved their sound to a more contemporary state, hints of their roots are evident and laced throughout several of the tracks on this new CD. “Blame the Machines” is a fun, uptempo, electro-pop track. “The Man Who Stole a Leopard” is a stunning track that diehard fans will relish. “Leave a Light On” recalls the power of their earlier ballad “Save a Prayer.” And “Girl Panic1” will get fans out on the dance floor celebrating like it’s new year’s eve. Hey, why not?
Kelli Richards, CEO, The All Access Group, LLC
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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
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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
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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
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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
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