Resources
When Past Glory Becomes Present Pressure: The Quiet Self-Sabotage of High Achievers
LinkedIn.com, April 10, 2026
There’s a pattern I’ve observed—both in others and, at moments, in myself—that doesn’t get talked about enough.
It’s not failure in the traditional sense. It’s something more subtle. More disorienting.
It’s what happens when someone who has been exceptional finds themselves no longer operating from that same level of momentum, relevance, or external validation… but is still being perceived through the lens of their past success.
From the outside, they’re still “the one who did X.” On the inside, something has shifted.
And that gap—between past identity and present reality—can quietly become one of the most destabilizing forces that a high achiever will ever face.
Read the entire article at When Past Glory Becomes Present Pressure: The Quiet Self-Sabotage of High Achievers
Spring Has Sprung — and Apple to the Core
We are certainly living in uncertain times; much of the time we don’t feel we have much control over what’s taking place on the world stage. But closer to home, the seasons are shifting and here in the US, spring has arrived. Having said that the weather has been absolutely nuts — climate change all over the country; crazy cold on the East Coast, with summer temperatures in the West. With spring being here, things just feel lighter and more hopeful.
Despite all that’s swirling around us, the one thing we do have control over is our attitude and our mindset. I try to maintain an optimistic stance, and as ever I remain immersed in innovative and creative endeavors with clients and projects that I’m most drawn to and enthused about. Having my mind and heart stimulated actively is something that’s really important to me – and co-creating with like-minded people where there is rapport, aligned vision, and a sense that we’re making a difference and having an impact. Never was that more true than in all my years in the Apple orbit — and with Steve Jobs — before, during, and after my lengthy tenure with the company. I’m beyond grateful for the experiences I had and how they shaped me. This issue has several references to my alma mater.
I hope you’re doing what you can to enjoy what you can in your life and your work, and to surround yourself with those who make you happy and light you up the most. To me, that’s pretty much the definition of success.
To your success.
Kelli
Apple at 50: What Most People Still Don’t Get About Its Greatest Innovation and Legacy
Apple turns 50 on April 1st — imagine; it sure doesn’t feel like that amount of time has passed since its inception.
As anyone who knows me and my history is aware, I am Apple to the core. With the release of “Apple: The First 50 Years” by David Pogue, I found myself reflecting not just on Apple’s impact on the world but also from my unique vantage point—shaped by my close association with Steve Jobs, and by being a part of the company during a formative era—the real lesson has often been misread.
This isn’t a retrospective. It’s a lens into what Apple actually changed—and why that matters even more in the age of AI. The “inner tech” matters as much or more as the innovation. Because the real legacy isn’t just the ‘insanely great’ products. It’s the brand the company cultivated and the philosophy that underpinned everything. And we’re going to need that for what comes next.
Plot Twist – When the Platform Didn’t Buy the Studio: What Paramount’s Win Means for the Future of Media, Tech & M&A
This past month didn’t just reshape Hollywood.
It clarified the future of media consolidation.
After months of speculation, Paramount — backed by David Ellison and Skydance Media — won the battle for Warner Bros. Discovery, outmaneuvering Netflix.
A few weeks ago, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos publicly emphasized that walking away was a valuation decision — not a political one.
But this story is ultimately bigger than who won in this specific transaction.
It signals a deeper recalibration in how platforms, studios, and technology companies think about ownership, scale, capital discipline, and vertical integration moving forward.
Is this simply another mega-deal?
Or are we witnessing a structural shift in how power consolidates across tech and entertainment?
In this article I share my updated analysis — and what it means for the next wave of M&A.
The Compound Power of Consistency: Why the Slight Edge Always Wins
We live in a culture obsessed with breakthroughs, big wins, viral moments, and overnight successes. But the real advantage is consistency.
Inspired by the book, The Slight Edge, this article explores how small, seemingly insignificant daily actions — repeated over time — quietly compound into extraordinary results in health, in wealth, in relationships and in leadership.
The leaders who endure aren’t always the most intense — they’re the most consistent. They’re the ones who take small steps and aligned actions daily. That’s the real edge. Where has consistency quietly outperformed talent, luck or intensity in your life?
Spotlight
Retail Designer – Tim Kobe
We recently lost a giant in both the design world and in the extended Apple family in Tim Kobe. Tim was a design powerhouse who co-created the Apple retail stores with Steve Jobs in the early 2000s. He could have stopped right there. But he was also the founder and CEO of Eight Inc. Sometimes referred to as as Apple’s “best kept secret’” , Eight has been one of the world’s most progressive design firms — and they’ve worked with many global brands for decades. The secret to their success may have been that they uniquely looked at design elements through the lens of humanity and human interactions. This was a testament to Tim’s vision. He published a book on his ethos here.
I was lucky to have crossed paths with Tim in the early days of his work with Steve, and then again much more recently over the past couple of years. One of my esteemed friends and colleagues, Kenny Lauer (an accomplished Chief Experience Officer), was very close to Tim – they were dear friends. I encourage you to read Kenny’s notes on a sit-down conversation he had with Tim a few years ago here, for more insights on Tim and his storied career. And also Kenny’s very moving homage for even more context after Tim passed last month. His work truly made a dent.
Media Recommendations
“Apple: The First 50 Years” by David Pogue
Released just in time for Apple’s 50th birthday (April 1st), Pogue walks the reader through Apple’s storied history. From its origins, to the many management changes, and of course with a spotlight on its many products through the years (some that you know about, and others you probably never heard of) readers will learn more about the tech giant than they probably were aware of. It showcases the innovative product wins in the marketplace and also those that never saw the lght of day. Pogue conducted over 150 interviews with many in fthe Apple universe, and the book is well-researched. Reading through it was a walk down memory lane to be sure. But of course the soul of the company is really only known by us ‘insiders’ who lived through Mr Jobs Wild Ride first-hand. I published my own account of Apple’s culture (& Steve!) through my lens about 15 years ago in “The Magic and Moxie of Apple”.
“The Real Things” by Brent Bourgeois
I’m a little biased because I’ve been a fan of Brent as a musician for over 40 years (from the Bourgeois Tagg days). And also because I’ve spent the better portion of my career in the music business coming up at the same time Brent’s career took off – and overlapping with many of the same people; so for me, it was a lot more of a personal (parallel) journey than it might be for other readers. I was looking forward to learning some new things about Brent’s history than I knew in this book, and I was not disappointed. He’s had the great good fortune to have been able to make a living as a musician for many years – doing what he’s been most passionate about – but not without some gaps and stumbles. I’m pleased he was comfortable sharing the good, the bad and the ugly; it demonstrated great vulnerability and humility.
People Say the Nicest Things…
“Kelli has a knack for seeing possibilities others don’t, and for seseing around corners as a visionary”.
Steve Jobs
This is a photo of Tim Kobe, founder and CEO of design agency Eight Inc (as above); perhaps most famous for his designs of the Apple retail stores with Steve Jobs. As many are aware, Steve was passionate both about aesthetics and the the consumer experience. And as Tim shared, he believed that Steve was one of the few people who understood that “design is a strategic tool for business success.”
Apple at 50: What Most People Still Don’t Get About Its Greatest Innovation and Legacy
LinkedIn.com, March 2026 -On April 1st, Apple Inc. turns 50.
Half a century since two Steves—and a vision that seemed almost implausible at the time—set something in motion that would go on to reshape not just an industry, but culture itself.
The timing feels especially poignant with the release of “Apple: The First 50 Years“ by journalist David Pogue, which captures the arc of that journey. I published my own book on Apple 15 years ago – “The Magic and Moxie of Apple: An Insider’s View”. There’s no shortage of retrospectives celebrating the products, the milestones, and the mythology.
But anniversaries like this aren’t just about looking back. They’re also about understanding what actually mattered—and what still does.
Read the entire article at Apple at 50: What Most People Still Don’t Get About Its Greatest Innovation and Legacy
Plot Twist – When the Platform Didn’t Buy the Studio: What Paramount’s Win Means for the Future of Media, Tech & M&A
LinkedIn.com, March 2026 – Several years ago, I wrote about the inevitability of a streaming platform acquiring a major Hollywood studio. And just a couple of months ago I published an article specifically on the implications of Netflix acquiring Warner Bros/HBO.
The thesis was simple:
Distribution + Data + IP would eventually collapse into a single operating system. Last week, that thesis was tested — and the outcome is, well, complicated.
After months of negotiations, Paramount (via Skydance) secured Warner Bros. Discovery, outbidding Netflix and reshaping the consolidation narrative. Netflix walked away without any further discussion or negotiation.
And that decision may matter more than the transaction itself.
Read the entire article: Plot Twist – When the Platform Didn’t Buy the Studio: What Paramount’s Win Means for the Future of Media, Tech & M&A
The Compound Power of Consistency: Why the Slight Edge Always Wins
LinkedIn.com, February 2026-There’s a seductive myth in our culture: That success comes from a breakthrough moment, a viral post that lands, a single brilliant move, a moonshot deal. Or even luck!
But in reality?
It’s almost always the result of something far less glamorous and far more powerful. In a word — Consistency.
In The Slight Edge, author Jeff Olson argues that the small, seemingly insignificant actions we take daily — or neglect daily — are what compound into extraordinary outcomes over time. Not dramatic, not flashy, but decisive and almost predictable in terms of the results that accrue.
Read the entire article: The Compound Power of Consistency: Why the Slight Edge Always Wins
New Lenses, New Possibilities
As long-time readers will attest, I’m all about living into “What Ifs” and possibilities. As we embark on this coming year, amid all manner of uncertainties swirling around us (many of which we can’t control), I think it’s more important than ever to look at what we can do and what inspired actions we can take that empower and embolden us. One of the things we have control over is our mind, what we focus on, our attitudes, and where we direct our attention.
If I have one piece of guidance for you this year, it would be to try and have a more expansive view on our lives; consider alternatives and possibilities in all areas of our life and our work. If something is stalled or blocked, what creative ideas can you conjure up which would allow you to try another approach or path to get where you say you want to go? As one of my esteemed colleagues is fond of saying, “this is not a go it alone life.” Reach out if you’d like some support.
I’m always here for you. Here’s hoping your year ahead is fulfilling for you on multiple levels.
To your success.
Kelli
Implications of kids graduating without financial literacy skills
(not often taught in U.S. schools)
Our schools are preparing students for tests—but not for life.
As best-selling author Scott Galloway recently underscored in his No Mercy / No Malice newsletter, and as Pew Research Center data confirms, most young adults are entering the world financially underprepared—not because they’re incapable, but because we’ve failed to teach them the basics in high school.
Budgeting. Debt. Credit. Investing. Cash flow.
These aren’t “nice-to-have” skills—they’re foundational to adulthood. When schools ignore financial literacy, the cost shows up later as anxiety, dependence, and delayed independence. It also appears to limit financial success over time. This article explores what’s broken, why it matters, and what must change if we want the next generation to truly thrive.
Slow Productivity: A Smarter Way to Re-Enter the World After the Holidays
As we wrap up the holiday season and step back into the work world, the most effective strategy may be to take a page from our holiday pace—and embrace slowing down rather than speeding up. Doing so can better support our nervous systems while optimizing our impact in the process.
In this article, I discuss the power of “Slow Productivity” and how working with greater focus and intention can actually lead to better results, while minimizing stress and burnout.
Spotlight
Ritual at Manresa
I have friends who are gourmands and who travel the globe eating at some of the finest restaurants in the world. While that can certainly be fun, it can also be time-consuming and expensive. Those of us in the SF Bay Area now have the reverse opportunity—to enjoy something extraordinary right in our own backyard.
Legendary chef David Kinch of Manresa in Los Gatos has partnered with visionary entrepreneur Luis Caviglia to create something special and unique called Ritual at Manresa, housed in the same location as the famed and beloved restaurant in Los Gatos.
Luis curates a rotating lineup of some of the best Michelin-starred chefs from around the world, each of whom completes a monthly residency at Manresa. These are impeccably crafted experiences that reflect the culture and talent each master chef brings to members of Ritual. Ritual at Manresa is a membership model, and it is definitely an investment for those who choose to participate in these unique experiences. That said, it’s far more affordable than global travel and much easier logistically for us locals.
I was fortunate to experience one of these wine-and-dinner pairings prior to the holidays, and it was truly a magical evening.
Many of the innovators and founders in Silicon Valley (and elsewhere!) that I meet are seeking unique, memorable experiences—and Ritual at Manresa is a shining example of what’s possible. I highly recommend it for individuals and couples, as well as for team-building with founders, innovators, and leaders who want to deliver a truly exceptional experience for their people.
Media Recommendations
Jacob Collier (his live show in SF & BBC doc)
Last year, I was introduced to the multi-hyphenate musical genius that is Jacob Collier. A friend recently brought me with her to see his show at Davies Hall in San Francisco, and I was completely blown away. Jacob is a young savant—a Grammy-winning English singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist who creates unique, innovative, genre-defying music that has captivated and lit up audiences around the world.
He first came on the scene via YouTube during the pandemic, where he became famous for covering popular songs and recreating them in inventive ways that showcased his extraordinary talent for vocal harmonies and lush arrangements, paired with visuals that became music videos in their own right. He’s truly amazing and one of a kind.
The BBC did a short documentary on him, which I highly recommend, entitled Jacob Collier: In the Room Where It Happens. It’s a great overview of this genius.
Ripple (Netflix TV series)
A friend recommended this eight-episode drama series to me, which was just released on Netflix last month—and I loved it. The story centers on four strangers in NYC whose life experiences become intertwined following critical losses, detours, and high-stakes decisions that alter the trajectory of their lives.
As the series progresses, the viewer is drawn into the characters as we experience the ripple effects of small actions with significant impact. The storytelling and acting are first-rate. Eight episodes were not enough and left me hungry for more; I hope the show gets picked up for renewal and additional seasons. It’s a real winner.
What Happened To Your Hair (book)
Gunnar and Matthew Nelson are identical twins, sons of the late Ricky Nelson, and chart-topping performers in the early ’90s. Beyond their obvious musical talent, one of their biggest claims to fame is being part of the only family to have #1 records in three successive generations—stemming from a 100-year legacy of entertainers.
We crossed paths during my longstanding tenure as co-producer of the Pollstar Awards (concert industry), where I brought them in as presenters, and I’ve recently reconnected with them. They have always impressed me with how grounded, hard-working, approachable, and real they are as people.
They released their memoir at the end of the year entitled What Happened to Your Hair? How We Played Loud… Loved Proud… and Never Backed Down, which went to #1 on Amazon within days of its release in December. The book tells the story of their lives and careers, and the many experiences and challenges they endured—because theirs was not an easy life. They’ve worked hard for everything they’ve achieved; despite appearances, nothing was ever handed to them—quite the contrary, as you’ll discover when you read the book.
For me, it was a walk down memory lane, as they named names I knew from my own music business career.
People Say the Nicest Things…
“I had a chance to dive into your recently updated site – and wow. It’s simply stunning, and it radiates the high-touch, high-impact work you’ve always embodied. I’ve long admired your gift for helping visionaries like me, see around corners, stretch beyond our limits, and move with clarity and purpose toward what’s next.”
Rob Terry
Founder/CEO
Seafood AI & SmartCatch
I lost a dear friend just prior to the Holidays in Jeffrey Diamond. I met Jeff and his then collaborator, Michael Van Himbergen, about 30 years ago — and they have remained close friends of mine ever since (actually they’ve both been more like brothers to me, truth be told). They were both early grads of CalArts in LA, and early pioneers and innovators in the visual effects space in the 90s. When we met, they had just collaborated with Doug Trumbull on the VFX for Luxor’s launch in Vegas in the mid-90s, and together with Diane Pearlman who was EVP & GM at a major VFX studio in MA called Mass Illusions on films like: The Matrix, What Dreams May Come, Starship Troopers, Eraser, Die Hard with a Vengeance, and Judge Dredd, among others. Diane and Jeff were married and had two wonderful boys, Jake & Matt.
We all shared a passion for the convergence of tech and entertainment, and Jeff in particular showed me that it was possible to create a life of freedom as an entrepreneur, giving me the motivation to strike out on my own when it was time for me to launch my own consultancy. Jeff left us too soon – a victim of early onset Parkinson’s Disease – and I will miss him greatly.
Implications of kids graduating without financial literacy skills (not often taught in US schools)
LinkedIn.com, January 2026 – We talk a lot on LinkedIn about future skills: AI literacy, leadership, strategic thinking, resilience. And yet, when it comes to the basic economic foundation that enables all of that — financial literacy — we are failing our young people.
That’s the harsh reality echoed by thought leaders like Scott Galloway and corroborated in hard data from the Pew Research Center.
Read the entire article here: Implications of kids graduating without financial literacy skills (not often taught in US schools)
Slow Productivity: A Smarter Way to Re-Enter the World After the Holidays
LinkedIn.com, January 2026 – As the calendar turns, as we return to work, and as inboxes begin to refill, there’s an unspoken pressure to snap back into full speed.
Back-to-back meetings. Ambitious Q1 goals. The familiar hum of urgency.
But what if the most strategic way to re-enter the year isn’t by accelerating— but by moving more deliberately? This is where the concept of slow productivity becomes not just relevant, but essential.
Read the entire article here: Slow Productivity: A Smarter Way to Re-Enter the World After the Holidays
Celebrating What Matters Most
This year has certainly brought its share of ups and downs. But as we wind down another year and enter the holiday season, I hope you’ll take some time to celebrate what matters most in your life. Whether it’s your health, your family and friends, or the adventures you get to enjoy, most of us are pretty fortunate.
This is a great time to slow down and reflect on all the love and abundance in your life, and to be grateful for what’s going well. It’s a pretty crazy world these days—so take a moment to hug those who mean the most to you and count your blessings. Let’s make the new year the best yet!
Happy Holidays,
Kelli
When the Platform Buys the studio: Why Netflix-Warner Bros/HBO Changes Everything
(and Why it Was Inevitable)
Netflix’s acquisition of Warner Bros. & HBO isn’t just another media deal—it’s the inevitable collapse of distribution, data, and IP into a single operating system. More than a decade ago, I predicted that a streamer would eventually acquire a legacy studio—not as a bet, but as a pattern. Distribution always pulls content upstream. This moment forces new questions about power, creativity, governance, and what becomes truly scarce in the next era of entertainment.
Why Being “Different” Makes You a Stronger Board Member
(and Why the Boardroom’s Future Depends on It)
Traditional board qualifications are no longer enough. Some of today’s most valuable board members are the ones who bring unconventional backgrounds, nonlinear paths, and multidimensional perspectives. Here’s why being “different” is no longer a perceived liability – it’s the new strategic advantage for modern progressive boards.
Read the Article
Embracing Neurodivergence: The Other Side of Genius
(Why Visionary Founders, Innovators & Creatives are Wired for Breakthroughs)
The traits you once saw as flaws may in fact be the source of your genius. After decades advising visionary founders, innovators, leaders and creatives, I’ve come to see neurodivergence as the hidden engine of innovation. Here’s why it’s time we treat it as a superpower—and not a stigma.
Read the Article
Spotlight: Wand.ai
I’ve just started advising Rotem Alaluf, the Founder & CEO of Wand.ai which is the only platform for management, execution, and creation of AI agents as trusted members of your workforce. We should be excited about an agentic workforce not because it replaces humans—but because it liberates human potential at a moment when complexity, speed, and ambiguity exceed what traditional org structures can handle. Enterprises are moving from a purely human-centric model to a new hybrid, dual-workfoce model where AI agents work with people side-by-side, which results in a foundational change in how organizations operate. With this approach, AI models create productivity efficiencies, saving time and money, and minimizing or eliminating redundancies — freeing up people to focus on creativity, judgment, strategy and relationships. This is a structural competitive advantage that compunds over years. We are indeed living in exciting times rich with both innovative breakthrough technologies and emerging business models. Wand is definitely one to watch.
Media Recommendations
This is the section where I typically share what books I’ve read, or the latest movies and TV shows I’ve watched that I’m enthused about. However, these past couple of months have been quite full — and I’ve gotten behind on all of this. The TV I’ve been watching has mostly been new seasons of shows I’ve enjoyed that I’ve written about previously (and still enjoy!) like “The Morning Show”, “Somebody Feed Phil”, “Palm Royale”, “Man on the Inside”, and the Beatles Anthology. I’m always on the lookout for new media, so for a change I’m asking that you let me know what you recommend I check out; share some of your favorites with me when you have a moment.
As I was wrapping up this NSL to send out to you — a gift dropped this morning; it’s a stop-motion animated video of George Harrison’s “Give Me Love” created by Finn Wolfhard & friends — he’s one of the stars of Stranger Things and at just 22 years old is clearly a multi-hyphenate talent to watch!). The video brings to life George and his famous garden gnomes from his Friar Park home in England. Here’s what George’s son Dhani had to say about it:
Actor, director, and musician Finn Wolfhard has directed the first-ever music video for George Harrison’s beloved 1973 single “Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth).” The song is a highlight from Living in the Material World, Harrison’s highly praised second solo album of original music following the dissolution of The Beatles in 1970.
On making the video, Wolfhard says, “To work with the Harrison family and bring this video to life with a team of incredible young Canadian artists has been a great honor. It’s hard to put into words how grateful I am for this opportunity. George Harrison has and will continue to be a huge inspiration to me, and his work will live on forever.
Dhani Harrison says about working with Wolfhard, “Finn is one of the sweetest and most talented people I know of his generation, and he is the perfect person to direct a video for my dad. My dad would have loved this, and I hope his wonderful creative heartfelt ideas help this song to reach another generation. Great job, Finn – we love you!.
People Say the Nicest Things…
Working with Kelli has been transformative for me. She recognized the need for a senior tech lead almost half a year before it became obvious to us — and we’re now feeling the pain of having acted a little too late. Her ability to see around corners like that has been incredibly valuable. What I especially appreciate about Kelli is her holistic approach. She doesn’t just focus on the professional side — she also helps me reflect on the personal dimensions that inevitably influence leadership decisions. Often, those two are deeply intertwined, and Kelli’s perspective helps bring clarity to both.
She’s also remarkably flexible — equally effective when working one-on-one with me (and me being not well prepared) or together with another senior leader. That adaptability makes every session productive and tailored to where we are as a team.
Finally, Kelli is outstanding when it comes to prioritization. During our Series A, she helped me stay focused on what was truly essential — making sure I didn’t take on more than what was absolutely needed to get the round across the line.
Kelli combines strategic clarity, personal insight, and a pragmatic sense of what really matters — and that’s what makes her such an exceptional advisor.
Dr. Max Gulde | CEO
constellr GmbH
www.constellr.com
When the Platform Buys the Studio: Why Netflix–Warner Bros./HBO Changes Everything (and Why It Was Inevitable)
LinkedIn.com, December 2025- Last week, Netflix announced an agreement to acquire Warner Bros.’ studio and streaming assets (including HBO/Max), a move that—if it clears regulators—would mark a structural shift in entertainment, and the most consequential “streamer buys a legacy studio” moment we’ve seen to date.
Read the entire article here: When the Platform Buys the Studio: Why Netflix–Warner Bros./HBO Changes Everything (and Why It Was Inevitable)
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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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HITLAB – Reinventing Music Discovery and Distribution, One Artist at a Time?
What’s new in the world of Music and Technology? The world-renowned multi-platinum artist Akon and a key Canadian Internet Company have joined to create something new and very interesting: HITLAB.com. Hitlab is a new media company focused on reinventing the way music is discovered, produced, marketed and distributed.
Happy Holidays from Kelli
With so many wonderful things coming to fruition in the coming year, and so many beautiful friendships and great business alliances and success stories in 2012, I just wanted to stop and take a moment to say how much my friends and colleagues mean to me.
Something Special About Apple and iOS
The special needs community is rarely the target demographic for the tech industry. Many of the wonderful new gizmos and gadgets that come out simply aren’t designed for them. There are an increasing number of companies that are developing products and technology to make computers and mobile devices more accessible for the special needs community, however – and one of those companies happens to be Apple, Inc. Apple’s VoiceOver technology was introduced with OSX 10.5 – better known as “Tiger.” It’s an accessibility feature that allows blind or visually impaired users to interact with a computer through sound. A user can use the trackpad or keyboard to scroll through the applications on the docked menu at the bottom of the screen. It can literally read the user any text that’s displayed on the screen and allows users to edit text where applicable. VoiceOver is also available on iOS devices such as the iPad. Visually impaired users have been incredibly receptive and appreciative of this, especially considering the fact that it’s a feature many other tablets and readers lack. As more and more publishing companies, universities, and corporations look to switch to readers and tablets in the future, accessibility features for the visually impaired certainly help Apple market its products as the superior choice amongst the competition. Another feature that benefits the members of the special needs community is a new feature in iOS 6 called Guided Access. Guided Access allows parents and educators to “lock” onto an app so that children can’t accidentally exit out of it by pressing the home button. While this may seem like a very basic feature, it’s incredibly useful for children with Autism or learning disabilities who may become distracted or lose focus on tasks. There are a number of educational apps available in the App Store but it’s often hard for learning disabled students to stay focused on them long enough to actually benefit. With Guided Access, the task of keeping a child focused has gotten a little easier for teachers and parents. While full accessibility is an on-going battle as technology continues to evolve, Apple is certainly taking steps in the right direction. Many other companies in Silicon Valley are taking their lead and continuing to improve accessibility features for different technologies and we hope to see this trend continue. My own time at Apple saw many of these technologies discussed and drawn out on desks and white boards under the tireless leadership and direction of my colleague Dr. Alan Brightman, who was Director of Apple’s WW Disability Solutions for 12 years; and is now a VP at Yahoo focusing on Global Accessibilty. To see these things come to life and create impact all around the world is simply astounding (then and now). Kelli Richards, CEO of the All Access Group, LLC
The Cupertino Connection: iTunes 11 and iCloud
iTunes may be one of the best products that Apple ever developed, or at the very least, one of the smartest. Just a few weeks ago Apple released iTunes 11 with a myriad of visual and technical changes and improvements. iTunes will turn 12 years old in January, and in those years Apple has found a way to streamline, connect, condense, and centralize a user’s content and multimedia experience. With that in mind, I think it’s worth looking at a few of the existing features, the new ones in iTunes 11, and the future ones planned for next year to see just how they’ll continue to do that. First let’s look at how Apple already connects users and their content across multiple devices. One of the earliest features that did this was the “Library Sharing” feature that enables users to share their library across 5 devices connected to the same network using the same Apple ID. This was great because a user could have a whole collection on their desktop computer and access that same collection on their laptop. With this feature, users can also share content with other people on their WiFi network. A similar feature that’s been out for a few years is AirPlay. AirPlay allows users to stream media from one device across multiple devices on their WiFi network. For example, a user can start listening to an album or playlist in one room and stream it to their home stereo in their living room. Users can even adjust which devices are playing at what time and the volume of those individual devices. Apple TV even lets users stream a movie from their computer on their Apple TV. Of course, all of these devices are controllable with an iPhone, iPod, or iPad. Finally, with iTunes 11 and the updated iTunes store, all of a user’s downloads are automatically synced to the iCloud and accessible by any other iCloud capable device. This means a song downloaded in the iTunes store on your computer will be available on your iPod or iPhone. A similar service, iTunes Match, was released last year and allows users to pay an annual fee to have any of their music in their library uploaded to the iCloud, whether it was purchased or available in the iTunes store or not. These services could prove to be interesting competitors for Spotify, Rhapsody, Amazon, and other streaming/cloud based music delivery services. Lastly, Apple recently announced that it will launch its own streaming radio service to compete with Pandora in the first few months of 2013. Like the aforementioned services, it will be available across iPhones, iPods, iPads, Macs, and PC’s as part of iTunes. With all of these developments that have made Apple products so seamlessly integrated into a person’s life, it seems Tim Cook is moving forward to fulfill Steve Jobs’ goal of having an Apple device in every home. Cloud storage and online streaming is all the rage right now, and Apple’s solutions could prove to be big problems for its competitors. With so many solutions to a user’s content needs, why would they bother going elsewhere? Kelli Richards CEO of The All Access Group
Beamz Interactive – Play Music with Ease and Add A Visual Element
Are you one of those people who think they can’t play music or will never learn to play an instrument? I have heard people say things like “I’m too old now” or “I’m just not musically gifted.” Thanks to the great products from Beamz Interactive, you’ll never be able to use those excuses again. Beamz has created a great new interactive music system that uses lasers to enable users to create music. And I cannot think of a better stocking stuffer for anyone in your life.
Please click through and comment on my recent article on Fast Company
Hi everyone, I am thrilled to share that last week my article, “How Apple’s Culture Seeped Into Silicon Valley’s DNA,” was featured in Fast Company. I would be grateful if you would click through and comment on Fast Company’s site and join the discussion there.
Cyber Monday – Digging for Digital Dollars
The holiday season is upon us now that Thanksgiving has come and gone. If you’ve just surfaced from the post-Thanksgiving turkey overdose then you’ve already missed Black Friday, which is probably for the better. However, many e-commerce sites are extending Cyber Monday deals through the entire week. This blog isn’t going to tell you where to find the best deals or give you any general tips, but rather it will highlight the importance of Cyber Monday to the tech industry and its influence throughout the globe. The term “Cyber Monday,” was first coined in 2005 by Shop.com as a parallel to Black Friday. Scott Silverman of Shop.com created the concept based on research that the Monday following Thanksgiving was the biggest online retail day of the year, presumably for anyone who missed out on Black Friday deals. In its first year, Cyber Monday generated over $600 million dollars in sales from U.S consumers. It has since grown to double that and is now “celebrated” in countries across the globe such as the U.K, Portugal, Germany, New Zealand, and Australia. One of the reasons Cyber Monday has grown so steadily over the years is because the rapid advancements in tech. In 2005, few people were browsing Amazon.com on their cell phones, now however, more than 12% of Cyber Monday purchases are made from a mobile device. Similarly, the rate at which technology is released has sped up in every direction, meaning more cool new gadgets for people to buy. As online sales soar with Cyber Monday, some brick-and-mortar locations and small businesses have complained that the deals online are taking money away from local economies. The sad (and great) news is that really, as technology and e-commerce rapidly evolve, everyone along the retail trail will have to find a way to keep up. So happy hunting! There are so many cool new products on the market – from the iPad Mini to the Kindle Fire to all the great new laptops that have come out. Hopefully you won’t go overboard and max out all your cards, though I know it can be tempting! Kelli Richards CEO of the All Access Group.
A Message of Thanks and Giving
Greetings everyone, With Thanksgiving almost here, I’d like to take the opportunity to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday, abundant with loved ones. One of the many things I’m grateful for is your definitely your friendship this past year. 2012 has been amazing and successful for me, and that definitely doesn’t happen in a vacuum. I continue to work on new and exciting things to foster that same success and abundance in your own companies and projects. I am launching a new coaching program to help companies and brands adopt best practices and implement them into their goals and initiatives. If you’ve read my latest book, “The Magic and Moxie of Apple: An Insider’s View” then you’ll be familiar with some of these best practices (but not all of them). If you have struggled to hit your goals, successfully launch your projects, or create the relationships you need to truly move forward, this is the program for you. A new, updated edition of my bestselling book “Taking the Crowd to the Cloud,” comes out on 12/12/12. This eBook will feature new chapters on Pinterest, the new Myspace, and on funding sources for musicians (and any of us with a great project that the “crowd” could get behind. In addition to the new chapters, I will be updating all of the book’s topics to account for updates and renovations on the various social networks, such as promoted posts on Facebook – and the ability to share video on Linkedin. While this book does cover some very advanced capabilities, I always endeavor to approach each space with a beginners eye, for those of us who need that point of view as well. Best wishes, Kelli Richards CEO of the All Access Group.
Crowd Funding for Musicians
One of the things that I do when I work with clients is help them find new revenue streams and funding sources. They’re two of the most important aspects when it comes to business growth and development. It’s not any different for musicians. If you want to take music from a hobby to a full-time job, you’re going to need funding to survive and support your music. One of the great ways to do this is through online crowd funding platforms. Crowd funding is essentially like having a fundraiser but it can be utilized to raise money for new companies and projects. There are literally dozens of companies out there, each with their own pro’s and con’s, that help raise money through crowd funding. Some of the bigger ones are: IndieGoGo, Kickstarter, and RocketHub. There are even crowd funding companies that focus exclusively on music such as ArtistShare, Sellaband, and PledgeMusic. One of the best and earliest examples of crowd funding is the rock band Marillion, who raised $60,000 for a U.S tour in 1997 and has since used it to fund the recording and marketing of 3 albums. The over-arching premise is simple: fans donate what they can with different levels of donations that get different gifts. For example, a $10 donation will get a free copy of the CD they’re funding, a $25 donation gets a CD and a shirt, and a $50 dollar donation gets a CD, shirt, and personally autographed poster. Don’t sell yourself short, even in today’s economy people are willing to shell out the few extra bucks to help local music and get something cool in return. Who knows, those signed posters could be worth big money some day because they helped fund the album that made you famous! Crowd funding is so much more than a simple fundraiser, it’s a really fantastic way to engage your fans. Many platforms allow, or even require, artists to post updates, pictures, videos, etc as a way of maintaining momentum during their campaign. Will crowd funding replace traditional funding sources and revenue streams? Probably not; but they are a great way to get those precious few extra dollars that you need to record, produce, distribute, tour, film, etc. With crowd funding, you no longer need a major label budget to put out a great record. Simply ask your fans for help and everyone wins. Kelli Richards, CEO of the All Access Group, LLC
New York, We’ve Got Your Back
Let me preface this piece by saying my thoughts and prayers go out to the millions of people in the northeast who have been affected by Hurricane Sandy over the last week. I hope that everyone can quickly and easily recover from this tragic event. The human spirit is, as always, amazing. We’ve seen many events that showcase the spirit of brotherhood – and even heroism – through the media. Thousands of miles away on the West coast, the updates pouring in from social media were a vital lifeline of information for many friends and relatives for those affected. Two of my own team members are in New York, and I was grateful that even without electricity and internet, they both updated their Facebook and Twitter accounts to say they were okay.
The New Myspace: All or Nothing
Ah Myspace, the website that brought social networking and social media into the homes of the masses. Once the king of the internet, valued at $12 billion and becoming the most visited website in the world, it has since been dethroned and fallen from grace. Or has it? It was recently purchased by Specific Media and Justin Timberlake in June 2011 for $35 million with hopes of breathing new life into the company. But will they be able to reclaim the throne in a much more crowded kingdom? The answer to that remains to be scene but based on the preview it looks like something worth getting excited about. The obvious issue is that there are already enough, if not too many, social networks for the average user. Between Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, Youtube, Google+ and the many others, the internet has become inundated with social media. Billed as a way to connect artists and fans, the MySpace team at Specific media has taken a smart approach by letting users integrate their Facebook and Twitter accounts rather than having to create a new one. With celebrities and artists already connecting with fans via Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram perhaps integration and consolidating is something we need more of. Seamless integration and creative design are two big things the new Myspace has going for it. Based on the preview video posted by Justin Timberlake, the website does look gorgeous and functional; 2 issues which plagued it in the past. Perhaps the biggest thing it has going for it is the music feature, which is something it actually always did exceptionally well. Once a great way for big names and local bands alike to post songs, event info, pictures, etc, it will now let users create and share playlists, listen to whole albums, discover new music based on recommendations, and more. A cool feature for the artists is an analytics page which provides demographic breakdowns of their audiences by age, gender, region, etc. Myspace currently boasts one of the largest music catalogues on the internet, albeit from mostly unknown artists, at 42 million songs. If they can get some big artists and labels on board or even integrate with other services like Spotify, Pandora, Rdio, or Rhapsody then it could very well come back to life. There’s still a lot that is up in the air for the new Myspace but if it can find a way to get over the hump, play nicely with the other social networks, and deliver great content then I think it will be a success. If it can’t create a pleasant, clutter-free, and unique experience for the user then it may be time to just let it die out. Kelli Richards, President and CEO The All Access Group, LLC
A Lennon Legacy
I’d like to think that we all have heroes, that everyone out there, no matter how successful they are, takes the time to have someone to look up to and admire. John Lennon was always that hero to me. He lived by his own rules and made a mark that only grows stronger over time. A few years ago, I was lucky enough to meet his oldest son, Julian, and to share a deeply moving conversation about his dad and the work that he did – and to discuss the work that Julian has created through his charity, The White Feather Foundation. The White Feather Foundation was started over 20 years ago and embraces environmental and humanitarian issues in conjunction with partners from all around the world, raising funds for a more sustainable, better world for every living being. White Feather has done everything from supporting artists to marching to end bullying to building an orphanage in Sri Lanka. One project at a time, Julian’s Foundation builds better lives and stronger communities. In 2008, he was honored by the Better World Environmental Award by Prince Albert of Monaco. It’s not easy for artists today – the entire industry has changed and then changed gain. While being fathered by a giant among men, Julian has never been one to stand on the shoulders of his dad, John. He has carved his own careers as both a musician and a photographer. He has brilliantly built the one thing ALL of us should define and design every day – an inspiring legacy that changes and betters the world of others. Julian’s latest album, Everything Changes, will be released worldwide early 2013. In the meantime, we will all wait impatiently, and hopefully support his great work with White Feather. To send a donation, go to https://WhiteFeatherFoundation.com
Politics 2.0: The 2012 US Presidential Election
Very rarely, if ever, do I talk about politics. It’s one of those taboo topics of conversation that’s best left unmentioned for the sake of your sanity and relationships. The internet however seems to disagree. Now more than ever, politics is being discussed very openly; whether it’s on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, blogs, podcasts, etc. So why the shift? Where did it come from? What does it mean? Who’s driving it? These questions deserve a bit more investigation, so let’s take a quick look. Technology has always been used to shape and advance movements of political, cultural, and social change. From Johannes Gutenberg’s printing press of the 1400’s to the #Kony2012 campaign earlier this year, people have used technology to communicate and spread ideas in an effort to shape their culture and society. While Gutenberg’s printing press is undoubtedly more revolutionary than Twitter, both have the same end goal: to communicate and share ideas. Similarly, the advent of television played a huge role in modern U.S politics on September 26, 1960, when the Kennedy – Nixon presidential debate became the first presidential debate to be televised. Many people have said that Kennedy won the election based on that debate alone, being noticeably more calm, charming, and charismatic than Nixon. In today’s culture, the media landscape has already begun to shift. No longer are people tuning into the nightly news or watching the debates on television. Rather, they check the news on their smart phone or watch the debate streaming live on their tablets on the go – untethered. So while technology and the media have adapted to these changes, how has politics? And why is it important? For starters, the internet is here to stay. No longer are computers and the internet just for younger generations and tech geeks. 85% of adults in the United States use the internet, that’s 297.5 million people of legal voting age. According to SocialBaker.com, there are 167,913,500 U.S Facebook users or 54.12% of our total population. As you can see, that’s a huge chunk of people that are communicating their thoughts and ideas with one another. Similarly, that’s a huge chunk of people that can be reached by your ideas. If you were a politician, think about how powerful it would be to reach 54% of your target population. Imagine if you could even reach half of that, how those people could influence an election. The purpose of this blog isn’t to say whether or not using social media to promote a political campaign is worthwhile or not, I think that has already been decided. Instead, I’d like to get you to think about how social media influences politics in the U.S today.
A Tribute to John and Steve
In my newest book, The Magic and Moxie of Apple: An Insider’s View, I compared Steve Jobs and John Lennon; two iconic legends of a generation that are no longer with us today. Coincidentally, today is John’s birthday and last week marked the 1 year anniversary of Steve’s death. For that reason, I feel that it is only right for me to pay homage to two of the most inspirational men in my life. John Lennon was a rock star in every sense of the world. He had it all; the fame, the fortune, the glory, etc but you would never guess it from his bashful demeanor on the camera. Steve Jobs was also a rock star but in a less literal sense. He attained the same iconic level of fame and fortune as Lennon, but through technology. Their success can’t be attributed to themselves alone; they both had an amazing team around them. However, both had the courage and vision to try something new and it worked. I remember being a little girl when I was 8 years old and watching the Beatles doing a TV special (maybe it was “All You Need is Love”.) Apart from being electrified by their performance, the man behind the curtain playing with all the buttons and knobs (George Martin) lit a spark in me that set me on the career path that brought me to where I am today. As I watched Martin and the Beatles I thought to myself, “That’s what I want to do with my life,” and so I set out to make it happen. Similarly, growing up in Cupertino was the other half of my inspiration. At the time they started, no one knew how great Apple would be, but as the company started to take off I knew that working there would be a dream. So this is my “thank you” to John & to Steve. Without these two legends, who knows if I would have ever developed personally and professionally into the person I am today. If they’re up there watching over us, I hope they know what a profoundly wonderful impact they’ve had on millions of lives.
Rdio’s New Artist Program
As someone who has built their entire career around the convergence of technology and music, nothing pains me more than to see artists ripped off by advancements in technology. Whether we’re talking about the Napster days of the early 2000s or Grooveshark today, artists continue to be undercompensated (if compensated at all) for their work. While we’ve certainly taken some great strides towards fairly discovering and obtaining music, there is still a lot of work to be done. That’s why I was delighted to learn about Rdio, an ad-free music subscription service. Rdio was founded in 2010 by Niklas Zennström and Janus Friis, whom you might remember from the illegal file sharing service Kazaa which followed Napster’s demise. Similar to other services like Spotify and Rhapsody, Rdio allows users to stream an unlimited number of songs from their computer or smartphone for a monthly fee. Artists are compensated based on the number of plays their songs get per month. Unfortunately we’ve seen through these services that this model results in artists being undercompensated; often times getting fractions of a penny per play or a check for 4 dollars at the end of the month. Some artists, such as Coldplay and Adele, have kept their latest work off of subscription based streaming services because they feel it hurts album sales. Today Rdio has announced a new program that aims to compensate artists more fairly and increase fan engagement while at the same time getting new subscribers. The Rdio Artist Program will use artists as recruiters and will compensate them $10 dollars for each subscriber they sign up. Rdio gives the artist the tools to customize their page and share their content on social media. One of my favorite features is the ability to have artists share their favorite songs and playlists that they’re listening to, a feature I always thought iTunes should have. Rdio CEO Drew Larner calls the program a “Win-win” for all parties involved. With only about 10 million subscribers around the world, it’s hard to say whether or not this program will sink or float but a few big artists are already getting onboard such as Snoop Lion, Scissor Sisters, A-trak, and Chromeo. Could this possible be the next big thing? If it gets artists paid fairly while giving the customer a better experience, let’s hope so.
Reminder to REGISTER for TUESDAY’s Apple’s Best Practices Webinar
Tomorrow, September 25th at 2pm PST I will offer an exclusive Webinar on incorporating Apple’s 12 best practices to enhance your business, client experiences, and personal brand. As we know, Apple is a global leader in creating an environment around achieving powerful goals, and boiling down how they became THE company to model, after experiencing one of the most well documented crashes in history, is an absolute MUST do for anyone in business today. To hold your space at this exclusive webinar, sign up immediately at https://www.appleinsidersecrets.com Warmly, Kelli Richards
Apple’s Laughing Straight to the Bank
The past month or so for Apple has been almost as eventful as the company’s first big success back in the late 70’s – early 80’s.
Apple’s 12 Best Practices – Training Webinar
Join me on Tuesday, September 25, 2:00pm PT/5:00 pm ET. I will share a detailed, insiders view into Apple’s 12 best practices to create the WOW factor that keeps your customers coming back and telling all their friends about why your product “kills” anything else on the market (my colleague Steve Jobs used every single one of these to great success)
Blog for Black: The Digital Agency
Black is a digital media marketing company that was launched just a year ago by Matt and his partner, Philippe Luchansky. The duo act as Creative Director and Director of Interactive, respectively, and bring years of experience working on massive, successful campaigns. While the company itself is new, Mat and Philippe’s work has been sought after by dozens of household names, such as Blizzard, EA Sports, Jason Mraz, Redbull, Betsy Johnson, and so many more.
Steve Jobs on Privacy and User Experience – An Apple Best Practice
Nobody can keep a secret better than Apple – AND the thousands and thousands of employees. And that idea translates far into how they work with their products, and especially, their users. For Apple Inc., user experience goes far beyond what the customer can see, feel and touch. It goes on behind the veil as well. Steve Jobs talked about this himself when he was interviewed at the All Things D8 Conference in 2010.
Wendy Lipton-Dibner – Elite Video Mastery and Move People to Action
I was joined on this week’s edition of “All Access Radio” by author, speaker, and coach Wendy Lipton-Dibner. Wendy has done amazing work as a leader in her field. She is the president of Professional Impact Inc., which produces seminars and courses such as the wildly successful “Move People to Action for Experts and Entrepreneurs.”
One Thing RIGHT in the Music World: CD Baby
CD Baby is an online distributor of independent music. But they’re not just any online distributor they’re actually the largest online distributor of independent music in the world.
EventFinda – A New Way to Find Events, Concerts, Gigs, Tours…
EventFinda is an amazing new way to market and promote events as well as purchase tickets. EventFinda goes above and beyond today’s standards for event marketing and ticketing. EventFinda distinguishes itself from the competition by not only being a place to buy and sell tickets to events but also syndicates and shares content, as well as offering a path to discover more events and interesting entertainment coming to your area. EventFinda makes the lives of everyone involved with a single event much easier; from the artist, to the promoter, to the PR teams, and ultimately, to the fans and spectators. As something that started from a kitchen table in 2005 in New Zealand (not exactly Silicon Valley) and spread across the globe to land in the USA this year, there’s no doubt that EventFinda will continue to grow and amaze fans and entertainers alike. Sure, there will always be other websites that you can go to to buy and sell tickets, discover new music or entertainment, learn more about your favorite artist or venue; but none of them will be able to package all of that together like EventFinda. Kelli Richards, President and CEO The All Access Group, LLC
A Peek Behind the Curtain… The Core Personal Interviews with Kelli Richards (and her Editor) that Became the Apple eBook…
The Core Interviews with Kelli that Became the Apple eBook… Tune in for this 15-minute interview with Kelli Richards, Apple Alum and author of the Amazon Bestseller, “The Magic and Moxie of Apple – An Insider’s View.”
Will we Retain our Confidence in Apple?
The newly launched iBooks Store recently signed on its sixth majorU.S. publisher in Random House, the world’s No. 1 English-language producer of books. Is there any doubt that iBooks is set on a course to become the world’s largest digital bookstore?
On July 20th at midnight, Kelli Richards’ long awaited eBook on Apple Inc., “The Magic and Moxie of Apple – An Insider’s View,” hit #1 in Kindle for Systems and Leadership and broke the top 100 in the Business and Leadership Category (our highest ranking was #70) on Amazon overall. This is Richards’ second #1 bestseller on Amazon.
Kelli Richards, Leader in Technology and Digital Distribution, Publishes New Book on Apple Inc., “The Magic and Moxie of Apple – An Insider’s View”
Kelli Richards, CEO of the All Access Group and an alumnus of Apple Inc. (where she launched Apple’s earliest focus on music and drove all music initiatives during her 10 years with the market leader) has just published her long awaited eBook, “The Magic and Moxie of Apple – An Insider’s View.”
It’s HERE! Get “The Magic and Moxie of Apple” + An Invite to my Launch Party in Silicon Valley
What’s Apple Inc.’s best kept secret goal? Apple insider Kelli Richards reveals how Apple built a company and a brand that reaches across Fortune 100 companies and small business owners. You the book launch for “The Magic and Moxie of Apple – An Insider’s View” at https://AppleInsiderSecrets.com and peek BEHIND the curtain to look at the best practices of Apple Inc., and how it created a climate that ultimately changed the world forever. Help Best Selling Author, Kelli Richards Reach #1 on Amazon AGAIN. Get “The Magic and Moxie of Apple” + Bonuses https://AppleInsiderSecrets.com Through interviews with other alums and my own experiences at Apple for over a decade, I’ve created a compelling view of what makes Apple Inc. the company it is today. Get the book TODAY for an insider’s look at Apple’s failures, its successes, and the people who will continue its course toward greatness. https://AppleInsiderSecrets.com THANK you everyone for your support!
“Our North Star is to make the best product.” Tim Cook Continues Apple’s Best Practices
Tim Cook gave us a bird’s eye view of how Apple plans to stay the course and continue their role as tech leader of the world. Asked about the competition many times, Cook responded at one point with a statement that completely embodies one of Apple’s Best Practices. He said, “Our North Star is to make the best product.”
I talk about this best practice in my upcoming eBook at great length. How despite being the richest company in the world, the best practice of “Excellence, not Revenue” IS that North Star – and truly has been since Apple’s rebirth when Steve came back to the company.
Apple Alums – A “Class” Unto Ourselves and an Education and Collaboration for a Lifetime
Not long ago the LA Times ran an article about an executive training program at Apple called Apple University. This was one of Steve Job’s most poignant legacy projects – literally how he hoped to continue his presence, in the company he founded, long after he left this realm. Apple University is the program where Apple literally educates its executives on how to embrace the oft-referenced “Apple DNA” and think like Steve Jobs himself.
Apple – Building a Brand, Leaving a Legacy
Seeing Steve Jobs battle through the fight of his life to restore Apple to greatness – a graceful, courageous and obviously successful battle – doesn’t hold a candle to seeing him fight for his life now. He’s obviously ill. But what he’s creating, despite (or because of) that illness is mind blowing. Naysayers can address the iCloud any way they want, but what we all know is that it’s pretty damned likely to be successful.
Fun & Games: Cross Digital Distribution Takes Movies into a Whole New Realm
As the digital revolution reaches what seems to be an absolute frenzy of technological advances and debuts, more and more we’re seeing the cross-platform promotion and collaboration around product distribution. The latest (and one of the biggest) entries into this virtual world is set to be Suzanne Collins’ popular novel, “The Hunger Games.”
Hulu’s Latest Hot Ticket
So why, after four years of great digital distribution, am I writing about Hulu? Because they are about to take a huge leap of faith and add another original production to their arsenal – original content is a journey that even Oprah Winfrey herself can tell you is fraught with danger.
The Next Big Thing: Apple WWDC
It’s no surprise to see Apple race on, barely missing a beat since Steve’s passing – leading global innovation as it has this entire new millennium. In just a few hours the next Apple WWDC (Apple WorldWide Developers Conference) will take place. A stage that has announced true global game changers, like the iPhone and the iPad.
Digital at it’s Best: Live From Daryl’s House
Today’s world is fickle, and one of my favorite examples of digital avenues bringing new audiences to the best performers of our time is definitely Live From Daryl’s House, started by Daryl Hall in late 2007. This is music discover at its best, with Hall taking a simple idea and turning it into web gold.
Kelli Richards Interviews Evan Lowenstein, Founder of StageIt!
Join Kelli Richards for her great Q&A with Evan Lowenstein . Recently named to Digital Media Wire’s list of 25 Execs to Watch in Digital Entertainment for 2011, Evan Lowenstein launched StageIt with the goal of creating a web-based platform that would empower artists to deliver and monetize interactive live experiences.
A Discussion with Jim Griffin and Bill Patry, the Father of Copyright at Google
At Digital Music East Jim Griffin sat down with Bill Patry of Google and valiantly sought to stake out a solution to tangled web that is copyright. What we got, however, was a rich insight to what makes Bill Patry click and how he became known as the Father of Copyright.
Kelli Shares a Fireside Chat with Jim Griffin, Digital Music & Tech Visionary
Kelli is thrilled to interview Jim Griffin, entertainment tech visionary & one of the sharpest minds in digital music. Jim Griffin is the Managing Director of OneHouse, a company dedicated to the future of music & entertainment delivery.
Life and The Love We Make
Working at the crossroads of music and technology, and being a talent producer for a couple of decades now, I’ve had the opportunity to work with a long list of amazing artists. The most meaningful interactions are often the unscheduled, random conversations that just seem to happen randomly. Some of those occur behind-the-scenes at events like Pollstar, where I got to shoot the breeze with my childhood idol, Davy Jones.
I’m very excited to interview Nic Adler tonight on All Access Radio! Nic is a band manager, promoter, and restauranteur who has been at the helm at the infamous Roxy Theater on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood for almost 15 years. He’s also become a leading name in social media, using Facebook and Twitter to revitalize not only The Roxy, but the entire Strip!
NEW DIGITAL ECONOMICS SILICON VALLEY – Executive Brainstorm & Innovation Forum
NEW DIGITAL ECONOMICS SILICON VALLEY – Executive Brainstorm & Innovation Forum
March 27-28, 2012 – Marriott Hotel, Union Square, San Francisco
Press Release: Kelli Richards, Expert in Music, Technology and Digital Distribution to Speak at Capital Club
Cupertino, CA Kelli Richards, a thought leader in digital music and entertainment, and one of only a few select members of The Futures Agency and Alan Weiss’ Master Mentor Program and Thought Leadership Summit, has been invited to be an esteemed guest and presenter at the Silicon Valley Capital Club.
Whitney Houston – Connecting the Dots to a Legacy
The ultimate question becomes: What do artists need to create to keep themselves safe from becoming undone? Because stories like Whitney Houston’s are not uncommon. Stars rise and fall with the fickle tastes of fans, and when an artist is as meteoric as Whitney, the fall to the ground is far and long. Her difficulties were not only exploited in the media, they were – to some degree – exploited by Whitney herself, choosing a reality show as a vehicle for her brand. Under the best of circumstances, that road is twisted – just ask the long list of reality stars held up to public scrutiny (and editing and distribution).
Where is Kelli?
While being on the cutting edge of the tech and digital revolution is not at all new to me, the next year is poised to present some of the most innovative and exciting opportunities to participate at top industry events. I look forward to seeing some of you at the San Francisco Music Tech Summit today, at Digital Music Forum East in less than two weeks in NYC, plus at the many other exciting gatherings and summits already on the calendar AND yet to be developed (including Digital Music Forum East in NYC, Alley to the Valley Summit, Silicon Valley Capital Club, New Digital Economics, Digital Hollywood, among others!) If you have an event you’d like me to participate in, or a panel or keynote to deliver, please reach out to me directly at Kelli@AllAccessGroup.com
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