Resources
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
As an Apple insider and alum, I always have an ear to the ground for what’s going on in their world. 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. With a landmark legal victory over Samsung for copyright infringement, the company not only gets awarded $1.05 billion in damages (which Samsung is appealing, of course), but they will also exclusive rights over certain design and software ideas on which they own patents.
While some have slammed Apple’s case as being too broad or overzealous, the decision will surely shape the mobile software and hardware markets from this point on. For the consumer it means two things: First, Apple’s patented designs and features will most likely be cross-licensed for quite a pretty penny to competing developers and manufacturers. Second, this means that in order to competitively price their technology, companies will have to become innovative once again, rather than copy an already successful formula. So you’ll either see iPhone and iOS-esque features on high-end electronics, or innovative new designs may become the way of the future. That chapter has yet to be written.
With so much focus and attention on these two battling giants, what better time for Amazon to announce its new reader / tablet offering, the Kindle Fire. Strategically placed in the same realm as the competing iPad, Nexus, and Galaxy tablets, the Kindle Fire looks to open the floodgates of revenue for its content delivery platform. The three-way race between Apple, Amazon, and Google’s media stores appears well separated for now, but the competition is certainly heating up as the markets and technology change so rapidly. And the solid winner in ALL of this is the pro-sumer.
One would think that the competitive innovation to come from the lawsuit against Samsung, along with the introduction of the rival Kindle Fire would be cause for concern at the Apple HQ here in Cupertino, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth.
On September 12th, Apple announced the iPhone 5 in grandiose Apple fashion, after the project had been shrouded in secrecy for almost a year. (An issue I cover at length in my recent bestseller, “The Magic and Moxie of Apple – An Insider’s View”.) Thinner, lighter, faster, and overall cooler than its predecessor, the iPhone 4s; the iPhone 5 also boasts a number of new features, such as a new charging interface and new operating system (iOS 6).
Consumers are certainly on board for the new and improved iPhone, as evidenced by the 2 million+ pre-orders within the first 24 hours of its announcement. As a result, the cost of Apple’s stock has risen to over $700 for the first time in company history.
So while rival tech giants are out there trying to copy Apple products or create competitive alternatives in hopes of dethroning them, Apple is simply laughing it’s way straight to the bank.
Kelli Richards, President and CEO
The All Access Group
PS: On September 25th, I will offer an amazing webinar on the 12 Best Practices of Apple Inc. This webinar is offered at NO cost to you. I will offer it at a later date for $47 per participant, but for now, I simply want to extend this webinar and my expertise around what makes Apple the global leader it is to my own audience, colleagues and friends.
To save your seat, go tohttps://appleinsidersecrets.com/webinar.php and register.
Apple’s 12 Best Practices – Training Webinar
How would you like to learn the single most important mind-set shift you need to guarantee that your billion-dollar ideas don’t get taken by your competitors?
How important is it to you to leave a legacy that makes a huge difference in the world?
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)
- How to inspire your team with an emotionally compelling cause so they become world-class superstars who are completely loyal to you and your vision.
This webinar is offered at NO cost to you. I will offer it at a later date for $47 per participant, but for now, I simply want to extend this webinar and my expertise around what makes Apple the global leader it is to my own audience, colleagues and friends.
To save your seat, go to https://appleinsidersecrets.com/webinar.php and register.
Kelli Richards, President and CEO
The All Access Group,
Blog for Black: The Digital Agency
A few weeks ago I had the great fortune of having Matt Ramey, co-founder of Black – The Digital Agency, join me on my streaming radio show (you can find his interview, alphabetically, on my website at https://allaccessgroup.com/articles-and-resources/blog-talk-radio). Matt shared some great stories from his past, as well as some amazing insights on the music industry and his new company.
Black – The Digital Agency’s services span every aspect of digital media marketing from strategy, design, development, and everything in between. With advertising revenue for traditional media platforms on the decline, it’s no wonder that Black’s approach to digital media marketing has been met with fanfare and critical acclaim. As TV networks consolidate, newspapers go bankrupt, and radio stations get replaced, Black offers best-in-class digital media marketing solutions for the continuously blooming digital media age.
You can find out more by visiting Matt’s website at https://contactblack.com/
Kelli Richards, President and CEO
The All Access Group, LLC
Steve Jobs on Privacy and User Experience – An Apple Best Practice
Even for me, as an Apple insider, seeing the Apple “Best Practices” in action is awe inspiring. No one can deny that one of the most amazing things about Apple is how they embrace secrecy as an asset. No entity keeps a secret better than Apple – AND the thousands and thousands of employees and alum in their tribe. Quite simply it’s part of our Apple DNA. 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.
“No, silicon valley is not monolithic. We’ve always had a very different view of privacy than some of our colleagues in the valley, we take privacy extremely seriously. As an example, we worry a lot about location in phones and we worry that some 14 year old is going to get stalked and something terrible is going to happen because of our phone, and so as an example, before any app can get location data we don’t make it a rule that they have to put up a panel and ask because they might not follow that rule. They call our location services, and we put up the panel saying this app wants to use your location data, is that okay with you. Every time they want to use it and we do a lot of things like that to ensure that people understand what these apps are doing. That’s one of the reasons we have the curated app store. We have rejected a lot of apps that want to take a lot of your personal data and suck it up into the cloud, a lot. So we’re really old, a lot of people in the valley think we’re very old fashioned about this and maybe we are, but we worry about stuff like this.
No, privacy means people know what they’re signing up for in plain English and repeatedly. That’s what it means. I’m an optimist, I believe people are smart and some people want to share more data than other people do – ask them. Ask them every time. Make them tell you to stop asking them if they get tired of your asking them. Let them know precisely what you’re going to do with their data.”
Just another example of behind-the-scenes USER experiences – one of the best “best practices” that Apple does differently.
If YOU would like to learn more about Apple’s best practices and how those could work in YOUR company or work, sign up at https://AppleInsiderSecrets.com and become part of my own inner circle and get all of my insider, best practice tools and event invitations.
Kelli Richards, President and CEO
The All Access Group, LLC
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.” As an internationally recognized authority in business and personal acceleration, she brought so much knowledge and insight to the table.
Wendy and I have floated around the same circles and worked with some of the same people for years, which made talking to her an absolute treat. Right off the bat, we quickly recognized that we are “kindred spirits,” from our tastes in music, passion for working and helping with people, and drive for success. I think she and I may be among a small handful of people who knew exactly what we wanted to do when we were young, 8 year old girls. Granted, neither of us knew how that would unravel, it was great to finally talk to someone who had that same experience growing up. Not to mention, as women we both worked towards shattering stereotypes and empowering women within our respective industries.
Wendy was way ahead of her game 10 years ago when she made her first promotional video, which she says was awful even though it lead to over a million dollars in sales, and she remains ahead of her game today. Keep an eye out for more great seminars and courses from Wendy in the near future, especially her new Elite Video Mastery online course and live seminar. You can find out more about that, including free training, at https://www. EliteVideoMasteryFreeTraining.com.
Kelli Richards, President and CEO
The All Access Group, LLC
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. Since their start-up in 1998 and mega distribution giant success, CD Baby has paid out over $200 million to artists. That’s not bad considering everyone else in the music industry is claiming that no one is buying music (and everyone is stealing it). One of the most interesting aspects of CD Baby is the fact that the artist, not the label or the retailer, sets the price of their albums and discounts. Perhaps that’s why there are over 300,000 artists on CD Baby today.
CD Baby’s greatness continues to shine through and impact every part of music and the music industry. By supporting artists, doing ethical business in the music industry, and helping new musicians emerge. With all that is wrong in the music industry today, it’s nice to see a company of great people doing great things.
Kelli Richards, President and CEO
The All Access Group, LLC
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
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Practicing Self-Care in Busy, Uncertain Times Tapping into Your Own Renewable Energy
LinkedIn.com, June 2025 – Here are five grounded strategies to tap into that inner energy reservoir when everything around you feels depleted. …
Practicing Self-Care in Busy, Uncertain Times Tapping into Your Own Renewable EnergyRead More »
Why It’s Important to Reinvent Yourself & Your Brand Periodically (& launch of my new site)
LinkedIn.com, May 2025 – Repositioning yourself and your brand periodically is essential because growth requires evolution—and without it, relevance, resonance, and results fade. Here’s why it matters. …
Post-Vacation Exhaustion is Real: How to Re-integrate with Grace, Not Grit
LinkedIn.com, May 2025 – Reintegration was a bigger challenge than I imagined it would be. Here’s how I got back on track. …
Post-Vacation Exhaustion is Real: How to Re-integrate with Grace, Not GritRead More »
Getting your voice (and presence) out in the world with events
It’s all too easy to do business via Zoom; many of us have become accustomed to that being the primary way we work — certainly since Covid. But it’s equally important to show up, get our voices heard, and to press the flesh at live networking events as well. It’s a great way to demonstrate thought leadership, to reconnect with our communities and our colleagues, and to meet prospective new clients as well.
Most of the conferences and events I participate in tend to be lumped into the Fall and Spring, and the Spring events have largely wound down by this point as we enter Summer and people are heading out on their vacation getaways.
I participated in two great events this month — and am already looking forward to the ones in the Fall.
Women’s Bustin’ Barriers Business Summit
(led by Debra Morrison)
A dozen inspirational highly accomplished women came together in fireside chats online over two days with the dynamic Debra Morrison, to share stories of how they overcame obstacles, built bridges, and persevered in achieving their dreams and professional ambitions. I was chosen by Debra to participate as one of them, and we had a lively chat sharing insights and wisdom to empower women over 50 to realize their own goals.
Opal AI & Tech Investing Forum
Over the course of two days, a premiere gathering of visionaries, investors, innovators and inudstry leaders came together in San Francisco to explore the future of innovation (particularly AI) and investment across multiple industry sectors including space exploration, med tech, automotive, blockchain, and many others. We discussed market trends & strategies, geopolitical influences and strategies, and networked with leading minds in private equity, venture and technology.
Opal Group is a leading global event group that produces first rate events on a variety of topics aimed primarily at investing for family offices — educating them on a range of topics and introducing them to experts that they can foster meaningful relationships with (in tandem with one another). I always enjoy participating in these events, and am honored to have become part of this exceptional community.
…let’s see what Summer has in store (!). I’d love to hear about any fun vacation plans you may have.
Be Well,
Kelli
How Visionary Leaders Can Better Navigate Challenging Situations
There’s no question that we’re living in turbulent times of constant change and upheaval requiring resilience and flexibility at every turn. For visionary leaders with a growth mindset, tackling hard things involves approaching challenges as gateways to new possibilities, options, and innovations. In this article, I share some tips and approaches tailored specifically for leaders who thrive on expansive thinking (including some powerful questions to ponder).
Choose Yourself First: The Shift That Changes Everything (you are not an option – why it’s time to make yourself a priority)
There’s a quiet ache that many leaders, visionaries, and givers carry—often hidden behind accomplishments, outward confidence, and even stoicism. It’s the experience of feeling like an option in other people’s lives, while showing up as a constant in theirs. You won’t always be someone’s first call, first thought, or first choice. And while that might sting, it’s also the wake-up call you didn’t know you needed.Because here’s the truth: You are not here to be someone’s option. You are here to be your own priority.
Spotlight
What I Do – Who I Am (Minevich post)
I have struggled with the question “What Do You Do” for many years – and have even been on a mission to eradicate it (!); but it’s so firmly ingrained in our society. I honestly don’t care about how someone pays their bills, I want to know what their passion is, where the joy is in their life – and what lights them up. Yes, even from the moment I meet them. Recently, a long-time colleague, Mark Minevich (a thought leader in AI) shared his thoughts on this question — and his words resonated so loudly within me. It’s exactly what I’ve wanted to express myself forever, and he does it here so eloquently. It’s not what you do — it’s who you ARE.
Brian Wilson’s passing
We’ve just lost another musical genius in Brian Wilson — whose legacy is indelible, and whose talents and impact have been compared with Beethoven.
The leader (and lead songwriter) behind The Beach Boys has left a rich and unique canon of songs that are timeless and light up all who hear them — for the past 60 years and will continue to far into the future as well. Brian and Paul McCartney were born just two days apart and they respected one another enormously.
It’s arguable that without Pet Sounds (which inspired Paul no end) there would not have been a Sergeant Pepper’s. Paul has forever said that “God Only Knows” is “the greatest song ever written” — and that’s high praise indeed. They only played together once – in 2002 – at an Adopt-A-Minefield fundraiser that I co-produced. The two of them played a couple of songs together for the first and only time before or since; “God Only Knows” and “Let It Be” – with their respecive bands backing them. Jay Leno was the host. It was truly a magical eventing and only the 500 or so people in the room got to experience that spine-tingling experience. It was definitely a career highlgiht for me.
Media Recommendations
Somebody Feed Phil
Netflix
I’ve written about this TV show before — it’s one of my favorite series on Netflix – and I’ve been waiting eagerly for Season 8 to drop which is just did this month. I’m a big fan of Phil Rosenthal’s, and have been forever.
He’s best known for his work behind the camera as the creator of the beloved series “Everybody Loves Raymond”. But he came out in front of the camera several years ago as the host of this delightful series which takes him to wonderful destinations around the globe where he introduces audiences to the food, culture and the people of these different lands — and brings his zany sense of fun and good humor along.
By the way, I especially loved the episode on Amsterdam in this season’s line-up; still working my way through the episodes. 🙂
People Say the Nicest Things…
“Thanks for sharing your journey so eloquently as one who is surely steeped in decades of technology prowess, yet who shines brightly as a heart-centered visionary. Congrats on your many brilliant accomplishments!”
Debra Morrison
Founder
We Can Do It Women (podcast)
My panel at the Opal AI & Tech Investing Forum in San Francisco featuring some fascinating women talking about their experiences with AI, and women’s special advantages leveraging this ever evolving technology.
Shaking Things Up – Globetrotting, New Site, and More! – A Note from Kelli
My international travels have been quite sporadic since the pandemic shut down, and I’ve been looking to ramp back up in that department over the past year or so. An opportunity presented itself last month to join five friends on a trip to Portugal and Spain, for some R&R, sightseeing in both places – and to walk for a 5-6 day portion of the Camino de Santiago (a bucket list thing for most people I know).
The Camino portion was structured through Backroads Travel – and we had a fantastic time, they knocked it out of the park; I’d highly recommend working with them for any group travel adventure you may have in mind. Our time in Porto, Portugal and Madrid, Spain was our own and unstructured; we still did and saw a lot – soaked up the culture, enjoyed great food and wine, and walked a LOT. My only regret was our time there was more limited than I’d have liked. Still it was so refreshing to get out of the nest, out of my comfort zone, and soak up some global culture and adventure; it was soul-nurturing, eye-opening, and very much needed!*
In the spirit of shaking things up, I also just re-launched my website since my return from that trip; it’s a brand refresh of sorts and I’m really pleased with it. If you have a site yourself, I think it’s important to fine-tune your images and messaging every few years to ensure you stay modern, fresh, current, relevant, and aligned with what matters most for your clients. The theme for my brand refresh is ‘globetrotting visionary sage’. Please drop by for a visit and dive into it when you can; take your time — I’d love to hear what you think.
*(I’d also love to hear whether you have some fun travel adventures planned this year so please share if so!).
Be Well,
Kelli
Post-Vacation Exhaustion is Real: How to Re-integrate with Grace, Not Grit
Have you ever come back from your vacation in need of a vacation to recalibrate back into your normal routine? In this article I share some observations and tips to try out from my own recent experience.
Why It’s Important to Reinvent Yourself & Your Brand Periodically (& launch of my new site)
A message that I share with many of my clients is the need to reinvent ourselves periodically; that includes our self-identity, and also how we position ourselves (our “brand”) in the world.
Repositioning yourself and your brand periodically is essential because growth requires evolution—and without it, relevance, resonance, and results fade. Here’s why it matters.
Spotlight
Val: The Val Kilmer Documentary
We’re losing more of our cultural heroes these days it seems. In April we said goodbye to Val Kilmer, an actor who I had enormous respect for during his career heyday, and as well during the past decade or so that he suffered valiantly with physical decline personally. I highly recommend watching “Val,” his personal documentary and an autobiography of sorts that he released back in 2021. It’s a terrific overview of his life.
I never had the pleasure of meeting Val, but he sure had a fantastic run — I’m so pleased that he was able to participate with good friend Tom Cruise in the “Top Gun: Maverick” (sequel) that came out in 2022, courtesy of AI algorithms and a text-to-speech approach enabled by a company called Sonantic, which was subsequently acquired by Spotify. Tech saved the day, and enabled a most powerful reunion between the two actors that was emotional, impactful, and was a memorable highlight of the film.
Media Recommendations
Adolescence
Netflix
A crime drama focused on a young teen accused of murdering one of his classmates, the series focuses on the events leading up to the murder. It also dives deep into the teen himself, the impact both to him and to his family, the psychological implications, as well as broader societal implications and the process of how the situation gets handled. It’s gripping, well-done – and has become one of Netflix’s most highly-rated series.
Pee Wee on Himself
HBO
I was a big Pee Wee fan when he was on top of the world in the 80s; he had a unique sense of humor, flair, creativity, and self-expression that I resonated with greatly. I also admired what Paul Reubens achieved in creating this character that society embraced so fully for a time. However in the process, Paul allowed Pee Wee to all but subsume his persona and identity which he reflects on in this well-done documentary of an otherwise reasonably private man. The interviews were completed within a week of his passing back in July 2023; he’d been suffering from cancer for several years prior — which the filmmakers had no knowledge of.
(Many years ago, Paul sent me the gift of DVDs of his Playhouse series, as well as his Christmas Special, which I will always be grateful for; I covet them even more since his passing even though I can now stream them).
Good Energy: The Surprising Connection Between Metabolism and Limitless Health
by Casey Means, MD
Regular readers of this newsletter know of my passion for optimal wellness, and my own struggles/battles with hormonal and metabolism-related issues for decades. Most of our chronic health conditions can be attributed to our metabolic function and challenges with our immune system as a result. This groundbreaking book pivots on how these issues are a direct result of how well the cells in our body create and use energy. It may be nerdy for some, but the linkages the author connects provide fresh insights and welcome information that helps explain what’s going on — and shares practical tips for how we can better manage the situation.
John & Paul: A Love Story in Songs
by Ian Leslie
As a Beatleologist for my entire life (since age 8), I’ve amassed a lot of knowledge about the band members, and thought I’d heard and read just about every fact that anyone could. When I heard about this new book, I was curious to see whether I might learn some new facts that I hadn’t been aware of to this point. After all, hasn’t it all been written by this time? What I liked about the book is that it teases out the nuances of the touching and complex relationship between John and Paul since its inception until Lennon’s untimely passing. Paul wasn’t interviewed by the author, so much of it is speculation, but it’s thought-provoking nonetheless.
People Say the Nicest Things…
“Kelli: you make a big difference to me in every conversation we have. your care and belief in me are so genuine and welcome. You consistently share powerful insights and show me new ways to look at situations, and to address challenges, that are unique and refreshing; I feel liberated and empowered (even expanded!) as a result of our exchanges every time!”
Denmark West
Head of Market Intelligence
& Strategic Engagements
X, the moonshot factory
Here I am on the Camino trip with my group of friends and travel companions in front of the Santiago de Compostelo church in Spain (the end of the line for the pilgrims who walk the Camino). Such a great trip!
Choose Yourself First: The Shift That Changes Everything
LinkedIn.com, April 2025 – You are not an option – why it’s time to make yourself a priority. …
Choose Yourself First: The Shift That Changes EverythingRead More »
How Visionary Leaders Can Better Navigate Challenging Situations
LinkedIn.com, April 2025 – Here are some tips and approaches tailored specifically for leaders who thrive on expansive thinking. …
How Visionary Leaders Can Better Navigate Challenging SituationsRead More »
Spring is Here! A Time for Renewal and Reinvention
Spring is upon us. I don’t know about you, but I had a particularly tough time dealing with the recent time change that took place this month (if you’re in the US you can relate). It took me a full week! This policy around ‘daylight savings time’ was initially put in place around WW1 to conserve energy and reduce the need for artificial lighting. But that was over 100 years ago (!). I think this policy should be abolished, and am hoping the powers that be will align on that in due course. What’s your stance on it? I’d be curious to hear.
Time change aside, Spring is a time for renewal and reinvention if ever there was a great time for that. In my case I’m upleveling my brand and will be launching a new and improved web site, as well as putting out a new eBook in short order; stay tuned for updates on both of those activities. Coming soon!
Is it time for you to consider something similar? What’s calling to you to take action on in this time? Again, reach out and share what you’re pondering; I’d really love to know!
Be Well,
Kelli
From Isolation to Connection: Overcoming the Fear of Past Failures to Cultivate Well-Being for Founders, Innovators, and Leaders
The journey to success is often isolating, and for many, past failures compound this loneliness, creating anxiety, stress, and a lingering fear of repeating mistakes. But what if failure isn’t something to be feared but embraced as part of the process? What if connection, rather than isolation, is the key to sustained success and well-being? Read the article to learn more.
Revitalize Your Mind: How to Overcome Apathy & Rediscover Your Inner Brilliance
As a leader, you are expected to be a source of energy, vision, and inspiration – consistently, always on. Yet, even the most driven leaders encounter moments of apathy—times when the spark dims, the passion wanes, and the weight of responsibilities feels heavier than usual. Here’s how you can break free from apathy and rediscover the energy, creativity, and vitality that spark you up and make you an extraordinary leader.
Media Recommendations
Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy
I admit it, I LOVE the Bridget Jones films starring Renee Zellweger; the franchise is over 20 years old, and this is the four (and allegedly final) installment in the series. In this film, we find Bridget a widow raising her two children on her own, and getting back into the dating scene as well as getting her old job back as a TV producer. If you love this series, you’ll appreciate that many of the original characters have returned for continuity. Interestingly this film franchise has a much bigger following overseas so while it’s been enjoying a theatrical run elsewhere it was only released in the US streaming to Peacock subscribers. That said I enjoyed it so much I watched it a couple of times — good fun and highly recommended!
With Love, Meghan
Netflix
This is Meghan Sussex (nee Markle) demonstrating her passion for and expertise as a fabulous host. In this initial series of 8 30-min episodes, Meghan invites friends and notable influencer guests to a lovely country home – near the one she shares with Harry and her children in Montecito near Santa Barbara – where she shares cooking, gardening and hosting tips. I realize the series has taken some hits with critics, but I really enjoyed it — her personality and talents shine through, and it’s a lifestyle I envy (wish I had the opportunity to do more of myself!). It reminds me of a series I loved in the late 90s with a similar approach called “Next Door with Katie Brown” (look it up if you’re curious to compare them).
I particularly liked the episode with the legendary Alice Waters who basically invented the Farm-to-Table movement, and clearly Meghan is a huge fan of hers as well. Apparently, Ted Sarandos at Netflix is a big fan and there is talk that the series will be renewed for a second season.
Buy Back Your Time: Get Unstuck, Reclaim Your Freedom, and Build Your Empire
by Dan Martell
Turns out the real definition of wealth isn’t how much money you have, but how much freedom and control you have over your time! Dan is a successful serial entrepreneur and founder with several exits, and is also a renowned SaaS coach. In this book he shares insights and tips for how fellow entrepreneurs can scale their business and manage their time. He shares a broad range of practical, easy to implement tips across a broad range of situations — with a systems thinking mindset. I particularly enjoyed a couple of the last chapters in the book on dreaming big (as in having a 10X vision), and what he refers to as a “Buyback Life” with approaches like pre-planning your year ahead of time so the important things are addressed.
People Say the Nicest Things…
Working with Kelli was a transformative experience that elevated my leadership in ways I hadn’t fully tapped into before. She has a keen ability to provide insight that challenges you to think bigger and operate at your highest level. Through our work together, I gained a deeper awareness of how I could fully leverage my strengths, step into opportunities with greater intention, and lead with even more confidence. Her candid, thoughtful guidance helped me refine my approach, embrace my authenticity, and expand my perspective on what’s possible.
Kelli creates an environment where open and meaningful conversations flourish, allowing for real growth and impactful shifts in mindset. She genuinely believes in the people she works with and is committed to helping them maximize their potential. Her support didn’t just reinforce the leader I already was—it helped me unlock new levels of effectiveness, clarity, and influence. I’m grateful for the experience and the lasting impact it’s had on how I show up every day.
Michelle Snyder — C-Suite Marketing Exec (cross-industry; Cable, CPG, Financial & more)
It’s been just over three months since I adopted my two cats, Jasper and Remy; I’m grateful for how well they’ve bonded.
Revitalize Your Mind: How to Overcome Apathy & Rediscover Your Inner Brilliance
LinkedIn.com, March 2025 – As a leader, you’re expected to be a source of energy, vision, and inspiration. Yet, even the most driven leaders encounter moments of apathy when the weight of responsibilities feels heavier than usual. Here’s how to rediscover the energy, creativity, and vitality that spark you up and make you an extraordinary leader. …
Revitalize Your Mind: How to Overcome Apathy & Rediscover Your Inner BrillianceRead More »
From Isolation to Connection: Overcoming the Fear of Past Failures to Cultivate Well-Being for Founders, Innovators, and Leaders
LinkedIn.com, March 2025 – I explore how leaders can move beyond fear, redefine failure, and cultivate deep, meaningful relationships that support both their personal well-being and their professional impact.
Read the entire article here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/from-isolation-connection-overcoming-fear-past-leaders-kelli-richards-tjuxc
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Kelli is “In the Hot Seat”
“In The Hot Seat” with Larry LeBlanc for CelebrityAccess. “In the Hot Seat” profiles entertainment leaders from around the world in a Q&A form. It was very exciting, and AAG invites you to click over and read the interview today!
This week In the Hot Seat with Larry LeBlanc: Kelli Richards, CEO and president, The All Access Group.
Today, as president and CEO of The All Access Group based in Cupertino, California in the heart of Silicon Valley and host of All Access Radio, Richards strives to create alliances between large content and technology companies, major artists, and consumer brands.
Richards guides her clients through the maze of leading-edge technologies and connections in order to get their products to more people. According to this savvy, fast-talking entrepreneur, her focus is on “strategic rainmaking, and creating opportunities between innovative technologies for digital distribution, and branded entertainment content.”
Digital Music East, Justin Timberlake, MySpace TV, and Where it’s All Headed
MySpace TV will still encompass the site’s library of 42 million songs and 100,000 music videos, and it will enable instant communication and huge search-ability around them between friends.
Who knows where MySpace TV will go from there? “As the plot of your favorite drama unfolds the joke of your favorite SNL character plays or even the last-second shot of your favorite team swishes the net, we’re giving you the opportunity to connect your friends to your moments as they’re actually occurring. This is the evolution of one of our greatest inventions, the television,” said Timberlake.
Thousand-Mile View of Life
One of my highlights for 2011 was a thousand-mile-high ride on a Zeppelin. Yes, one of those huge dirigibles that float over concerts and sporting events. Riding in a Zeppelin is a rare opportunity – in fact, there are only two airships in circulation for passengers – one in Germany and one in Silicon Valley. Rumor has it that the reason there was a free seat for me was because Mark Zuckerberg’s sister backed out at the last moment. I literally had only moments to make the decision and clear my calendar (no easy feat).
A Fireside Chat with Jack Buser, Director of PlayStation Home
I recently interviewed my good friend Jack Buser on my weekly online radio show. Jack Buser is the Director of PlayStation Home, which is a 3D virtual world and social game platform on the PS3. Home recently underwent a major redesign, and we were eager to hear about the new benefits and features. PlayStation Home is filled with hundreds of games – everything from pool tables and dart boards to full-on space shooters like Novus Prime: Escalation and massive online racing games like Sodium 2: Project Velocity. With Jack Buser at the helm, Home is leading the virtual world in community based user experiences, and doing an amazing job of it!
Fankix: The New Wave in Social Entertainment
I am thrilled to share that I’m now the VP of Artists & Brands for Fankix. Fankix delivers music to fans around the world with a unique social experience, deeper interaction with musicians and first-rate authentic content at no cost.
Cool or Not Cool? Bandzoogle and it’s Cool Connection to Direct-to-Fan
I recently inteviewed Dave Cool, the “voice” of Bandzoogle. Dave Cool writes the Bandzoogles blog, well known for inspiring and supporting Bandzoogle’s #1 mission: To make Direct-to-Fan a very real accomplishment for artists and bands everywhere. You can get a complimentary digital copy of “What is INDIE?” when you sign up for Dave’s mailing list at: https://bit.ly/hs4uk6
VIP Breakfast for Apple Alumni at the Silicon Valley Capital Club, San Jose, CA
I’m thrilled to invite you to join me for a VIP Breakfast for Apple Alumni at the Silicon Valley Capital Club in San Jose, CA on Thursday, December 8th, from 7-8am. I look forward to hosting an intimate breakfast and discussion exclusively for present and former Apple employees. This 1-hour Power Breakfast is about re-connecting & networking with Apple colleagues. We will explore how to take our businesses and our lives to a whole new level of success in the next year by building on the synergy of Apple alliances. The focus of this breakfast club will be my forthcoming eBook “The Magic & Moxie of Apple: An Insider’s View”. VIP Breakfast and a copy of the eBook (valued at $37) are limited to the first 12 people who respond.
A Fantastic Freebie from Fanatic.FM
To celebrate Fanatic.FM and their great contribution to DIY brand building for artists, Fanatic.FM is offering a special bonus for Kelli’s tribe. Click here for a free subscription to The Fanatic and enter to win a 1-hour session with the Fanatic.FM social media tune-up experts. Deadline: December 5.
We did it! #1 on Amazon in Music!!!
A HUGE thank you to everyone who supported the Amazon Launch for “Taking the Crowd to the Cloud – Social Media for the Music Industry” – an eBook that raises the bar and demystifies social media marketing, helping musicians, agents and anyone in our industry to THRIVE. Not only did we spend all of last weekend at #1, as I write this, we’re STILL top ten!
Hypebot Promotes “Taking the Crowd to the Cloud”
I’ll write a separate blog about how my eBook went all the way to #1 on Amazon this weekend, but I wanted to take a moment and offer a special thanks to Bruce Houghton – a powerful voice in the music industry – who writes for HypeBot. He made an exception to his SOP to review the book, and his observations are spot on and very important to me. Because of the holiday weekend, I made the executive choice to leave the eBook at the launch price just until mid-week, giving all of the artists out there a chance to grab it (and use it!). MANY thanks to Bruce and to everyone who supported our effort to offer a hands-on, simple, DIY look at social media for the music industry. ~ Kelli Richards
11/11/11 eBook Launch! Help me hit #1 on Amazon!
Taking the Crowd to the Cloud – SOCIAL MEDIA for the Music Industry Kelli Richards’ new eBook, “Taking the Crowd to the Cloud – SOCIAL MEDIA for the Music Industry,” teaches you to run your content, your revenue, your merch and your fan base ANY WAY YOU WANT TO. It’s easily the best eBook on Social Media for Musicians, ever. Today is the ONLY day you can get the book on Amazon at $3.99. https://amzn.to/eBook-Crowd This eBook raises the bar and demystifies the social media process. It will help you THRIVE in this tough economy and transform your online presence and your marketing mindset. It provides an overview of the top 10 online spaces and gives a brief look at how to maximize your social media presence to build and keep your audience – and turn them into your own personal sales force. MORE FANS! The ultimate end-game! BRAND TRANSFORMATION! (Yes, trust me, you are a brand!) MORE MONEY! That’s an easy one, more fans + more content = more sales. SIMPLE! Written in easy-to-follow language with easy-to-implement instructions. FAST! You’ll learn about 8 no cost Resources to build your brand and your fan base! STOP WORRYING! No more worrying about missing the opp for social media success. No Cost Online Business Tools and List Building Tools worth 10X’s the cost of the book. FR EE DOM! How about turning your work into a business that does not depend on a label, a manager or ANYONE. Do what you WHAT you want, WHEN you want, and WHERE you want… You can set your own hours… You can live anywhere… All you need is an internet connection… The sky is the limit. Kelli Richards’ new eBook, “Taking the Crowd to the Cloud – SOCIAL MEDIA for the Music Industry,” teaches you to run your content, your revenue, your merch and your fan base ANY WAY YOU WANT TO. It’s easily the best eBook on Social Media for Musicians, ever. Today is the ONLY day you can get the book on Amazon at $3.99. https://amzn.to/eBook-Crowd.
A Digital Insider Scoffs at Townshend
As an industry insider – on way more than one level – it’s hard to take Pete Townshend’s comments as anything more than another great artist railing at the system. Look, in the end, we all have to admit that the system is broken. That’s one thing that Townshend got right in that interview. After that? Well, it’s all up for debate. But the fact that the debate was called to the floor again, that’s a good thing.
The Future of Content, by Futurist, Gerd Leonhard
Gerd Leonhard’s intent to publish this eBook via Amazon Kindle, exclusively, at this very low price, is to make these ideas and concepts as widely available as possible while still trying to be an example of what digital, paperless distribution can look like, going forward. Definitely a GREAT investment at $2.99.
The Pandora Box of Mobile – The Sky’s the Limit
If you were at the Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco last week, you probably heard Pandora Founder Tim Westergren share that SEVENTY PERCENT of their usage is through mobile venues. Yes. 70%. And having created a super-successful digital space for themselves, Pandora doesn’t see Spotify, iTunes, or any other competition eating their lunch any time soon.
Celebrity Wrangling.
When it comes to celebrity wrangling, helping a corporate client or event organizer secure the right celebrity to support their event or product campaign is definitely more art than science. The most important part of the process is bringing my 25 years of listening and experience to a discussion about the objectives of the client. Is it a company celebration? Is the event or campaign about supporting their employees (internal) or their brand (customers)? Is it to thank their sales team? Or perhaps an industry conference with VIPs?
Billboard.Biz – “Music-Industry Characters You Need To Follow”
In our recent one-on-one chat, thought leader Thomas Reemer shares about the application (and implication) of watermarks and how they effect digital distribution. (For those who don’t know, Thomas Reemer is the CEO of 88tc88.com – an online service that, among other things, translates western titles and artists, enabling access for Western Music to the vast Chinese mobile market.
Complimentary Access to NARM Webinar Thursday 9/22
I will be offering a 45 minute presentation with NARM this Thursday 9/22 at 1pm PST.
The team at NARM has graciously given me 15 free “seats” at the Webinar to share with my followers and colleagues. The topic will be “Taking The Crowd to The Cloud – Social Media for the Music Industry,” which was the focus of my recent eBook.
An Intimate Fireside Chat with Video Music Director and Producer, Robby Starbuck
This month’s Fireside Chat is an informal Q&A with Music Video Director and Producer, Robby Starbuck. Robby Starbuck is an artist who’s willing to take huge risks to walk the walk and paint his unique voice on his own private canvas — film. He’s directed music videos for such amazing artists as: Snoop Dogg, Smashing Pumpkins, Escape The Fate, Metric The Sounds, Pierce The Veil and dozens of others and has, to date, almost 28 million views on his YouTube channel.
An Intimate Fireside Chat with Thomas Dolby and Kelli Richards
Best known for his hit, “She Blinded Me with Science,” Thomas Dolby is much more than a recording artist. In fact, he’s STILL leading the tech revolution with his interactive game, Floating City, which reacts to player contributions, eventually granting access to Thomas’ newest music. This is digital technology meeting music at its best!
The Gifts of the Digital Age – Remember 9/11
Because of the advances in digital technology, we are able to keep alive the memories of those who lost loved ones on this day, ten years ago – and even more, to broadcast those memories to our nation and to our world. They do not remain locked in a vault somewhere, for eternity, they are instead broadcast to the far corners of the universe through social media.
VIP Breakfast at Digital Music West – Redefining Social Media for the Music Industry
I’m fortunate to lead a complimentary VIP breakfast kicking off the start of Day 2. This is an informal roundtable discussion focused on my newest eBook “Taking the Crowd to the Cloud – Social Media for the Music Industry” on Friday, October 7th, from 8:00-9:00am. The VIP Breakfast includes a vibrant discussion, great company, and a printed copy of my eBook, for the first 20 people who reserve their seat by Tuesday, October 4th (to do so, contact my team at sandy@allaccessgroup.com). The breakfast will coincide with the formal Amazon publication launch of my eBook on 11/11/11.
VizLingo – The Newest Gadget for Gen Z
Yes, the tech revolution has produced an endless stream of new gizmos, gadgets and tools. Some of these are vital to our day-to-day existence, like email, and some are simply a fun and entertaining distraction (Angry Birds anyone?)…
Not long ago, entrepreneurs Todd Younggren and Azeo Fables created hatched the idea to use the latest revolution in tech, mobile, to create a new way to communicate, and VizLingo was born.
Big Brother has Landed, and his name is Foursquare
Kelli Richards, technology futurist and consultant and CEO of the All Access Group shares her thoughts about Foursqure and their recent alliance with Groupon, BuyWithMe, Zozi, Gilt City, Living Social and AT&T Interactive — as well as finance giant, American Express.
CEO of All Access Group Invited to be in Alan’s Gang
Kelli Richards, a thought leader in digital music and entertainment, and one of only a few select members of Alan Weiss’ Master Mentor Program and Thought Leadership Summit, has recently been invited to participate both Weiss’ new Summit Global Network and also in the collaborative “Alan & the Gang.”
Alan & the Gang is an online destination where both aspiring and veteran entrepreneurs and business people can access thought leaders from around the globe. Kelli Richards joins a limited group of elite international experts in both process and content who contribute their intellectual property and expertise.
Chatting with Brenden Mulligan, Founder of OneSheet, the One Stop Solution for Artists
For a long time now, artists have been asked to create profiles on all of these different services, and one problem I felt was there was that there wasn’t necessarily an easy way to weave these together. What I wanted to do was make it incredibly easy for an artist to create a maintenance free web presence, something that would take them only a few minutes to do and be totally affordable.
Legacy and Celebrity Wrangling
One of the most important aspects of my career has been creating high impact collaborations between artists, celebrities and corporations, and sometimes between artists and charities. I call this celebrity wrangling. There’s no shortage of passion in the world surrounding celebrities and musicians; in fact, it’s rare to find one that doesn’t crave the opportunity to create lasting change and global/societal impact. Connecting the right artist for the right purpose – or simply being part of event production as a talent producer for award shows & charity events involving great artist/celeb talent, well, those are definitely career high points.
Kelli Richards Hosts a VIP Breakfast at the Bandwidth Music | Technology Conference
On Tuesday, August 16th, at 8am, industry thought-leaders, Kelli Richards, CEO of the All Access Group, will host an intimate breakfast and discussion to kick off day two of the annual Bandwidth Music | Technology Conference. The focus of this “breakfast club” will be Kelli Richards’ newest eBook “Taking the Crowd to the Cloud – Social Media for the Music Industry.” VIP Breakfast and a printed copy of the eBook (valued at $37) will be available to the first 20 people who respond. Please RVSP to reserve your VIP seat at the event. sandy@allaccessgroup.com
Taking the Crowd to the Cloud – Social Media for the Music Industry
My new eBook, Taking the Crowd to the Cloud – Social Media for the Music Industry, is an insider’s view on how it all comes together. It raises the bar and demystifies social media marketing, helping musicians, agents and anyone in our industry THRIVE – it empowers and transforms the marketing mindset.
Is Mobile Advertising Over Before it Began? One or Two Standouts Still in the Game
In the end, this forum also demands a new level of creativity, collaboration and UE, user experience. If Angry Birds can become a phrase and experience that 78% of mobile users know and have participated with, then Angry Birds who drink Dr. Pepper makes perfect sense.
Tech + Media – The Honeymoon Between GoogleTV and Logitech Ends, but the Marriage Continues
The marriage of tech and media is definitely a rocky one at times, and Web TV is no exception. The latest tech / media couple in trouble appears to be Logitech and Google. With the rocky start to Google TV, Logitech is also hung up in every way possible. Why? They supply the tech end of GTV with the Revue Google TV set-top box.
Spotify ….Finally
Spotify ….Finally. Well, after all this time, what’s left to be said??? Except let’s give credit to the artist. Tallulah by Tobias Norberg
Social Media Wars – How Wide Do We Open the Kimono? Google+, Facebook, Etc.
It is very easy to see why they don’t want to do battle with megalith Google over anything more than ad sales. One has to wonder, however, where the users come into play. Although diligently trying to evolve every single day, there’s absolutely NO guarantee that Facebook will not become the MySpace of tomorrow. (Meaning that they become a great neighborhood that nobody lives in or even visits any more – sort of the Three-Mile Island of Social Networks.) Simply building walls and creating friction will not protect them.
3 Best Practices for Working with a Coach
This is an easy task to throw out there and probably one of the toughest decisions we can make at any given time. The notion that the right teacher will show up at the right time in our lives is only partly true. We have to actively participate in our search with a clear picture of what we want in order to attract the right people, no matter what role they are to play in our lives – and also to be open to them when they appear. Having a crystal clear image of what you need in a coach – what their area of expertise is, how they resonate with who you are & your vision, and how they work with their clients are all vital ingredients in your process.
An Intimate “Fireside Chat” with Million-Dollar Coach and Author, Alan Cohen
Alan Cohen: I love coaching because it’s a really fast way to make progress. When I work with coaches, I find that each one has a unique passion, talent, interest and vision. Half of the game of becoming a coach is telling the truth and getting in touch with where your unique path lives… for you, you’re an expert and master in connecting people and in the media – nobody else does that like you.
Facebook + Skype = Hyper-Connectivity …. Or Virtual Un-Reality?
What does it mean that Facebook has partnered with Skype to offer video calling? Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook, has focused on the “social infrastructure” that’s been created by the Facebook team (and other social networks) and the Orwellian openness that’s become our lives (which he calls sharing). Is he right? Is he wrong?
Data is the new Oil – By My Colleague, Media Futurist, Gerd Leonhard
Data is the new Oil: paying with attention is the future of media View more presentations from Gerd Leonhard
Best Practices for the New World of Live Music
But if you’re playing in Rhode Island or Flint, Michigan, you have to seriously consider what the market can bear. A lower ticket price doesn’t have to mean you’re eating PB&J for a week either, it means you have to get creative, so that those who want more contact or have more expendable income, can choose to participate on a higher level. Consider a paid meet & greet before you go onstage, or an after party with some free merch to go with the separate ticket price.
An Intimate “Fireside Chat” with Hollywood Producer, Gary Goldstein
An excerpt of Kelli’s Q&A with Hollywood Producer, Gary Goldstein, an inspiring voice in the film and music industries. Gary Goldstein produced one of the most iconic cultural expressions of the last generation: Pretty Woman. He has gone on to mentor many of the leading creative voices in music and film. He is an accomplished film producer, an author, a speaker, an innovator, a philanthropist, and a great guy.
Connectivity – A Vision of the Future
Digital goes far beyond songs and iTunes and singles and lockers, it goes past movies and downloadable books and content, it’s way bigger than anything we could have imagined five years ago, and I have no doubt that five years from now will showcase something else that’s beyond what we might imagine today.
Cloudy Weather at Apple, Then and Now
It will come as no surprise to anyone that Apple’s stock will rise the moment Steve Jobs takes the stage later today. By any estimate, Apple is worth billions – with or without Steve Jobs – but like it or not, apple is not a democracy. It is an autocracy. It is a company carrying out the vision and changing the world, all according to the dictates of its leader, Steve Jobs.
Join Me in June for a “Fireside Chat” with the Leading Minds in Branding, Coaching and
I’m pleased to share with all of you that my weekly “All Access Radio” Show has developed a strong and loyal following! Over 20,000 downloads in just a few months. I’ve been graced to interview some of the top digital visionaries and leading voices in the music and technology industries, as well as some great voices in the music and entertainment industries.
Can MySpace Save itself by Porting into Facebook? Social Media & Digital Music.
Yes folks, Myspace Music has finally brought in an app that will let artists transfer their content from Myspace into Facebook under a new “Music” tab. You can check out the program here.
God Only Knows. Minefields and Memories…
Adopt-a-Minefield benefit concert given by Sir Paul McCartney and Brian Wilson, where they joined together and sang, “God Only Knows.”
The concert and the song definitely live in my mind as one of the most moving and inspiring events that I ever participated in. Although there isn’t any video from the event to really speak of, there is a snippet of it in an Access Hollywood interview, speaking with Sir Paul and host, Jay Leno, about the event.
Karma-Chameleon. The Fast-Changing Metrics of Digital Music
The changes in the digital music world continue to inspire a lot more than fear – they’re creating connections on every level, minute by minute. It’s great to see the Billboard Music Awards getting so much attention on traditional media, but the truth is that their rankings simply don’t mean what they used to. Long recognized as the industry standard, it’s no secret that the on-demand player and purveyor of music (and ranking) is now YouTube.
Personalizing Lyrics – One Amazing, Creative Way to Personally Rock The Fan Base
As a true lover of technology, as well as a coach in both the business world and in the digital music space, when I come across a tech solution that changes the course of a musician’s business and revenue stream, and builds a better fan base – well, let’s just say it’s always a reason to celebrate. As the music industry has been pummeled over the last decade, hit with punches from outside and inside of itself, creativity has turned out to be the number one solution to surviving – and thriving – the ever changing landscape.
Google’s Music Locker … All it’s Cracked up to be? Or Just Cracked?
Music Beta by Google went live with more details about licensing and features on May 10th of this week. VentureBeat’s review said it was, “a web of confusing programs without a lot of instruction as to how to actually get to the music you want to hear.”
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.
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.
Peter Rafelson – A New Chapter in a Long Hollywood Legacy
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
Google kills SEO – Stay Alive with Social Media
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 …
Join Me for a “Fireside Chat” with the Leading Minds in Tech and Digital Music / Media
Please join me each Monday evening at 5pm Pacific Time, 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 on my website as well as some personal interviews where I share about my own experiences over a twenty plus career in music and tech.
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.
Jeff Brandstetter – Thought Leader in Digital Music and Entertainment
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.
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.
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. 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.
Duran Duran – All You Need is Now
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.
6 Ways to Build Your Brand and Grab Your Audience
In today’s world, the connection to your customer is your number one asset. The path to communicating most effectively to your “fans” literally becomes the yellow brick road. If you’re not giving your fan or client a myriad of choices through which to connect, you are missing out not only on revenues, but also on building your army of loyal brand advocates. Here are 6 best practices to implement immediately to forge a solid, long-standing relationship with your best audiences and clients.
An Intimate Q&A with Tom Silverman, CEO of Tommy Boy Entertainment
Tom Silverman, CEO of Tommy Boy Entertainment and the Force Behind the New Music Seminar Speaks with Kelli about where the Music Industry is Headed. Tom Silverman, CEO of Tommy Boy Entertainment and the Force Behind the New Music Seminar Speaks with Kelli about where the Music Industry is Headed.
Here are a few excerpts of my interview with Tom Silverman on my All Access Radio Show. To hear the entire interview, please visit my website at https://allaccessgroup.com.
Hot Stuff from Hot Caramel – Excerpts from my Interview with Irene Cara
Being able to support great artists and entrepreneurs as they break away from past successes in their lives and embark on the new is one of life’s biggest highs for me. Few performers have had the amazing success and influence of Irene Cara – I had the chance to interview Irene recently and to hear about her new group, “Hot Caramel.”
Gregg Allman – Somehow You’re Still on the Run
Gregg Allman has always been a guy who colors outside the lines, in my opinion. There’s no question that The Allman Brothers Band has serious staying power. Probably best known for “Sweet Melissa,” Allman is a bluesy, jam-band pioneer who practically invented Southern Rock. As most followers of Allman Brothers music probably know …
Remembering John Lennon – 30 Years Later
It’s honestly hard to believe that thirty years have passed since he was taken from us in a single moment’s insanity. In fact, most of the time, it’s hard to believe that John’s really gone at all. His was far more than the voice of a generation – it was often the voice of our hearts and our conscience.
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