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Establishing a realistic set of Expectations
By Cyrus Rhodes - 01/11/2010 - 03:43 PM EST

O.K. how about for now we put aside the Limousine, the Hot tub parties & Playboy Mansion Invitations, and set a much more realistic goal for yourself. Let’s start by making a career for yourself an Independent Artists first like we previously discussed. If your band does not gross a million dollars on the local live circuit does that equate to failure,?  Absolutely not. Setting realistic “milestones” or goals for anything you do is a stepping-stone to success. In any line of business you can expect a certain degree of failure along the way. Tiger Woods once said he failed more at Golf than he succeeded. Could this be the secret to his success? Or why he seems to win so frequently? Film Composer Marc Ferrrari said; "during my first licensing deal the production company released the movie “Son of Darkness 2” then they went bankrupt, what a bummer. But since then I have synced over 1,600 pieces of music into film and built an awesome reputation and solid relationships with a lot of people within the industry." It’s true that hard work and persistence usually always pay off in the end, but if your just getting started, no one really knows who you are. You have a demo record to make, you have many shows to go play, and you don't have a whole lot of cash on hand. You wish someone would just come in and make all your dream come true, but you have to prove yourself first. Does this sound like you? Stay with me. Below is a realistic set of goals to begin making a career for yourself as an Independent Artist within your local area. Now that you have a more realistic mindset moving forward, your chances of success are realistically greater than they were a few minutes ago.

        -        Release Industry standard DEMO, CD, EP, or musical production

        -        Get a Booking Agent, or join a Booking Agency

        -        Perform live locally 5-10 times a month

        -        Begin building loyal fan base within a certain city or locale

        -        Generate local buzz factor surrounding your music & live performances

        -        Document all musical successes & "hard numbers" on URL, My Space Page & your Press Pack, "1" Sheets

        -        Become networked with the who's who of local bands, booking agents, and club owners.

        -        Attempt to establish a "genuine" friendly working relationship with everyone connected to the local music scene.

        -        Make contact with a few local area labels - with a personal invite to a live performance.




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