Artist Advice: Be Prepared

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In the book “The Art of War,” by Sun Tzu, it is said that every battle is won or lost before it is fought. It also says that every good general, before they go into war makes numerous calculations and analyzations. What this translates too in our modern times, is that every businessman, artist, or successful person in general is ready before they go into whatever it is that they’re going to do. In other words, they are prepared!

Being prepared is one of the most important things you can do. Being prepared allows you to take advantage of every situation and also allows you to be to handle any unforeseeable changes and curveballs that may be thrown your way. When you are prepared, it’s rare that you ever lose, no matter what the odds may be.

Let’s give an example. There are two artists, Alex and Anthony. Both are going to a label tomorrow to pitch their mixtapes. Their hope is to peek the label’s interest enough that they want to sign them, or at least think about it. Alex goes inside the Label and brings a CD, and his phone with the EP on it, a business card. and has a barcode on the back of the business card that anybody can scan and it will take them to Alex’s Social Media and places where they can stream their music. Anthony on the other hand only bothered to bring his CD. He assumed that was going to be the only thing he would need and that nothing could ever come up or go wrong. So they both get there, and Anthony is up first. Anthony is ready, or at least he thinks he is. He is the favorite after all. Now mind you, the label owner is very busy, so there are few times throughout his day where he is free. So, this 30 minute meeting is a big deal. Anthony steps up and takes out his CD and is ready to play the label owner his potential EP, but there’s one problem. The Label owner doesn’t have a disk player on his brand new skinny ass MacBook. Sure the label has one, but his too busy and important to go downstairs and get one.

So Anthony being the nice guy he is decides to run downstairs to get one. The label owner agrees. While Anthony is gone though, Alex is prepared. Alex did not only come in with a CD, but he has it on his phone, and on Soundcloud as a private playlist that only he can see, and of course his business card. While Anthony is downstairs looking for that CD player, Alex is playing the label owner his EP, and the owner likes it, he likes it a lot. At just that moment he receives an important phone call and has to leave. He gives Alex his private number and tells him to call him tomorrow at a specific time so they can talk about the EP. As the label owner is exiting out his office, Anthony comes running back with the CD player, but Oh to little too late! The label owner tells Anthony he’ll call him later on to set up a new time, but we all know that’s not going to happen.

Now this situation is one specific example, and it could turn out in many different ways, Alex may have played the EP and it sucked, and both of them were kicked out. A number of things could’ve happened, but the point of the matter is, you’ll never know unless you get the chance, or take the chance. And part of getting chances and taking them, is being prepared for them. If you are not properly prepared to take advantage of the situation at all times, than opportunity will come and pass you by like an impatient Bad Bitch on tinder.

So remember to always come prepared. No matter what, always think things fully through. Map out all the necessities a certain situation will require of you and provide, and be ready for anything that may go wrong. Do these things and I promise you, all of your battles shall be won!

Written by: Jean-Bernard Lauture for DMVLIFE.com

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