TEM150: How to 10x your progress and moving on quickly from your bad ideas - A conversation with Modacity's Marc Gelfo

Marc Gelfo is the CEO and co-founder of Modacity,

I can't believe we made it to 150 episodes together! Thank you to each and every one of you for listening and for giving TEM your attention. I wouldn't have made it past the 10th episode without you!

Next stop: 200!

What You'll Learn:

• How Marc used his experiences with cognitive science to approach practicing his horn more efficiently
• The need for an embouchure change after Marc was already making a living as a professional horn player that inspired him to create software to help himself and others practice more efficiently
• How different his first idea in this space was compared to what Modacity is today
• The startup accelerator he joined in Silicon Valley that really forced him to question whether his ideas were viable business ideas
• Why you need to kill your bad ideas as fast as you possibly can (and how to go about starting that process if you're not good at it)
• The difference between visionaries and integrators and why those two types of people work so well together (and why partnering with someone is frequently a better idea than trying to change your type)
• How any musician can up their progress up to 10x
• The two different kinds of expectations and the four reactions we can have to them (really good stuff!)
• How Marc discovered the importance of team as he developed Modacity
• Why bringing on advisers as teammates can compliment your weaknesses (and how to pitch them)
• How he achieves balance in his life (this was a different answer than I’ve ever heard to this question)
• Where Marc sees software for musicians going in the future

 Links:

• Modacity app
• marcgelfo.com
• Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
• Rocket Fuel by Gino Wickman and Mark Winters
• Marc's Interval Meditation Video

Want to help the show? Here's a couple of ways you can do that!

1. Help me get to my next goal of $100 per episode on Patreon by pledging as little as $1 per episode to support the show: https://www.patreon.com/tempodcast.

2. My next iTunes goal is 100 ratings and 75 reviews. Take just a minute to leave a rating and review on iTunes to help me get there. Thank you!

And finally, a huge thank you to Parker Mouthpieces for providing the hosting for TEM.

Produced by Andrew Hitz

Show notes for all episodes of TEM including topics discussed, links to all books and websites referenced can be found at:

http://www.andrewhitz.com/shownotes

TEM149: Don't blend in!

Why you need to double down on the only thing that makes you unique.

What You'll Learn:

• Why the only thing that will ever make you truly unique is you
• How to get people to consider hiring you to do what you instead of the thousands of other options
• Why blending in is the worst thing an entrepreneur can ever do
• A reminder that we're all pretty bad at everything until we do it a bunch
• How I've attempted to brand TEM interviews a little differently than most podcasts
• Action steps to not blend in:
  • Ask five people you trust what makes you stand out from everyone else in your corner of the music business and aggregate the list
  • Write down all of the ways you get yourself out to the world
  • Figure out specifically how to double down on what makes you you on each of those platforms
  • Design, execute and ship that content
  • Pay attention to whatever metrics you have deemed most useful to see if your new content has moved the needle at all

Want to help the show? Here's a couple of ways you can do that!

1. Help me get to my next goal of $100 per episode on Patreon by pledging as little as $1 per episode to support the show: https://www.patreon.com/tempodcast.

2. My next iTunes goal is 100 ratings and 75 reviews. Take just a minute to leave a rating and review on iTunes to help me get there. Thank you!

And finally, a huge thank you to Parker Mouthpieces for providing the hosting for TEM.

Produced by Andrew Hitz

Show notes for all episodes of TEM including topics discussed, links to all books and websites referenced can be found at:

http://www.andrewhitz.com/shownotes

TEM148: Spotted Online featuring Sarah Von Bargen, Ramit Sethi and Seth Godin

Spotted Online features thought-provoking articles, podcast episodes and YouTube clips pertaining to all aspects of being a successful musical entrepreneur.

Today's featured content:

• Sarah Von Bargen on sometimes winning the race just because you kept running
• Ramit Sethi on making excuses
• Seth Godin on quitting because you're behind

Want to help the show? Here's a couple of ways you can do that!

1. Help me get to my goal of $100 per episode on Patreon (only $16 to go!) by pledging as little as $1 per episode to support the show: https://www.patreon.com/tempodcast.

2. My next iTunes goal is 100 ratings and 75 reviews. Take just a minute to leave a rating and review on iTunes to help me get there. Thank you!

And finally, a huge thank you to Parker Mouthpieces for providing the hosting for TEM.

Produced by Andrew Hitz

Show notes for all episodes of TEM including topics discussed, links to all books and websites referenced can be found at:

http://www.andrewhitz.com/shownotes

TEM147: Pivot, Persevere or Punt - A conversation with Lance LaDuke

We all have three options when faced with adversity. The key is figuring out which is the best path forward for any given situation.

This week's guest, Lance LaDuke, is my parter at Pedal Note Media, my former colleague with Boston Brass and the co-host of my other podcast, The Brass Junkies.

What You'll Learn:

• The lesson Lance shares with every freshman at Carnegie Mellon right as they walk in the door
• Why I named it The Entrepreneurial Musician and not The Musical Entrepreneur
• The reason to try something now is because it will never go exactly how you think it’s going to go (it might even go better!)
• The three options we have when faced with adversity
  • Pivot (This wall is really tall and I’m going to keep going but in a different direction)
    • Example #1: Lance learning trombone in order to win the Boston Brass audition
    • Example #2: Boston Brass keeping up with the movement of the market by collaborating with both the T'ang Quartet and Imani Winds
  • Persevere (You hit a wall and you just keep pedaling)
    
    • Example #1: The beginning of Pedal Note Media when it was a ton of work and we were losing money (for a good long while)
    • Example #2: How the Modern Musicking Center at Carnegie Mellon University took shape after years of Lance not quite figuring out exactly what it should look like
  • Punt (I’m giving up on this task so I can spend my time on something else)
    • Example #1: A group Lance formed 20 years ago that was great and well received in its short life but wasn’t the right thing moving forward for a host of reasons
    • Example #2: A show Lance produced called "Lance Learns to Play" (which was great and even got him a meeting at PBS!) that was far too much work for the return so he pulled the plug

Links:

• Modern Musicking Podcast
• TEM134: The Dip by Seth Godin (TEM Book Report)

1. Help me get to my goal of $100 per episode on Patreon (only $20 to go!) by pledging as little as $1 per episode to support the show: https://www.patreon.com/tempodcast.

2. My next iTunes goal is 100 ratings and 75 reviews. Take just a minute to leave a rating and review on iTunes to help me get there. Thank you!

And finally, a huge thank you to Parker Mouthpieces for providing the hosting for TEM.

Produced by Andrew Hitz

Show notes for all episodes of TEM including topics discussed, links to all books and websites referenced can be found at:

http://www.andrewhitz.com/shownotes

TEM146: Solving the right problem plus some thought on Gary Varynerchuk's latest book, Crushing It!

Making sure we are attempting to solve the right problem plus thoughts on Gary Vaynerchuk's new book.

We are hiring an intern! Visit pedalnotemedia.com/intern to become a part of the Pedal Note Media family. Application deadline is August 1st so apply today!

Are you looking for a coach to take your career to the next level? Visit andrewhitz.com/consulting to join the many musicians who have used TEM Consulting to make more money and have a greater impact in the music business.

What You'll Learn in TEM146:

• The main problem you should be trying to solve (a lot of us frequently don't quite get this right)
• Some of my thoughts on Gary Vaynerchuk's fantastic new book, Crushing It!

Links:

• TEM19: Ron Davis
• TEM144: Dale Trumbore

1. Help me get to my goal of $100 per episode on Patreon (only $20 to go!) by pledging as little as $1 per episode to support the show: https://www.patreon.com/tempodcast.

2. My next iTunes goal is 100 ratings and 75 reviews. Take just a minute to leave a rating and review on iTunes to help me get there. Thank you!

And finally, a huge thank you to Parker Mouthpieces for providing the hosting for TEM.

Produced by Andrew Hitz

Show notes for all episodes of TEM including topics discussed, links to all books and websites referenced can be found at:

http://www.andrewhitz.com/shownotes