Change the game: Jazz in the new world (Part 2)

Yesterday we discussed the state of jazz radio, and talked about how music reaches fans and makes money in light of the declining influence of jazz radio that was under way even before the music industry was rocked by new technology. Today, we discuss the future.  Kim Giles talks about her venture, Beyond One Entertainment, as a potential model for the more flexible role of the music manager, and why she loves collaborating with independent musicians.

JazzTonic: Now we want to talk a little about your career. You looked these industry changes in the face and found opportunity. What openings did you notice, and how did you take advantage of them?

Kim Giles: You've caught me at a really interesting point. When I was in radio, I loved it, but I also enjoyed specific aspects of the career: contracts, shows, creating marketing materials, seeing how artists were doing.

And I also noticed how some up-and-coming artists were being passed over because they didn’t have some of the elements they needed to get on the radio: they needed a label, needed this, needed that.  For emerging artists who felt like they weren't getting a chance because they didn’t have all of these things in place, there became a necessity for somebody who could show them how to go about their professional career in a way that would help them overcome those obstacles.

JT: You had previously billed yourself as an artist manager. How do you think that role has evolved?

KG: It has evolved a lot. In the older business model, you had a manager, you had booking agent, and they handled their business. The artist wasn’t as involved in the matters they handled.  And those are still important professionals for artists to have around them, in many cases.

But because of all the new tools at their disposal, there are some artists who don't want the traditional manager. Some now have both the means and the desire to take on a larger role in directing their careers. But they still need someone – especially if they’re new to the industry – to help them understand what the industry expects. They need someone to help them navigate those waters. That’s where I come in.

I actually think it's come to a point where management can be whatever two people want it to be. If you want a manager who's going to do everything so you can focus 100 percent on making music, there’s an option for you.  And now, if you want to share some of the job a manager traditionally does and want the manager to have a lighter than usual responsibility, you can do that too.

I’m definitely the manager for the second type of artist. I’ve found that I like working in tandem with artists, and that I enjoy a deeper collaboration. I work well with people who want to have more of a hand in that aspect of their career.

I remember hearing a story about how when Madonna was first signed, she went around to each department at the label to find out what they did and why. She wanted to know what they planned to do with her career. The artist that has that instinct is the one I work with: it’s the independent artist.

I’ve recently made changes in my business, and I think I want to call what I do something different.  The way the relationship works is that we start off with a consultation for a solid two or three hours, then I put together a plan for the artist with a heavy emphasis on marketing, advertising, and information about what’s new in the business, and how to take advantage of those things to reach their goals, and we collaborate on those goals from there.

JT: What if an artist wants to move on to a major label?

KG: If their end goal is to be on a label, then my goal is to prepare them for that. Artists are aware of how to please their general listening audience, but don’t always know how to please another important audience: the industry. And the industry is the tougher client, because collectively they’ve seen, heard, and done it all. So if the artist's end goal is to get on a label, I can advise them on what they need to do, and start coaching them about how to professionalize their approach, and how the industry thinks.

A lot of it is about managing expectations: I had a client once who had a hit record and wanted to switch labels, but it was tough because he wasn’t selling the amount of records necessary to make the move. For artists who aren’t familiar with the expectations of the industry, this can be hard to swallow. I help prepare them for that reality, and help them understand the metrics that move the industry.

JT: We’re discussing how a new era and new technologies have changed management. How about other job functions in the music industry?

MySpace changed a lot of that. For instance, a lot of companies got rid of traditional A&R, and instead designated people to go online and find talent.

I love the story of Colbie Caillat, one of the biggest MySpace artists of all time. She and her writing partner would sit on beach in Malibu, write songs, record them and put them on MySpace. By the time the labels heard of her, she was getting three hundred thousand hits a day on MySpace. That’s a situation where she can either write her own ticket in terms of a label deal or, if she’s seriously independent, do her own thing.

Not everybody can do that. It takes a lot effort and work, and your own money. You have to find a distributor, do publicity, do advertising – it’s not easy for everybody.

JT: Do you think the traditional label still has a place in today's environment?

KG: Oh most definitely, but it also depends on artist and label. The artist will want to make sure they're getting a fair shake, and make sure that what they’re doing is well planned, that the label will put time and effort into them.

As I told one artist, it's hard to do this on your own, but it's also very satisfying. Staying independent is the route for the person who can’t help saying, “Forget trying to make others stand up and take notice, we're just gonna do it our way.”

And that’s not an insult to the labels – I want to be clear on that. There are good ones out there for sure, and if they cut a good deal, then that's great. But if I were an artist, I’d want to keep my music and reap the benefits. It’s just a matter of my personal style.

JT: There are two primary paradigms for artists in our popular culture: the über rich ultra-celebrity, and the starving artist. Do the shifts we see in the industry, and a larger adoption of the independent model, open up space for a broader artist "middle class" that has a sizable niche audience?

KG: I ask my artists what they define as successful. I know guys who haven’t made it insanely big, but they’ve also never had a day job and do pretty well off shows and CDs. Do they need to be the biggest, most prominent musician out if that’s the case? 

That even applies to my business. Success is for me is doing a great job for the artists I work with, and running a business that does well financially. It doesn't have to be the biggest thing out to be successful. So I think that artists need to take a strong look at their goals: if they can replace their day job with music, then they can find success. Are you able to pay your bills, go on vacation once in a while, and do what you love? To me, that's successful. 

This environment we’re in right now opens up the door for a middle ground. People miss the fact that success doesn't always mean being as big as Michael Jackson. Session musicians make a living at this without traditional day jobs. Are they failures? Of course not! If I don't work with the biggest artists, am I a failure? No! I’m not looking to be über rich, and people need to understand that the über rich and famous are a very small percentage of the industry. Les Paul used to say something along the lines of, "Getting to the top, that's where the fun is. Staying there, not so much fun." I encourage the people I work with to enjoy the ride, and recognize success when they get it.

People who get into music as a way to get out of tough financial situations will always be disappointed. If you have to be the biggest thing in the world, you're gonna be pretty uncomfortable if you don’t hit that goal.

JT: Can you talk about how your career evolved?

KG: I decided to quit corporate America and get out of the rat race. I've had general managers at stations say to me, “You're way too entrepreneurial for a [corporate] desk job.” 

I like working with startups, and that's why I like working with emerging artists – you can almost think of them as startups.

JT: Do you employ anyone besides yourself?

KG: In essence, it's just me. But I named the company Beyond One Entertainment because I totally get that it's not just me. What’s so great about new technology is that I don't have to be in same place as those I work with. There are designers, writers, record industry people, promoters, distributors and publicists that I tap on a regular basis.

I had my company for three years before I named it. I kept trying on names: Integrity Management, Catapult Entertainment. Someone said to me, “If you need the word “integrity” in your name, it looks like you don’t have it.” (laughs) At the very first show I organized where I was the promoter and took on the risk, a bunch of people helped. I had friends selling tickets, my sister was at the door, and I said to myself, “This is beyond me, beyond [just] one [person].” I had to give all the praise to my team for making me look good.

My designer works here in my town, and he and I have had a great relationship. He does my EPKs [electronic press kits], website, CD artwork – we really have a great collaboration going on. As for the others that I work with regularly, there are three major sales-related jobs in music: the record promoter, who pitches the music to radio; the publicist, who pushes the music to media; and the booking agent, who sells to talent buyers and concert promoters. God bless ‘em, but I wouldn't want their job, which can be full of typical sales rejections. It takes a special person to call around to media, radio, festivals, and I’m thankful to the people I work with because they round out the team very well. 

I really like a term I heard recently that describes how I work with my team: “solopreneur”. It means you’re a single person who’s an entrepreneur, and you may have a circle of others that you work with who are also solo entrepreneurs.  I don't regulate my designer. When I say I need a project, he does it. There's no micromanaging, and we're all relying on each other. I really enjoy collaboration with other independent business owners.

JT: How do you continue to provide counsel to your clients even as the ground continues to shift underneath the music industry?

KG: I try to spend as much time as I can learning more stuff. I read constantly. What amazes me most is that I might spend time learning about one way to market something, then over here something new is developing. That’s how dynamic a time we’re in right now.

My strategy is to try the most durable tried and true methods, then pepper in great new ideas and see if they work. And if they catch on, great – I add them to the list of effective tactics. What I don’t do is spin my wheels on every single idea that comes across my desk, but I definitely like to give the most promising new ideas a shot.

JT: Talking about this reminds me of Steve Jobs' view of innovation. He says people don't know what they want until you show them. Do you agree with using that more intuitive approach?

KG: …I agree with how Steve Jobs approached innovation. It is hard to innovate by committee; some ideas aren't readily accepted. It’s like the concept of working with indies: some people said to me, “Are you crazy? You're not going to make any money off of that.” But I saw a need, and I set out to try to fulfill it.

Sometimes the craziest ideas are the best ones. Sometimes you have to say, "No, I'm going to go forward." And the sincerest form of flattery is imitation, because now, I’m starting to see other companies similar to mine. 

JT: Where do you plan to take your business next?

KG: I’m trying to expand in other ways. There are the usual ways to make money in music, like having people buy CDs and go to shows, but what are other ways to make money? Now that we have new technology, how else can we monetize it?

I'd like to expand out into other genres. I’m interested in working with singer-songwriters, similar to a Jack Johnson or early John Mayer. I really enjoy that music a lot; I think there’s a lot of emotion in it. There are a lot of struggling artists who create that music as well.

I have a 25-year plan. I see myself continuing to do this for another 10 years, and going back to school during that time. I’d love to teach music marketing at the college level.

And down the line, I want to retire doing something outside of the industry – something earthy: own a flower shop or winery – something where I’m outside a lot.  That’s the kind of outdoors experience I had as a kid. I once told a friend who was talking about opening a winery that I would literally go out and pick grapes, then come inside and help market the wine. I'm a very earthy person, so I think that would be a nice way to spend my retirement years.

Kim Giles is the founder and CEO of Beyond One Entertainment. Find her on LinkedIn and Twitter.