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About the Author

Kavit Haria

adminKavit Haria is the founder of InsiderMusicBusiness.com. He writes and speaks on the topics of music promotion, music business strategy and music entrepreneurship. He's also a Tabla player.

16 Responses to “Video presentation on Music Business Planning – presented by Kavit Haria”

  1. Thanks for watching this first public video. It’s not edited very well but that’s fine, you’ll still get all the messages to use and act on.

    What’s your greatest challenge in your music career/business?

    - Kavit

  2. Greatest focus for me at present is breaking into the national jazz scene and national music scene generally. I’ve had a great first year since leaving Birmingham Conservatoire of Music, including some one or two national album reviews and medium-high profile gigs. I’m just trying to get more of the same now – it’s tough…! This is In addition to keeping the bread n’butter work coming in (i.e-small jazz bar gigs, pubs, functions, etc…) to survive! I try to be as diverse as possible and explore as many applications for my music usage. For example, one option I’m looking at is liasing with specific genre DJs to try and get one or two tracks played in clubs whilst still maintaining the jazz connection too. Also looking at film/tv/advertsing applications…..

  3. I like the video.. My greatest challenge as I perceive now is making the time to do the business end of my music art.. I love my music I love to practice..to record to jam with friends. write songs… So the thought of giving up a little of that to make it a business..
    I just don’t see it right now

  4. Hi Kavit

    Thanks for the video.

    My biggest challenge at the moment is financial.

    I have a good idea – having gone through your Musicians’ Mastermind programme – of what I want to do for my next projects, but I haven’t got the money to get started.

    So I am half way through a recording, and I want to print some flyers, post out a mailing, etc. and I am struggling to get the money together to achieve this.

    It was quite a poignant moment in the video when you said “make sure you are making more money than you are spending” – that is fine, I just need to know how!!

    My other challenge is that some of the technical aspects of doing stuff on line daunt me a little!

    Thanks again for all the stuff you do, Kavit, I can’t wait for the e-book.

    John.

  5. Kavit, I am very surprised that you list being opportunistic as a ‘don’t do’. While I realise that a strategy is vital, surely the whole point of marketing and promotion is to generate those very opportunities and lucky breaks that we all crave? Sure, we should properly consider things before jumping in and changing plans, but blindly adhering to a strategy just because it was formed with the best available knowledge at the time could seem to me to be counter-productive in the face of a genuine unplanned opportunity. Just about every serious business blogger I read goes on about how there are opportunities all around us every day if only we would wake up and take them.

  6. Hi Kavit,
    Thanks for the video, very insightful. I think the biggest challenge for me is not having an effective strategy to follow, so as a result I don’t get enough gigs, don’t make enough money and as you said I become opportunistic instead of goal focused…. I have had minor successes in many of the areas you mention but have not been able to set up and replicate a sustainable business model that will continue to grow and give me more time to do what I love (play music.)
    Looking forward to your next video, thanks again….

  7. Thanks , my problem is im spending more money than im bringing in.

  8. Hello Kavit,

    Thanks for sharing your information and knowledge. The biggest challenge is concentrating on each aspect of a truly effective strategy. Besides being a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and band leader, I have trouble concentrating on the “business” side of the music business. We have limited resources and a very small staff of three. How can I best utilize my time wearing so many different hats? Thanks again.

    Alex Oliver

  9. Thanks for the comments so far.

    @ Lee – So you’re great at the local scene and you want to move nationally. What about networking with people who may know other jazz artists? Have you asked around? For example, I know a couple of jazz players who are associated with the likes of Courtney Pine. It really depends what your area is.

    @ Marti – it’s a BIG challenge to move away from music and focus on the business end of things. Is it required? Most definitely – but the question that decides it for you is to find out how much you really want to churn and sell your music or whether you’re happy just sitting and playing hours on end… some like it and don’t care about their music.

    @ John – thanks for the comment. Finance is a big one for a lot of people. I’ll see how I can shed some light on that in a coming video or article. Glad you’re excited about the e-book. Print it and read when its out.

    @ Alex – well pointed, time management is a crucial one. Watch the next video for more on this.

    - Kavit

  10. @ John Stevens

    When I meant “opportunistic” I referred to those who don’t even have a clue of where they’re going or what they’re doing. People with lack of contention and don’t know how to spread their time and resources. So they just keep jumping around.

    I totally agree and believe in what you’re saying that if something so good comes along and you have to include, do so. Be flexible and allow yourself to incorporate new ideas when they come along and if you feel they’ll help but don’t just hop about without really analyzing how it’ll help.

    Cheers,
    Kavit

  11. Art and money are in a state of incompatibility , or not ?
    But we need to survive . Make fun in living . Know how do it .

    I must confess that it is difficult for me ( join art and money ) .
    But I am working on that love . So .. here I go and hope to do a good work .

    Thanks so much sharing your knowledge with musicians worldwide , Kavit !
    More vids , please !

    PEACE AND LOVE

    .
    .

  12. hey kavit,
    awesome job on the video. i was always curious as to how you sounded. anyways my biggest problem is getting a loyal fan base. i play gigs every once in a while and i make sure they are good gigs for me and the band. we practice a lot but we just cant seem to get that grass root movement. what do you think?
    DAN

  13. Hi Kavit,
    I’m writing from Italy.
    I made the shift of perception a couple of years ago thanks to the experience I had working in a big insurance company. I had the chance to see from the inside how to run a profitable business. I decided to apply the things I learned to the thing I loved the most (obviously playing music), and today I have a regular part-time income, aiming to a full-time music business in a few years. I think that any musician should be aware of what business is, and I guess that you know it well. Hope someday to purchase your products in order to give more ‘momentum’ to my music job. My biggest challenge is that I’m limited to 50 gigs a year due to the fact that I’m married and I want to spend time with my child and wife, so my income (coming exclusively from playing live gigs as a bass/upright bass player) is limited by this factor. I should find more gigs in the afternoon (or in the morning!), but it’s very rare to come home before 1am after a gig. I should sell more cd’s of my band but it’s complicated to sell cds here in italy (you should have a licence to sell, pay taxes on it etc.) so I don’t promote cd’s very much (just sell’em during/after gigs). Thanks for your useful information.

  14. Hi Kavit,

    I love the video. Message is clear and concise. I’m not a musician myself (just coaching some of them), but I’m sure it could inspire many of them. The main challenge is to make the whole scheme working. I mean finding the right people to help you with the (new) job (music business), and getting the time&money to market your art. Strategic thinking is a key of course. Realistic thinking is the other one (keeping your feet on the ground). Building your own tribe is a good concept from my point of view – both on-line and off-line. Hope you the best.

  15. I enjoyed the presentation. Thank you.

    Exposure is where I am at in the game. I need to get what I do and what I am about to more and more people – translating into better shows (maybe a tour or opening slot for a national act) and more opportunities.

    I am working very hard towards this goal, but sometimes it feels as though I am spinning my wheels.

    Thanks!

    jac
    http://www.myspace.com/jac

  16. You asked what is the greatest challenge.

    While everything you mention would apply as a chalenge (promoting, building a fan base, etc.) right now I would say #1 using the internet effectively. Getting myself up to speed with the technology, and using it to promote the music effectively. In working with your program and website over the last week, I have already made strides in clarifying some other goals and strategies for how to move forward, but understanding how the internet can work for me looms as the first thing with which I need to come to grips.

    Thanks for the info and enthusiasm.

    JB

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