The reading level for this article is Novice
Markgrove
canadian guitar player | mark.grove@excite.com | music publicist and agent | 12/07/2003 | Sole Proprietor
Mark Grove is a well known publicist and agent for blues artists.
What kind of training or education did you acquire before your venture?
my experience is mainly in journalism
helping musicians get a start promotion wise.
My background in business is interviewing musicians and writing about various aspects of the music industry.
What services or products does your organization offer?
My company writes articles and does publicity for blues artists.
Canadian Guitar Player is located in London##comma##Ontario Canada.
What type of business or organization do you operate?
Sole Propietorship.
I chose this because that way it keeps it simple and I don##aps##t need a lawyer
to think for me.
How many employees do you currently have?
2
How did you originally discover the idea for your organization?
The business model was developed through years of writing and figuring out how to best serve musicians needs
and help them develop for the future.
Alot of failure is involved so be ready
folks!
How did you originally fund your organization?
personal funds
Are you the founder of your organization?
yes
Do you believe there is any distinct culture within your organization? If so, please describe it.
We try not to engage ourself so much in the corporate culture##comma##but know we have to be on top in this business.
Yet at the same time because we are in the arts we have to retain our creative integrity.The two can co-mingle.
What obstacles or challenges have you faced in your organization?
Constant rejection from magazines and musicians to to my ideas.
These were overcome by striving forward
forming my own niche in the music world
as a journalist and agent.
Did you accept any advice along the way? Do you believe new organizations should be open to such advice?
they are vital if you hope to move forward.
because strtegic alliances and joint ventures are essential along with a good
and honest mentor who is driven will help you in the long run.
Did you receive any help along the way from other businesses or organizations? If so, how and from whom?
Actually a musician named Dee Curtis with a band Called(Thee Horizon)has been instrumental in helping Canadian Guitar Player move forward as a solid journalistic entity through Dee##aps##s vast wealth of experience in music as a guitarist and his association with so many great musicians over the years who helped him accelerate his career.
As well Dee is a co-writer for Canadian
Guitar Player.
What have been the keys to success in your business? What do you believe are the keys to success?
Just pure commitment and love for what I do.
Not talent or anything else.
What kind of relationship do you establish with your customers or clients?
By always going a step further and working harder and educating myself along with continually helping musicians move forward by giving advice.
What types of marketing do you employ?
Mainly joint ventures because without other businesses involved in what i do in music you get no where.
These Joint ventures seem to move me further ahead than anything else.
Do you employ any web or online marketing?
The internet has moved my business ahead by leaps and bounds in that it gave me customers and business relationships from areas of the world I wouldn##aps##t have had without it.
What role does trust play in business or in your organization?
The first time I tried to bring a U.S. based blues act to Canada I made the mistake of not filing all the right papers with immigration and they got stopped at the border and didn##aps##t make their two gigs i already booked and the band lost$2##comma##000.00 in the process.
As well I tend to think I know everything and try to run the show.
I learned to let others lead projects
and work with musicians on aspects of
promotion.
Did you struggle with starting your own organization or venture? Why did you decide to begin on your own?
I never thought I would be an entreprenuer##comma##just a writer happy with
being in the music business.My business ownership happened because I##aps##ve always been driven to want more in my life and always think there are no limits.
What books or resources would you recommend for individuals starting off now?
A book by Rudolph Guiliani called Real
Leadership and any sports related biographies are actually business related believe it or not.
i say that because pro athletes have to be at the top of their game continually
and learn to move ahead or get left behind.
Do you notice any trends in the marketplace? If so, what are they?
The trend I see is the internet being used by business.not so much for big business but by small##comma##creative business
people who know how to use it to their advantage.
Do you believe networking and contacts are important? If so, how?
On a scale of one to ten it##aps##s atleast an
eight.
you have to build solid business contacts and be willing to accept rejections of yor business##comma##be ridiculed and generally being spit on.
Believe me people can be mean so be ready for good and bad times in business if you can handle it.I know people in the music business are different and more laid back but they have to develop joint ventures to move anywhere.
What do you think about contracts and other legal obligations? Are they important in your business?
You have to take action.It##aps##s great to have all these fantastic ideas and wants##comma##but without actually doing something you##aps##ll always be spinning your wheels in whatever area of business you are in.
If there is one thing that would sum up your advice to new entrepreneurs, what would it be?
I don##aps##t hold much value on formal education.If the big endowments didn##aps##t get to colleges and universities they would be sunk.
Most of my knowledge has been talking to musicians##comma##along with reading and teaching myself about the music business through trial and error.
What, if any, final advice do you have for new entrepreneurs?
Do what you love.If you don##aps##t you won##aps##t have any joy in life.
