purpose

Purpose as protection against an inflated ego

Last month there was a huge discussion in the Dutch media about a musician who used internet tolls in the past, to enhance his online profile. It might have been less shocking, if the same musician wouldn’t have recently advocated for more honesty and openness on the internet. What’s gotten into him, what inspired him to do so? That’s a question many people ask. According to his own explanation, he was too insecure and too eager to become successful. Somehow […]

Care for yourself as a musician

Do you dare to take care of yourself? I mean, really take good care of yourself as a musician? It’s not as easy as it might think. If you want to take care of  yourself as a musician, you first need to know what your needs are and what is good for yourself. Your needs can start with the cup of coffee you need now and continue with the good rehearsal room. It gets more difficult with knowing what is […]

How musicians can use purpose to become more flexible

As musicians and as person it’s important to know your purpose. Purpose is about your meaning, knowing what motivates you, why you want what you want. Purpose gives you a direction for your career, it helps you to stand out. On the other side the music business is an ever changing business. Look at the last 150 years and how technical developments have pushed creative developments in the music industry to come from operas with 400 visitors to arena shows […]

New workshop starting on Sep. 15

On September 15 I start with a new edition of the workshop “5 empowerment tools for musicians – online workshop to learn in 6 weeks how to move from despair to an upward spiral towards success”. I’m now halfway of the first edition. It’s great to see how the idea works in action. After only 6 weeks: – you will have the right network to support your musical career – you will know your purpose, the flame that keeps you […]

The secret of getting lucky

Some weeks ago I heard a very interesting lecture by John Cleese. Most people know him from his period in Monty Python and the reunion of Monty Python last summer, or from the comedy Fawlty Towers. I still start laughing out loud when I think of the scenes at the Ministry of Silly Walks! Many people don’t know, that he’s given many lectures to business people. He’s earned a fortune with that, to give as alimentary to his divorced wives, […]

How to discover your ambitions 1

Have you ever had a mentor or a coach, asking you where you want to be in five or ten or twenty years? I had a coach shortly after I became partner in the company. She asked me that question, and I didn’t know. I do my work, I know what I like and what I’m doing it for, without having a goal or a picture of where I want to be in five years. I felt like I was […]

Take the director’s chair

Here’s your very own director’s chair. Are you ready for it? Are you ready to take direction of your own life and career? A director knows the direction, knows where he wants to go with the picture. He also looks at the actors from a distance, sees the big picture and works on it in the detail. He needs a certain distance and engagement at the same time. Are you able to look at yourself from a distance? Do you […]

Making a choice

As booking agent I get many requests from artists, managers, labels etc. to start working for them and their artists. Usually it starts with an e-mail that I read and I listen to the link with music. If I like the music and the story behind it, I’ll react to the request and ask for an album. Last month I listened to an album of a female singer. The albums intrigued me, but somehow it didn’t fit. When the manager […]