I recently went on Twitter to discuss things artists fear the most and I thought I should go more in depth about it. I’ve worked with artists for a long time. I started out working with local producers in my Little Haiti neighborhood in Miami helping artist craft their sound. I eventually started a record label and management company and we’ve been in business for 12 years (as of 2017). In my professional career, I’ve seen a lot and worked with so many artists it’s hard to count. In this time, I’ve realized that most artist and creatives are afraid of some of the same things.
This is an obvious one but failure in some cases paralyzes artists. This fear can do a few things like preventing them from sharing their work or even preventing them from working altogether. The crazy thing is many artists or creatives haven’t defined what success means to them. I wish I could tell you how many talented artists that I remember who started out with promising careers but just quit because either life happened or they want to cut their losses before they waste any more time chasing their dream. You only truly fail if you quit.
Do you know how many artists/creatives focus more on the people who “sleep” on them versus the people that actually love and support them? No one likes being ignored but if you’re good at what you do, I can guarantee there are people that love and support you. Even if its just 20 people, focus on them and continue building that tribe of supporters.
When I started, I told myself, “It’s probably going to take me 10 years for me to truly be where I want to be in my career”. I already set myself up for a long ride. Some people “make it” in a year, some in 20. Everyone is different but the concept of time scares many artists and creatives. You should treat your career as a marathon, not a sprint. If it is truly for you, it will come, and it’s a good chance it won’t happen on your time.
If an artist or creative doesn’t continue to grow or evolve, they become “still”. Some are afraid of growing because sometimes that means that you have to jump out of your comfort zone. You may have to move away from family, spend less time with the people you love. To grow, you may have to sacrifice something and this scares some people.
There are many other things that terrify artists or creatives but I offered this advice on Twitter. If you’re a creative and you’re reading this, don’t stop running. In case you have no idea who I am, my name is Vince and I’m the Chairman and Chief Executive of Valholla Entertainment which is not only one of the top independent music labels in Miami but also in the South (US). We’re a full-service entertainment company with management and film divisions. Follow me on Twitter (See below) and check out our roster.
Twitter Thread:
I've come to the realization that many artists are scared of a multitude of things.
Failure
Rejection
Time
Growth
and so many other things.— Vince Valholla (@VinceValholla) January 16, 2017
