Lessons for a Composer from Shark Tank - Part One
Yesterday I tweeted a link to a Fast Company article by Amber Mac called "7 Entrepreneurial Lessons from Shark Tank". Today I thought I'd take it one step further and look at a few lessons composers can take away from the show as well.I'll examine one lesson a composer can take away from the show now, with more coming in future posts.If you aren't familiar with the show, Shark Tank is an ABC program in which hopeful entrepreneurs, inventors, and small business owners make a presentation to a group of investors ("Sharks"), in the hopes of convincing them to invest in their business.As a small business owner who often makes presentations and sales, I find the show fascinating.
Lesson One - It's Not About You
The biggest mistake people make when presenting to the Sharks is that they are too focused on themselves. They seem to think that their idea is so amazing everyone will be dying to give them money. Composers can often make the same mistake, thinking their music is so amazing that directors should be desperate to hire them.In one episode after a long presentation that was somewhat unclear, the Sharks asked a woman, "Sum it up for us. Tell us briefly why we should invest in your business." She had already presented the business itself, so perhaps she didn't know what else to do, but she started to say "Well, I have two little kids at home..." You could immediately feel the temperature drop. What do her kids have to with it at all? Why does she think their investment is about her family? The correct answer would have focused on the Sharks' goals. Something more along the lines of "Because I'm going to give you a great return on your investment, and here's how."As composers who sometimes have to work gig to gig, it's not impossible to think "I really need this gig to pay the rent." But don't tell your prospective client that! They don't care about your rent, and in fact if they begin to think you can't pay your rent they will probably start to get concerned about how you run your business.Focus on what they want, and how you can give that to them. The director wants to make a great movie. The producer who puts up her own money wants to make a smart decision and hire someone who will do a great job. How are you going to help your client/collaborator/investor achieve their goals?If you're thinking about how the gig will benefit you, and especially if your presentation reflects that, you're focusing on the wrong thing.