Maaan this video brings back memories! When I first started my company, I had no way to get around recording artists until I came up with the bright idea to frequent recording studios. My only problem was - I didn't know anyone that owned one! Luckily, I befriended a guy who at the time was a studio engineer at S Line studios.
I'm thinking I've got a solid connection to get into the studio, but now what? Light bulb moment : Why not get a little flip camera and ask to interview the somewhat unknown artists that were on the cusp of stardom - ask them one specific question and give them a chance to shout out their twitter and Facebook and they can upload the interview onto their website? Hmmm....
Well, that idea worked! And within a few weeks of me frequenting S Line, I was able to snag interviews with artists like B.O.B. Soon after that, I had access to just about all of the major recording studios in Atlanta. Once my face became more familiar with A & R's and some of the artists managers, I began to network better -which eventually led to me signing my first client. And the rest my friends is PURPLE HISTORY :)
P.S. I will indeed be bringing back Purple Label PR T.V .... In a MIGHTY WAY!
One of the biggest sacrifices I have made for my career has been moving so far away from my family. My mom and two of my sisters live in Ohio, my oldest sister lives in Indianapolis. I miss my sisters sometimes but, I definitely miss my nieces Breana, Farah, Lexi and my nephew Sage and of course my mom the most.
I finally talked my big-headed sister Tiffiney into installing Skype on her PC so that I can see my newest niece Lexi. The last time I saw her in person she was 8 months old, now she's 1yrs old and just a ball of joy. After our second Skype session she knew exactly who I was, and started blowing me kisses and clapping. She is such a breath of fresh air for me! I find myself needing to take breaks and get my "Lexi-poo " time in. Seeing her makes my day every time.
One of the pros of being a pubilcist and being your own boss is the freedom to travel. However; the hard core con of it - is the lack of sleep and all of the last minute things that pop up on you. I was at home last night, about to settle in for a long evening of drafting press releases, and doing website updates, until I got a call saying I had to be in New York to meet a potential clients management THE NEXT MORNING!
It was 1 a.m. when I got the call, 1:15 a.m I booked the flight, by 2 a.m. I was packed and in route to the airport, and by 5 a.m. I was on the first thing smoking on my way to the big apple. I did skip one thing, I forgot my I.D. of course I couldn't fly without it, but thank Gawwwd almighty I had my passport in my carry on. Nonetheless, the meeting was productive and I got a chance to sleep on the plane. Yeahh maan! :)
Have you ever had what Oprah calls an "Ah Ha!" moment? Well, I definitely had something similiar to one this particular night at my client Jaiden's album release party. Of course he brought the house down with his amazinnngg voice! Prior to the show starting, I was running around with the photographer making sure he understood where he should be to get the best shots, I also had to get press photos of the fans with his album, start an email list, and set up the CD display so, basically - I was all over the place!
I had driven from Las Vegs that same day to make it to his show, almost wrecked my car outside of Barstow, and only had enough time to shower, change and drive straight to North Hollywood, needless to say - I was pooped! Once the show started and Jaiden began to sing, I was able to sit for a second and just take it all in. The crowd had the dopest energy, and the entire nights vibe was just so chill. When I looked up at my client performing, I had to fight back a few tears.
To think that little ole' me, has the tremendous blessing to be a part of something so amazing, and that I get to do this for a living...I am so thankful. My love for music runs deep, and the fact that I get to be a part of the puzzle that gets good music out with talented clients like Jaiden makes me feel so blessed.
Being a publicist is a very cool profession however, if you're not disciplined - you can end up being very unproductive. Since about 90% percent of my job can be done via email, text, skype or phone I have to be connected at all times. Yes, it's pretty cool to not be confined to a cubicle or desk, but I do have to sit still every so often. The best places for me to get a lot of work done are my kitchen island, Starbucks, or sitting on the floor in my bedroom.
The most important thing is that I take the time to sit and go over client schedules, draft press releases, update my clients websites, and any of the other things that are difficult to maintain if I am pre-occupied with other tasks. Other days, I have to plan my day around phone calls and time sensitive emails. If I don't keep my phone on me at all times, my chests gets tight, my vision becomes blurry, I can't focus and I start feeling like I'm naked and losing money...#Separation Anxiety.
