Can You Plot & Plan Without Understanding Your Industry?

Can you plot and plan with out understanding the industry you are apart of?

I feel it is so important to do your research on what the ins and outs of your chosen area of interest and strengths in an industry and how it works today.

I have found that much of the information I have obtained over the years about Indie Arts & Entertainment is the same but the presentation is different.

Industry mover & shakers are not just looking at talent, they are looking at your social media interaction and real following.

They want to see the work you have put into you public presence and if you have the ability to fill a venue or sell product.

Social Media is a huge factor in how those with the capability to open doors of opportunities will be looking at.

Another question to ask yourself, if someone was asked what they know about you and think, what would they say? Do you know?

Learn about your industry and what you need to understand to level up. Do your research.

LadyFlava of LadyFlavaNews

Sharing My Thoughts

Going With The Flow… #ThePowerOf60+

CLICK MY YOUTUBE TO HEAR MY THOUGHTS: youtube.com/watch

Are You With Me In Building Flava News Movement?

time-for-change

This week I am committing to myself to spend sometime in thought and respected conversation to see how I can set up Flava News to create win wins with Artists, Fans and Sponsors. I have established relationships around the world that are working with me, want to work with me or want to join the UTAE Movement in showcasing artists. I am committed to supporting artists and introducing fans to some new flava.

There is so much in place right now that I could make moves for Flava News and Artists if I had the money. In the past I tried to push a membership only movement charging just $1.00 per month in the beginning to moving it to $5.00 per month to help put a financial foundation under this movement to better support artists. It worked well at first and covered the expense of the radio show and then died off and life got in the way. But it felt like I was begging for support to support you instead of you seeing the strength you had to be apart of a movement. Do you honestly know if half of you or if even 1/4 of you gave a dollar every month to Flava News…what I could do. Think about it, look at what I have created with nothing. Flava News is not about me. God put me here to serve others and to find ways to support the underdogs.

I have been told time and time again that if I continue to support starving artists, I will continue to starve. Right now, Marc VanClaggett, Black Stax and Monica Monet sustain Flava News. I work hard for them and with them and in turn they provide me the means that I use to exist for you. I don’t go shopping or save towards getting a car again…I put what I earn towards keeping Flava News Alive.

It takes movement to build a movement and it takes working together to keep it existing. It is easier to destroy a movement than to build one.

I do everything by myself. Just think what I could do if I could hire someone to help. Of course someone will say get an intern that you do not have to pay. First of all, I am a control freak and if you do something for free, you really do not have to commit to me or the project. When I can pay, I establish grounds for respect with the ability to have expectations. I advocate that many artists are at the point of quality work, strong work ethics and commitment that they deserve to get paid. So I feel if I talk about it, I need to be about it.

Again, Flava News/UTAE and colleagues, we have the means to support artists around the United States to set up shows of all kinds for all art forms… what we do not have is the financial means to commit that you will walk away making what you deserve financially.  My ultimate goal is to be able to start a Flava News Grant Foundation, to help artists with the financial struggles in completing a project.

If we say that we believe in artists, we need to step up by financially supporting their products and or projects.  We need to tell our family, friends and networks about them.  We need to write reviews of our experience for them to use as marketing tools…We can make a difference for those we claim to believe in!

As Lady Flava of Flava News, I am committed to just that and have working on this since 2007.  Just think what we could do together.  As my East Coast Sister, April Sims says, “WE Are GREATER than i”

If you would like to make an in-kind donation towards supporting a movement that serves unknown artists, click this link: Paypal

If you have, ideas on how I can be more effective with building the Flava News Movement and UTAE, I am open to hear your thoughts.

The Listenership Is Growing From Locations to Numbers

Flava News Radio

Flava News took to the air in November of 2009. At that time we did not know where it would go and never dreamed that it would become one of the biggest features that is provided by Flava News. Three and a half years later the listenership has grown over 10 X what it was in the beginning and the countries that are following has expanded to around the globe.

To date these are the TOP 10 Locations:

1. United States
2. United Kingdom
3. United Arab Emirates
4. Canada
5. France
6. India
7. Mongolia
8. Malaysia
9. Australia
10. Indonesia

I do a variety of shows from Flava Coffee House Online Radio Style to On The Leopard Carpet and New Music Leaks along with variety of other shows. All the shows are centered around supporting underground/independent artists. Although because we are talking radio, you may think that I just support musical talents, that is not true. I started in this industry as a small business owner that supported local and national artists and honestly was birth as a book reviewer of African American Literature. I encourage All Artists of All Art Forms to take advantage of Flava News and Flava News Radio but to honest the music talents are the most hungry to be heard.

My challenge in what I do it to find a balance in what I call a Win Win Relationship where we all share and show support to each other because in that would provide growth and opportunity when the power of numbers support. To this day, the fight continues to get artists and fans to understand this concept. Could I be too far off in my expectations of what is needed for the unknowns, I really don’t think so. I just think that artists are so focused on their own hustle that they fail to recognize the concept if you give support you will gain support. Plus with the fans, I am so not sure why there seems to be a block to share the news about an artist that they claim to believe and then also take a few dollars to support their projects or product.

I still fight as a one person show to spread the word and educate people on what my thoughts are in growing a true following.

Not all artists have a talent that should be put in the spot light and others just need work on their production and sometimes even personality…but I will leave this subject to a feature blog…

There is power in internet radio…this is the platform for the unknown artists because the bottomline is you are not going to be heard on mainstream radio unless you got through the right channels of numbers and money..so you best start building relationships with internet radio stations and host if you have a quality product to you want heard. Also, do your research and don’t waste your time with reaching out to a station or host that most likely will never play your sound. Be smart with your time and know who to target.

I do what I do because I believe that radio is one of the top tools for an artist to be heard around the world. I have learned that you never know who is listening and may reach out from just one radio show. It has happen numerous times to me and those people are some of my best advocates in what I do and in the growth of Flava News.

Pay attention…The world is listening to Flava News Radio!

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