"[Career Planning for Music Entrepreneurs] was a fantastic workshop. In many ways, I wish that the topics covered in your seminar were part of the core curriculum for conservatory training. For musicians, self-esteem is closely related to artistic success which is in turn deeply intertwined with successful artistic endeavors. Goal-setting strategies, project planning, asking the key questions which help to unlock hidden information--- these are the skills necessary for building a platform of success.
I thought your seminar was a fresh look at how artists, and specifically musicians can do this. I was particularly interested how you were able to blend aspects of the disciplined-black-and-white corporate world with the artistic needs of musicians. Your advice was direct and pertinent, without being harsh and cold. It created a sense of possibility and enablement, which surprisingly started an ebb and flow of ideas in my mind, even while you were speaking. I was compelled to start jotting down ideas as the seminar was going on.
I look forward to working with you in the future, this is exactly the kind of devil's advocate, brain-picking, and support I need to see my upcoming projects into reality."
— John-Morgan B, New York, NY
legal analyst at major nyc financial institution
Where can I even begin to describe how much Astrid has helped me. I met her when I was beginning my final semester of college. I was unsure of what I wanted out of the next few years; she talked me through each thought I had until I knew exactly what I wanted. I was unsure of how to get what I wanted; she talked me through how to best present myself to potential employers and prepped me for every question I might be asked. Because of my sessions with Astrid, I was able to walk into every interview prepared and confident.
By providing a calming, judgment-free environment for me to reflect on what my hopes and dreams were, Astrid allowed me to focus on my future in a way I had not been able to before. It wasn’t always easy but she stuck with me until I knew exactly what I wanted for my future: two years from now, five years from now, ten years from now, and twenty years from now. My goals may very well change, but because of the skills I have learned from Astrid I know I will be able to apply myself to recognize what I want and go after it.
Not only was she so instrumental in helping me discover a career path that worked for me, I left every meeting with her feeling more in control and more hopeful about my future; in short feeling much happier. Astrid is a wonderful woman and every one she works with is the better for it – I know I am.
— Kate K., New York, NY
Composer
Astrid has turned around the way I look at my career in the most extraordinary way. I used to think that the professional part of what I do was very separate from the creative and deeply personal aspects of being a composer. Going after professional opportunities to get my music out there felt to me like a very daunting task--one that I found a little distasteful because it felt like "selling myself." Astrid really helped me realize that building a career has to come from the most genuine part of myself--in the same way as building a piece. With this understanding, the professional world looks much less scary to me now, and I'm able to reach out to my professional network with the courage of my conviction, and with the kind of personal investment and care that makes professional experiences deeply meaningful. Career building is about believing in what you do, and its validity; it is about communication and courage. It only works if it feels true to who you are.
With her supportive and positive attitude combined with her incredible sensitivity and intelligence, Astrid has created for me a wonderful safe space to discover how I want to develop my goals from the inside out. I have found in her a true kindred spirit as well as a powerful ally and coach.
—Hannah L,. New York, NY
publicist
I chose to work with Astrid because of her background in both the arts and business worlds. After our consultation meeting, it became clear to me that she works with her clients to help them achieve success that rings true for each individual, and doesn't just follow the same formula with everyone. She is also a terrific listener and very easy to talk to. There was nothing about the coaching process with Astrid that felt fake or empty -- we got down to nuts and bolts, and took a good look at the motivations behind my current habits as a means of changing those habits when necessary. As a result of working with her, I have reached a new level of balance in my life, and I have more confidence than before about my business decisions. Though it wasn't my main goal going into coaching, I also have found I am doing better financially than in the past. I am now able to approach new situations and apply what I discovered with Astrid, so the benefits of coaching with her have extended beyond the time we were actively working together. It was an invaluable experience.
This week, my class took on the subject of branding. I love teaching musicians about how to create and use their brandbecause the right brand is a self-empowering message about the best of you and your promise of quality to your Ideal Audience--the people whom you are eager to attract.
A brand is not about you-it is about communicating your promise to your Ideal Audience. By helping to forge a powerful emotional connection with that audience, a brand becomes a tool that not only inspires you to be your best but also boosts your confidence and projects positive energy to those around you: a true win/win
Audience development is one of the major challenges facing classical musicians today and we are living in a world where the relationship between musicians and their audiences presents a tremendous opportunity to advance the field. That was certainly an important theme in the recent seminar at Yale on theRole of Technology in the future of music where the experts advised today's musicians to find their fans and leverage technology in order to forge a meaningful connection with that audience.
While musicians sometimes resist the idea of “pitching” to a target audience on the theory that it is antithetical to their authenticity and personal growth and is too limiting (until they realize how connected a brand is to one's artistic purpose), I firmly believe that identifying and connecting with the right audiences is critical no only for one’s professional development but also to solidify our field. Thus, I include the target audience into my branding discussions so that my students begin to carve out the part of the audience with which they resonate.
This past weekend, I had the pleasure of presenting a workshop on Personal Branding for Composers in connection with the American Composers Orchestra’s Underwood New Music Readings and the Jazz Composers Orchestra Institute Readings. The room was filled with both classical and jazz composers who were eager to learn how to get their music out there and create opportunities for themselves. The magic of this workshop was an evolution from skepticism to embracing the power of a brand as a tool of helping composers to advance their careers by working smarter, not harder.
One of the hallmarks of personal branding is knowing who your target audience is. A target audience is an essential piece of information for branding and marketing, both of which are skills that the effective music entrepreneur needs under his or her belt. At my recent Branding and Marketing Class at the Yale School of Music, our budding music entrepreneurs embraced the concept of knowing your ideal, target audience as a way of authentically connecting with the people they most want to work with.
