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Music Business & Audio Engineering
School Student Loans & Education – part 1
RMP Question
408
page
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Dear
RMP,
I need
some advice about my school situation.
I'm
in the recording arts program right now and I graduate in
August, but I’m more interested in the business side of the
industry. Originally I was going to stay for another 10 months
after graduation so I can receive my bachelors in music
business, but I’m not sure if it’s worth it. I already
have $60,000 in school student loans and I would have to take out
another $40,000 for the bachelors!
So
my question is should I invest another $40,000 for school, or
should I just come back to Atlanta (the city is booming right
now) and just get connected with people in the
business?
Well,
this is a tough question.
$60,000
in school loans is a lot of money, and to add another $40,000…
well, that makes it even a tougher decision.
You
know, you started this question out with saying that you are more interested in the business side of the music industry. So, I
am assuming that even though you have taken the Recording Arts
program, you eventually see yourself not behind a recording console, but possibly
behind a desk in a nice office (or chauffer driven limo J)…
running a successful music business venture
for yourself or some other Entertainment company.
I
personally believe that having a great education, and the
knowledge and credentials that come with that education can
help position you later on in your career….
when it comes down to someone else having to
make a decision on whether or not to hire you. Of course, a degree can’t compare to real-world
experience and networking in this
industry…. But, that piece of paper (and the knowledge that
you’re suppose to have when you receive that degree) CAN help
you find more opportunities for a job. Plus, you might wake
up one morning and decide you want to work for entertainment
companies like Time Warner or Marvel… or maybe even some
TV/Film Company, and that bachelors degree will definitely
look good on your resume. If I were
considering hiring anyone to run my business, that candidate’s
education might possibly come into play. My
GM at Music Powers just started back to school to get his
business degree, and my best friend and business partner at
C2itMedia is back in school studying marketing…even though she
has already been doing marketing for many major artists and
labels since 1999.
My
best advice is for you to take a “time-out” one day soon… sit
down with a piece of paper and write down a
little map or plan of where you
would like to be in your music business career 5 years from today, and then 10
years. If the final job destination or goal
says that you will need a degree, then by all means…
make a plan that “includes” getting it at some
point. Also, ask God for a little
wisdom to help you decide on the right path.
A Music Business degree will not make you the next Clive Davis, Ron Fair, Sean Combs, or Simon Fuller. Those types of successes come from drive, determination, vision, and enough heart and “guts” to walk the path…not just know the path. It also requires a LOT of people believing in what you do. And although that $100k “learning-the-path” approach sounds like a lot a money (and it is), it’s really nothing in the big picture of what you stand to make ($) by achieving your goals, being successful…and most of all – being happy with whatever you are doing.
Now - as far as Atlanta goes, yes, it is booming right now… but the new music industry is more global than ever before because of the Internet. Maybe you should take at least a little time to come here to meet more people in the industry, network, and possibly even find an internship or gig. Interning can be worth more than the $100k education, and actually be priceless if you get in the right situation. But, whatever you decide, make a plan…and have enough courage to follow it through. As you walk your plan out, observe the people who are successful: listen more than speak; make friends; …and push yourself to be great at what YOU do. That will take you a LONG ways in this business.
Whatever
you choose - I wish you nothing but great fortune and
blessings with whatever decision you make.
Take
care – respectfully yours,
C.
Cirocco Jones
Producer,
Engineer, Publisher
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