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MASTERY JOURNEY TIMELINE
JOHN BYRNES
ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS MASTERS
Reflection on the Mastery Journey
Framework
- In Week 3 of our first class, Mastery: Personal Development and Leadership, we were given an
assignment that had us brainstorm many possibilities that went into making someone a “master” in
their chosen fields. We looked at what trends were out there that our masters were following,
finding a few companies that housed industry leaders, and finding actual people that were masters in
our fields. It also had us take a look at the path those individuals most likely took in order to get
where they are today. After reviewing these attributes and career paths, we were to see how these
things will apply towards our own journey down the mastery path. As I walk down this path, I will
outline each month of my studies at Full Sail University, and map out what I hope to accomplish with
each class. By the end, my hope is that you will understand my goals for mastery, my plan on how to
get there, and what I’ll do once I’m there.
“The future belongs to those who learn more skills and combine them in creative ways.” - Robert Greene
Mastery: My Overall Goal
- Over the next twelve months, I will be involved in strategic classes from Full Sail University that will
guide me along my path. After that year, I will have earned a degree in Entertainment Business. I plan
to use that degree to get my foot into many doors within the entertainment industry and obtain one
of my dream jobs. I hope to one day be a talent scout for a major label, or own my own label helping
more unknown bands obtain professional sounding recordings for a lot less money; a launching pad
for new bands. I will continually promote my website and logo once I’m established and on my feet.
There is a lot of cutthroat competition in this industry, so to keep myself afloat and stand out from
the crowd, I have to provide a level of professionalism and determination that nobody else does. I
also have to earn and obtain certain certifications and life skills that most within the industry do not
have. I am on that path currently, and it is only a matter of time before I can put my plan in motion.
“Only one who devotes himself to a cause with his whole strength and soul can be a true master. For this
reason mastery demands all of a person.” - Albert Einstein
Month 1 - Mastery: Personal Development
and Leadership
- During my first month at Full Sail in the Entertainment Business Masters of Science program, I
learned about what it takes to be a master in my chosen field. This course helped me study the
foundations of what makes a master, the key concepts and attributes that a master must have, and
look at some of the past masters within my chosen field and study their paths to success. This course
also helped us to get more connected with the world by setting up a Tumblr account, and a Feedly
account. This is extremely beneficial as it provides more access for the world to be able to find you.
STRATEGIES AND TACTICS
- Learn what it takes to be a Master in my field
- Study a past master and learn their path to success applying their tactics to my own journey
- Researching industry qualifications for jobs and internalizing those requirements to my own path
- Lynda.com - Building Individual Capabilities: http://www.lynda.com/Business-Skills-tutorials/Buildingindividual-capabilities/167028/185705-4.html
Month 2 - Executive Leadership
- During the second month at Full Sail, I hope to understand and learn the key points and skills
required to operate at an executive level within any corporation. I plan to study more leaders in my
field to see how they operate at the CEO and President level in their businesses. I hope to also
understand what it means to be a mentor for someone and set the right example for them to follow
so they can become a master in their field. Another thing that I hope to learn is how to lead people
through fundamental changes within the business or through new implementations of software and
development towards the future.
STRATEGIES AND TACTICS
- Learn what makes and effective executive level leader
- Study leaders in my industry and how they led others to success
- Studying what it means to be an effective mentor for someone within the industry
- Lynda.com - Executive Leadership Fundamentals: http://www.lynda.com/Business-Skills-tutorials/
Executive-Leadership-Fundamentals/167027-2.html
Month 3 - Project and Team Management
- During the third month at Full Sail, I hope to obtain skills necessary to effective lead and manage a
team on projects for the business. I hope to understand the process for creating and developing a
plan, analyzing budgeting constraints, and effectively applying the business intent to meeting the
project end state. I also hope to understand what it takes to keep a team functioning even through
difficult times, and keeping their morale up in order to meet our timeline.
STRATEGIES AND TACTICS
- Learn what attributes a project manager has
- Understand how to develop and execute a project with a team
- Learn tactics to keeping a team motivated and deconflicted
- Lynda.com - Managing Project Teams: http://www.lynda.com/Business-Skills-tutorials/ManagingProject-Teams/139981-2.html?srchtrk=index:1%0Alinktypeid:2%0Aq:project%2Band%2Bteam
%2Bmanagement%0Apage:1%0As:relevance%0Asa:true%0Aproducttypeid:2
Month 4 - Business Storytelling and Brand
Development
- During the fourth month at Full Sail, I hope to learn what it takes to create and market an effective
brand or logo. I also hope to learn what it means to develop a story behind the business in order to
attract clientele. I hope I learn what an effective logo or brand looks like so that I can apply these
attributes to my own personal brand and logo for business development.
STRATEGIES AND TACTICS
- Learn what techniques are involved with developing a brand
- Study historical brands and see how they’re used
- Learn how to develop a story in regards to business
- Lynda.com - Developing a Brand Name: http://www.lynda.com/Illustrator-tutorials/Developingbrand-name/112674/140491-4.html
Month 5 - Entertainment Business Finance
- During the fifth month at Full Sail, I hope to gain a better understanding of the financial side of the
Entertainment Industry. I hope to learn how to effectively make financial decisions, develop financial
plans, and funding business plans. I hope to also gain an understanding of complex tasks such as
calculating royalties and dividends for payment, accrued interest, and applying tax to payments made.
Also learning to encompass all of that into future financial projects for the business.
STRATEGIES AND TACTICS
- Learn how to effectively make financial decisions
- Learn how to create and fund projects for the business
- Study CFOs in the industry to learn their financial tactics
- Lynda.com - Finance Fundamentals: http://www.lynda.com/Business-Accounting-tutorials/FinanceFundamentals/174917-2.html
Month 6 - Negotiation and Deal Making
- During the sixth month at Full Sail, I hope to gain an understanding of how to properly negotiate
contracts with labels and businesses, and set up a proper deal in order to protect the investment of
both parties involved. For the music side, it would mean protecting the artist while still ensuring the
label gets what they need from the artist. I hope to learn the tactics behind negotiating a deal and
develop the skills required to land the deal.
STRATEGIES AND TACTICS
- Learn the skills required for negotiating a deal
- Understand the legal aspect and contracts involved behind certain deals
- Study historical negotiations and deals and analyze what was good or bad
- Lynda.com - Negotiation Fundamentals: http://www.lynda.com/Business-Skills-tutorials/NegotiationFundamentals/101504-2.html?srchtrk=index:1%0Alinktypeid:2%0Aq:negotiation%2Band%2Bdeal
%2Bmaking%0Apage:1%0As:relevance%0Asa:true%0Aproducttypeid:2
Month 7 - Product and Artist Management
- During the seventh month at Full Sail, I hope to gain a better understanding for how to develop,
market, and maintain a product or artist. This a crucial class for me, as one of my dream jobs is to me
an artist manager. I hope to learn the skills and techniques required in order to be a successful artist
manager, and how to properly care for the needs of the artist. I also hope to gain an understanding
how to solve issues for the artist while still keeping the labels priorities in mind.
STRATEGIES AND TACTICS
- Learn the skills required being an effective product and artist manager
- Learn problem-solving techniques needed to resolve issues with the product or artist
- Study current artist and product managers in the industry
- Lynda.com - Management Tips: http://www.lynda.com/Business-Skills-tutorials/Management-Tips/
126132-2.html?srchtrk=index:1%0Alinktypeid:2%0Aq:artist%2Bmanagement%0Apage:
1%0As:relevance%0Asa:true%0Aproducttypeid:2
Month 8 - Advanced Entertainment Law
- During the eighth month of my studies at Full Sail, I hope to gain a better understanding of the legal
aspect behind the entertainment industry. I want to understand the legal ramifications of what can
happen if an artist violates something, or a label doesn’t meet points of a contract, and so forth. I
hope to better understand copyright laws and how it applies to todays modern society with digital
media everywhere.
STRATEGIES AND TACTICS
- Understand the fundamentals behind entertainment laws
- Learn about current trend affecting the entertainment business
- Study cases that involved legal issues within the industry
- Lynda.com - Music Law: http://www.lynda.com/Audio-Music-Live-Performance-tutorials/Music-LawRecording-Management-Rights-Performance-Contracts/176622-2.html?srchtrk=index:1%0Alinktypeid:
2%0Aq:entertainment%2Blaw%0Apage:1%0As:relevance%0Asa:true%0Aproducttypeid:2
Month 9 - Entertainment Media Publishing
and Distribution
- During the ninth month at Full Sail, I hope to gain a better understanding of how to properly
market, publish, and distribute a product or artist to the world. I hope this course also covers
establishing publishing rights with major publishers, and how to employ copyrights through those
companies. I also hope to learn and understand how to engage publishing and distribution through
digital media and social media, while learning how to avoid piracy issues.
STRATEGIES AND TACTICS
- Explore publishing and distribution techniques and models
- Learn about current social media trends to avoid piracy
- Study addition cases that involved copyright infringement and piracy
- Lynda.com - International Marketing Fundamentals: http://www.lynda.com/Marketing-ContentMarketing-tutorials/International-Marketing-Fundamentals/192458-2.html?srchtrk=index:
1%0Alinktypeid:2%0Aq:media%2Bpublishing%2Band%2Bdistribution%0Apage:1%0As:relevance
%0Asa:true%0Aproducttypeid:2
Month 10 - Digital Marketing
- During the tenth month at Full Sail, I hope to learn and understand what it takes to effectively
market a product or artist through the digital realm. I hope to gain an understanding of how to
employ mobile devices and adapt marketing techniques to hand-held devices. I hope to learn how to
properly advertise a product or artist over the digital domain, and learn about the trends surrounding
digital marketing of today.
STRATEGIES AND TACTICS
- Learn the techniques and process to effectively market a product or artist in the digital domain
- Understand trends and current technology that can affect digital marketing
- Study marketing companies and learn their tactics
- Lynda.com - Social Media Marketing with Facebook and Twitter: http://www.lynda.com/Facebooktutorials/Social-Media-Marketing-Facebook-Twitter/191496-2.html?srchtrk=index:1%0Alinktypeid:
2%0Aq:digital%2Bmarketing%0Apage:1%0As:relevance%0Asa:true%0Aproducttypeid:2
Month 11 - Business Plan Development
- As my time at Full Sail begins to wind down, during this eleventh month I hope to learn how to
successfully develop a proper business plan. As someone that has many ideas that pertain to the
industry, this will be another crucial course for me. I want to learn what it takes to effectively pitch a
business plan to an investor in order to gain financial funding for my project ideas. I hope to
encompass all of the prior classes into this one, developing a proper financial plan, marketing plan, and
management plan that will layout a roadmap to success for my business idea.
STRATEGIES AND TACTICS
- Understand what makes an effective business plan
- Develop a business plan that incorporates financial, marketing, and management ideas
- Study business concepts and research business plans in the industry
- Lynda.com - Nine Steps to Developing a Business Plan: http://www.lynda.com/Business-Skillstutorials/Nine-steps-developing-business-plan/115426/136618-4.html
Month 12 - Final Project: Business Plan
- This will be the final stage in my journey with Full Sail. In this class I hope to utilize all the concepts,
techniques, processes, planning, development, and management skills learned over the past 12
months, and apply them all into developing and finalizing my business plan. I hope to create a plan
that will be looked at by investors with sincerity and considered for launch.
STRATEGIES AND TACTICS
- Develop and finalize an effective business plan
- Present my business plan to industry professionals
- Study tactics for presenting a business plan to an investor
- Lynda.com - Presentation Fundamentals: http://www.lynda.com/Business-Skills-tutorials/PresentationFundamentals/151544-2.html?srchtrk=index:1%0Alinktypeid:2%0Aq:presenting%2Ba%2Bbusiness
%2Bplan%0Apage:1%0As:relevance%0Asa:true%0Aproducttypeid:2
6 Industry Leaders
- Ken Lewis: AudioSchoolOnline.com (can message from either site below)
www.audioschoolonline.com/contact/
https://www.facebook.com/kenlewis?fref=ts&ref=br_tf
- Marc Mozart: Mozart and Friends Limited
http://www.mixedbymarcmozart.com/contact/
[email protected]
- Mike Flynn – Senior VP, A&R and Staff Producer for Capitol Music Group
Twitter - @justmikeflynn
[email protected]
1-310-449-2100
- Jim Catino - Senior Director - A&R BNA Records (Sony BMG)
[email protected]
1-615-301-4300
- Jay Landers - A&R Consultant Columbia Records (Song BMG)
[email protected]
1-310-449-2100
- Peter Lobo - Music Producer/Musician
[email protected]
1-347-669-1619
Clubs & Innovative Companies
As I move through my journey towards mastery, I plan to research and get involved with some clubs
or groups within the industry in hopes to make a name for myself and meet industry professionals
that can help to get my foot in the door. Here are a few groups and clubs that I found that will look
into more as my journey continues:
- Association of Talent Agents: (www.agentassociation.com) A Los Angeles based agency that
provides its clients with opportunities to showcase their talents.
(310)274-0628
- The Recording Academy: (www.grammy.com) An association that has several locations spread
across the nation. They provide a lot of information for future producers and engineers, and also vote
on grammy nominated artists for the Grammy Awards. I am also currently a member of this group.
- Producer’s Guild of America (www.producersguild.org) A guild that is founded on the principles to
ensure that it’s members receive the proper credit with anything they’ve produced, or been a part of.
They also strive to expand other benefits such as health benefits for its members.
I wont limit myself to these groups, as there are many groups and organizations that could benefit me
on my journey. I plan to research as many as I can and find out what it takes to become a member
for some of them.
Full Sail University Community
Since we’re all alumni of Full Sail, it would benefit all of us to become a part of the Full Sail
Community and actively participate in some of the groups within. For online students, this is a bit
challenging, however, there are many groups that can still network online and communicate its
principles through digital means. Here are a few groups within the Full Sail Community:
- Entertainment Networking Society (https://orgsync.com/59216/chapter) The Entertainment
Networking Society provides Full Sail students with the skills to cultivate personal and business
relation ships in an effort to enhance their careers.
- Grammy U (https://orgsync.com/56189/chapter) Grammy U is the Full Sail community that works
with The Recording Academy. Grammy U provides Full Sail members the information from The
Recording Academy and allows members to join The Recording Academy. I am a member of this
group currently.
- Full Sail University Networking (https://www.facebook.com/groups/FullSailUniversityNetworking/)
This group is located on Facebook and is designed for current or future Full Sail alumni to network
on projects, provide insight to each others work, and talk about anything Full Sail related. I am a
member of this Facebook group currently.
As you can see, there are a few groups and clubs that exist within Full Sail. There are many more than
this, and I plan to look into a few of them to find out how they can benefit me on my journey.
Characteristics of a Mentor
The characteristics of a mentor that I would envision someone having would be:
- Has at least 10 or more years within the industry
- Has been nominated for, or has won a Grammy
- Is constantly sought after by several people for their work
- Knows things about their craft that other professionals don’t
- Is humble about what they do, and is willing to share their knowledge with others
- Willing to accommodate an apprentice for real-world teachings
With these characteristics, I would imagine that if I locate an individual within my chosen field who
has most of these, if not all, that I would latch on to them as a mentor and ask that they teach me to
become their predecessor. There are a few candidates of people that I may know, or at least have
heard of, that could meet this list of traits, however, I would hope against hope that they’d be willing
to lend out some teachings to someone on their journey towards mastery.
Timeline to Mastery
The majority of the timeline to my mastery has been established throughout this presentation. This
will be a summary of how this timeline will look:
Now - 12 months: Study tips and techniques on multiple subjects to learn how to be a master in my
field, and ultimately end with an Entertainment Business Masters Degree.
Now - 24 months: Study alternate classes with Columbia Southern University towards a secondary
Masters Degree in Organizational Leadership.
Now + 3 years: Finish my time in the U.S. Army and retire from service.
3 years - Mastery: Upon retirement, I will dive head first into the industry locating the perfect job
with the skills and techniques I’ve learned from Full Sail and Columbia Southern. I will apply those
traits towards my job and hopefully launch myself up the job chain with quickness proving that my
studies and life experience was worth the effort I put in to earning them.
“Mastery is great, but even that is not
enough. You have to be able to change
course without a bead of sweat, or remorse.”
- Tom Peters
THANK YOU
- By John Byrnes