Resource: SBA.GOV

Starting your business, especially in the film industry, can be nerve-racking.  The U.S. Small Business Administration is a great website to start with.  It will help you tackle what you need, where to get it, and answer questions you might not have realized you had.

This website, SBA.GOV, has some really great tips and information.  There is a great place to start, Starting a Small Business.  Sometimes it is hard to remember that even if it is a movie production company, it is still a business.  You still need to file taxes, hire staff and gain a profit.  Hopefully one day your small business will turn into a huge corporation.

One of the best tips for beginners is writing a business plan.  Get your ideas down on paper.  SBA.GOV suggests finding a niche and using market research, tables and graphs as well as surveys to help find what is needed in your market.  Using your creativity and well thought out business ideas will help strengthen your business in the long run.  There are also templates available if you need that extra help getting started.

Another big thing that I have utilized on this great website is the checklist they provide to help you secure a loan.  Getting the money to start your business is key.  Many businesses will fail if there is not enough money to help them grow.  Check out their business loan application checklist page for more details.

Even after spending a great deal of time researching and detailing everything you need for a new business, it can never hurt to have a mentor to go to for advice.  You can check out local resources as well to help you.  But the best advice anyone can ever give you is to research, research, and don’t forget to do your research!  Be prepared, and good luck!

Example of the Necessity in Public Image

Recently there was a tragedy at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.  Right after singer Sara Bareilles went on stage, and right before Sugarland took the stage, it collapsed from strong winds.  If you haven’t had a chance to hear about the awful incident, take a minute to read through Indiana News Center’s article regarding the tragedy that took seven lives and injured so many more.

While this is an event worth dissecting in and of itself, I want to focus on what happened afterwards.  Being that this was a State Fair there were many acts scheduled to appear at this same Grandstand location this past summer.  The week following the catastrophe, Janet Jackson, Lady Antebellum, and Maroon 5 with Train were all scheduled to perform on different nights.

When discussing the total image of an artist when thinking about management, there is more to look at then whether or not they are physically appealing and can sing significantly well.  Like it or not, how they are perceived by the public with their decisions is a great part of their success.

I will not condemn Janet Jackson and Lady Antebellum for cancelling their shows and offering refunds because that was best for them and their decisions did not negatively affect them.  However, Maroon 5 and Train chose to not only keep their concert in Indianapolis, they moved it to a new venue and donated the proceeds.

The Indiana State Fair website had this to say about it,

“Train and Maroon 5 are donating 100 percent of their performance fee while both the Indiana State Fair and Pacers Sports and Entertainment, who manage Conseco Fieldhouse, are also donating their entire proceeds from the concert to the Indiana State Fair Remembrance Fund. Furthermore, in order to make this concert possible volunteers from the Conseco Fieldhouse full and part time staff, members of IATSE Local 30 Stagehands, ESG Security, Levy Restaurants and others are all volunteering their efforts to work at this important community remembrance event. The Women of Faith are also to be commended for re-arranging their set up schedule for their upcoming event at Conseco Fieldhouse so that the remembrance concert can take place.”

Following that decision, the bands were whole-heartedly supported for that decision.  Their current albums were selling out around the county.  This is just an example of why it is important to choose artists to manage that support the public as well as the public supporting them.  If you get a chance, check out both Maroon 5 and Train to support them for helping with this Indiana heartache.