19 Year old needs advice, consolation, guidance...anything.

[TonyVismund]

Just confused. I've been into music my whole teen-hood. I've got a high school diploma, and a intro to university course under my belt as far as schooling goes. Musically I'm pretty talented and that career path shows much promise. I've recently enrolled in courses at a music studio for professional music production. I've been learning many new instruments also and to write songs. I'm always being told to pursue music as that's what I'm genuinely good at. However something inside of me also wants to pursue entrepreneurship somehow. I just don't know where to start. What kind of business do I start? I've always wanted to start a fashion line as I've been told I have an eye for that. How the hell do I go about doing something like that? I don't really know much about starting a business or how to become a fashion designer. Do I go back to university or something? I've heard so many story's of people succeeding without university or not even having a background at all in business. How does that happen? Should I just keep focusing on music? I also hate the small, dull, banal Canadian, prairie city I live in. I feel like there is no opportunity here, lacks variety in general and would love to move to Los Angeles but I don't know if I could leave my family whom I'm extremely close with. But I just feel like I'd flourish when mixed in with the eccentric populace of L.A.

AHhhh what do I do???

[SeaSquirrel]

Sounds like you have a passion for business. Here is what I can tell you.

1. The more you learn the more you earn.
2. Find a mentor.
3. Success is a journey not a destination.

I landed a gig running a computer network for a small company. After proving myself the owner became a great role model teaching me honest and good business. I learned a lot on how to run a small company very quickly inside and out.

Finish school and get a degree from a university. Since you unsure take core classes first that are required. When your ready for a career choice go with what makes you happy. Your gut instinct will tell you which way to choose.

[nickbaker]

What about while pursueing your own music career you try to become an agent....a music agent? Or manager for a band or even yourself?

[lordspace]

Hi Tony,

I have a friend who's very talented musician and he's studying business.

I'd say put youself on YouTube or other video sharing site and show all the world what you can.
Soon or later somebody will notice your talent and can give a chance to fully expand yourself.

Good luck,
Slavi

[CKrecicki]

Its a lot simpler then many people make business out to be.

A story:

Christina is at the mall buying a purse, she notices that its not the same red as the other.
She also notices that the darker red purse is cheaper, but the dark purple purse is the color she wants, its also $10.00 more,
the sale on the dark purple purse is also over that day.
Christina only has $30.00 and she can afford to buy the dark purple purse. But, needs to eat something before she goes home.
Her mother has not been shopping and there is nothing to eat at home and she has no money.
Christina buys the purse that suits her marginal utility the best, even know she is hungry.

If you can understand basic economics and you can understand why people buy things. You can take these two skills and transfer them into what you are good at. You must disassociate yourself from what your god gifted at to focus that attention on micro and macro economics. After you feel you have satisfied these needs you'll then understand how your talent can be put to work.

The rest if paper work, service, hard work and money.

If you want to get your feet wet
1) Make a t-shirt design on the computer.
2) Get together money from your hustle or place of work.
3) Go to Smiley Graphics And Promotions Of Naples Florida or any T-shirt printing company, search on google for one.
4) Send them your design.
5) Buy T-Shirts
6) Open personal/business checking account
7) Sign up for google check out.
8) Make a simple web page on a free site (yahoo) or get a cheap site made (Krecicki Co. Social Media & Web Design - Naples, Florida)
9) Put your products on the page
10) Make a Facebook Ad or hire someone Krecicki Co. Social Media & Web Design - Naples, Florida
11) Promote to your friends
12) Make people tag themselves in your shirts, create free advertising.
13) Check on your Google Checkout account everyday (set up your email on your phone you use got google check out)
14) Go to the post office and buy a few padded vanilla envelopes to send your shirts in.
15) Ship your merchandise, profit.
17) Buy larger quantities of what you sell the most of (make money from saving on shirts from buying in bulk and sell more of your popular shirt)

Goodluck. Message me if you need help.

[SCJeff]

Its like looking into a mirror lol. I'm also 19, graduated high school last year and have a huge passion for music. I've been playing guitar for going on 8 years and have played trumpet and the piano for 10 years. I have always wanted to do something involving music in some sort way. And honestly it's only recently that I started realizing that, "hey music is my passion, and I need to involve it in my life as more than just a hobby." I've been racking my head as of late for anything, just trying to come up with a basic of idea of where to start. I mean sure, I'm playing in a band and would love for it to go somewhere and become a rock star, but chances are slim to none. I'm still in that brainstorming stage though, there is sooo many opportunities to be involved in the music industry in some way. T-shirt design for bands, recording, session musicians, managing, there are so many opportunities. But right now I'm in school, hating it, and taking the basic general ed classes. And that hate for it is really fueling my desire to branch off on my own and really do something this summer to get things rolling.

I know for a fact that my ultimate goal is to own and run my own recording studio at some point and manage bands. So I can help up and coming artist and get music out there, and that would also mean I can curve the "mainstream" music more to my liking

Message me though, if you want to brainstorm some ideas. Maybe get a facebook chat or AIM chat going or just message back and forth on here.


Jeff-