One Producer in the City

Retro Wednesday: If you cling too long, you'll never get up the mountain

This week's retro post comes from when I first started blogging. I'm proud to say I have gotten better about clinging, but still from time to time do it. How about you?

October 20, 2009

If you cling too long, you'll never get up the mountain

While attending a NAMT networking event this weekend, I discovered something very interesting about networking and something that I personally need to improve on. As usual, I'll explain it with a metaphor:

When I first moved to the city, I was asked to climb a rock wall at a gym. I knew nothing about this sport, but gave it a shot. I grabbed at the wall and got to the point where both arms and legs were on the wall and I was about a foot off the ground and then...

I didn't move.

If I reached up, I felt myself slipping, so I instantly pulled back and went back to the starting position. I would try again and again, but could not seem to move.

A friend of mine who was watching the show with the rest of the gym explained that I was clinging and that until I allowed some of my weight  to shift, rather than keeping it all pressed against the rock, I would be stuck there. After a few tries, I convinced myself to shift the weight and sure enough, I moved up! Before every reach there was this really scary moment where it felt like I was going to fall (and truth be told, sometimes I did) but as soon as I let that go, the weight shifted and I moved. This got me thinking about networking events.

When we first make a connection at one of these events, it's exciting. We're getting to know someone new and we're talking about important things. We may trade cards or hand each other postcards for a show, but then what happens? In my case, I often stay and chat for a pretty long time and most of the time miss out on meeting any one else.

I realized the other day that this is clinging.

It's comfortable to stay with the person you know or the new contact, because that means you don't have to go to anyone else. Just like I leaned all of my weight against the rock and didn't move, I found myself anchored to people I knew already or new connections for so long, we had practically had a full meeting by the time I left!

When I did force myself to say goodbye or move to someone else, I met some other really great people, but it nagged at me that I may have met twice that many, had I not clung so long.

So my plan from now on is to work on that element and try and make my networking meetings a bit more succinct.

Have any of you every experienced this? What are your "climbing" stories?  Feel free to comment below:

And the next time you're out networking and feel yourself stuffed in a corner, try shifting your weight. You may just end up at the top of the mountain.

Excelsior!

 

When things aren't working, focus on...

The things you can control. 

Everyone experiences failure in some form or fashion. The problem is that most times, when that moment arrives, we look at all of the things that we can't control. 

If you look at the things that are not working in your life right at this very moment, what will be most prominent are the elements that are out of your control. 

Worrying about these things wastes time and keeps us from doing our best work. 

Think instead about what is within your control. 

It's often been said that limitations are one of the best catlaysts for creativity, so I have a challenge for you today.

Look at any one thing that is not working and ask yourself what about that thing you cannot control. Take a deep breath and let those things go and then look at what you can control. 

Out of the things you can control is there something you can do differently?

If so, do it. 

Feel free to comment about what you tried. I look forward to hearing more about it. 

Often we feel more out of control than we actually are. Take a second today to focus and see if you can find your footing. 

Excelsor! 

How NOT to pitch

If you are starting a new venture, you will inevitably find that you will have to pitch that project to someone who can help you realize it. This could be a potential funder, a partner, or a mentor. The interesting thing about this is that pitching in the wrong way can damage that relationship for a long time or end the relationship before it's begun. Below are some of my pet peeves.

Interrupting to pitch- No matter how anxious you are, the last thing you want to do is stop someone in the middle of their thought to tell them about why they should work on your project. If you are at a dinner or at an event and you'd really like to pitch the person there, please let them finish their thought before you break into why they should work with you. Interrupting is rude to begin with and second, it makes it so that the other party is only half-listening. If anything, wait until they are at a stopping point. Ask them about an interest pertaining to what they just discussed and ask if they are open to hearing about your project. You'd be amazed at how effective asking for permission can be. 

Telling the person what to think- Of course your project and your team are going to be considered the best by you, but I'm not sure what that is supposed to do in terms of getting the other person to be on board. If you want buy in, it's important to establish whether there is even a need. Ask questions about what the other person is looking for or interested in. If it seems like what you have to offer may be a good fit, don't tell them it's a good fit yourself. Ask them if they would be interested in hearing more. Let the other person make the decision since it will be their time, connections, or money on the line. You need something from them, so find out what they need first. 

Abusing social situations- I once hosted a reading where someone who was attending, pitched the host of the reading on investing in another project. The person hosting barely even looked at the packet that was being given to him. You will find times when you get a to attend a dinner, cocktail party, or an excursion with someone who can be helpful to you. Use that time to get to know them as a person and set a later time to talk about your project. There are many who love to try and sneak that ask in during a social situation, but personally, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. 

So there you have it. When you pitch don't interrupt, be clear as to the need, and time it wisely. You'll be much more likely to find that people will want to play ball if you pitch well. 

Excelsior! 

P.S.- I have decided to host some group consulting sessions. You can read more HERE.  Limited seats. Thanks! 

Awesome Person Thursday: Schuyler Iona Press

 

This week's A.P.T is Schuyler Iona Press who currently has a show running called What I'm Failing To Learn which comments on New York City Culture, Civil Rights, Technology's effect on personal interaction, and more. Oh and did I mention...

She's a teenager. 

Yep. It's rare to see someone so young tackle such big topics, but like a minature Bob Dylan, Schuyler stands up there guitar in hand with a cast of talented musicians and dancers and weaves a tale of how it feels to grow up in the city. This kind of bravery isn't often found in our youth. Having taught for 8 years I can count on one hand the number of students who ever decided to ask deep questions about our culture, and yet Schuyler fills her show with them. From addressing what it's like to be a mere child during 9/11, to a song dealing with the power of consumerism in current advertising, the show digs deep with some toe tapping tunes and some spoken word. More info about the show is below. If you can get a chance to catch the last performance on Saturday, I'd recommend it. 

Schuyler will make you think about our city, our country, and most importantly, remind you of the value of what our youth has not failed to learn. 

Excelsior!

A MAY SKY PICTURE is pleased to announce the workshop production of Schuyler Iona Press' WHAT I'M FAILING TO LEARN, choreography by Joel Hanna, music arranged by Jeb Patton, co-directed by Darren Press, written and directed by C. Fraser Press. WHAT I'M FAILING TO LEARN will play a limited engagement at Off-Broadway's 13th Street Rep (50 West 13th Street, NYC). Performances begin Wednesday, May 15 and continue throughSaturday, June 15. Opening Night is Wednesday, May 29 (7 p.m.). 

14-year-old singer songwriter Schuyler Iona Press, whose eclectic compositions include influences from modern folk, rock, and punk peppered with Latin grooves, is an outsider longing to be on the "inside", simultaneously outraged by the implications--a kid entering adolescence and questioning her world. Accompanied by a live band, percussive modern Irish dancers and video, Schuyler brings us on a poetic imaginative quest into the depths of her emotions.

A mashup of theatrical drama/live concert/multimedia video, WHAT I'M FAILING TO LEARN takes us on a walking tour through the unpredictable streets of NYC and through the even more unpredictable mind of a young teenager.

WHAT I'M FAILING TO LEARN is a personal journey of a child colored by both positives and negatives of growing up unsheltered from certain truths of our human world. As Schuyler learns, truth holds both comedy and tragedy, but most importantly, truth holds hope. 

The production stars Schuyler Iona Press (Film: Theresa is a Mother) as herself. The ensemble/band includes Carlos Mena on bass, Annette Homannon violin and as the voice of Carol, Sardinian woman and Diner Lady, Henry Koperski on the piano/flute/sax and as the voice of Harvey, Matthew Gumley (Bdwy: Elf, Addams Family, Mary Poppins, Beauty and the Beast Film: Theresa is a Mother) on electric guitar and as the voice of the Tour Guide,Sam Wagner (The Brighton Beat) on the drums, Dominique Porter as the voice of Schuyler and Savior Lady, and Hannah Tobias as voice of Mother, Sardinian teenager and Phyllis.

The production features lighting design by Rob Belchere and sound design by MikeDeRosa. Liz Peak is the stage manager.

WHAT I'M FAILING TO LEARN plays the following schedule:
Wednesdays at 7 p.m.
Saturdays at 3 p.m. 

Tickets are $18-30 and are now available online at www.13thstreetrep.org or by calling 866-811-4111. Tickets may also be purchased in-person at the theater ½ hour prior to performance.

Running Time: 90 minutes

Website: http://www.whatimfailingtolearn.com/

https://www.facebook.com/WhatImFailingToLearn

www.schuylerionapress.com

Photos: http://bit.ly/WIFLPhotos

Press Kit: http://bit.ly/WIFLPressKit

SCHUYLER IONA PRESS (Music, Lyrics, Performer) is a 14-year old singer/songwriter guitarist and actress from NYC. She is the youngest artist ever to play the singer/songwriter sessions at the Bitter End in NYC and has played numerous music festivals in the northeast throughout the summer of 2012 including Boston GreenFest, Block Island Music Festival, Black Potatoe Music Festival and more.

A prolific songwriter from an early age, at 12 years old Schuyler opened for award winning recording artist Ellis Paul. Schuyler composed the score to the independent feature film "Theresa is a Mother," including recording "Summer Child" the main theme song. Theresa is a Mother is currently playing in film festivals around the country and has won numerous Best Film awards. Schuyler recently recorded a guitar/vocal for the music video to her 9/11 tribute song "Playground Museum." This video premiered at the 2012 International Film Festival Manhattan and won in the music video category at the 2012 My HERO Film Festival in LA. Schuyler was also nominated for a prestigious Ron Kovic Peace Prize.

As an actress, Schuyler was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Award from the 2012 Reel Independent Film Festival in Washington DC for her role in the film Theresa is a Mother.

A budding philanthropist, Schuyler is combining her talents and passions to create the I Am Today Project, an arts driven organization that works with children fighting serious illness helping them create personal and expressive projects in various artistic disciplines.

Retro Wednesday: Networking lessons from Sylar

In this week's Retro post, I revisit how the main super villian from heroes can teach about networking. 

Excelsior!

Lessons a super villain taught me about networking

A few months back I was introduced via netflix to the television show Heroes. I know, I know, I'm one of the last people to see the series I'm sure, but when it was on I was never home. For those of you familiar with the show, you know that the main villain is the guy above. What's even more fascinating is how many parallels one can draw to what he does and what a really talented networker does.

1. Heightened levels of inquiry- The thing that made Sylar such a powerful villain throughout the series was his ability to understand how things work. By seeing what makes certain individuals tick (ha ha) , he was able to then take their powers. A solid networker takes the time to look at what makes other people tick. That heightened level of inquiry helps in discovering who would make a great business partner and who should be introduced to whom. 

2. Going to the source- Once Sylar discovered that the source of people's powers were connected to the brain, he wasted no time. He went right for the source and scored powers left and right, albeit he was a bit messy when he did this. Good networkers don't waste time shooting out blind emails and blasting everyone in a five block radius. They target the people they know will be helpful to them and then go directly to those people.

3. Prioritize- Once Sylar realized what powers could help him accomplish certain tasks, he made it a point to find those people first and get one power that would allow him easy access to others with powers. Good networkers do this too. They take the time to think about what other people are good at and how their connections to one person help in connecting to others. 

4. Strategy- There are many times in the series where Sylar is captured, hurt, killed etc. In every one of these instances, he finds a way out because he is strategic. He knows that it's a bad idea to try and escape from one place, so he gets the guard to come closer and then figures out a way to shut the alarms off etc. A good networker thinks in the same strategic way. They think about how one interaction will help them three steps down the line rather than in the moment.

5. He ships- Love him or hate him, he always gets things done. He does whatever he says he's going to do and for that reason not many people can stop him. Good networkers ship. They make good on their promises of introductions and referrals and they back up what they say. For this reason they are the ones who do get things done.

So there you have it. If you have never watched the series, check it out. It's really some great writing and you may pick up even more tips from seeing how Syalr operates.

And the next time you meet someone in a networking scenario, think about what makes them

Tick, tick, tick.....

Excelsior!

 

Why you should pay attention to the man or woman behind the curtain

Because most people don't. 

Behind every public success there is a lot that goes on that doesn't get covered in the media. 

Many times the people who have really truly been the catalyst for the growth of company are not recognized and often they actually do not care to be. 

Many of the producers who won Tony's this past week have people behind the scenes who invested in their projects or made introductions for them.

Those who are helpful to others often avoid the spotlight. They usually do what they can to make something cool happen and then step out of the way. 

That doesn't mean that they don't appreciate being acknowledged once in awhile, they just would prefer it didn't happen publicly. 

The interesting thing is that if we take a look at the work that we are doing now and the opportunities that have come our way, we start to discover that there have been many things that have happened in the background and many people behind the curtain. 

It's important to Thank Them. 

Take a second today to ask who has been behind the curtain in your life?

Who has made introductions for you or invited you to events that have helped move your pursuits forward?

Who gave you some advice over coffee that maybe changed your business model or motivated you to keep going when you thought you'd give up?

These are our behind the curtain folks.

Our unsung heroes. 

Maybe you should sing about them today. 

Just a thought. 

Excelsior! 

 

When you don't have time to be a guest...

Be a host. 

Last week, I was talking with a friend of mine who was concerned about the amount of time it takes to attend events. She was certain that attending events was good for networking, but in her current job, she was just too tired to go out and mix it up. In looking at the dilemma, I realized that one of the best ways to save time in those scenarios is to turn the situation around.

Don't run around to a bunch of parties.

Throw your own. 

Here are some reasons being a host can be a great alternative to the 5 event a week cycle:

1. You are in control. You can choose who attends and you will not feel uncomfortable because it's your gathering.

2. You save time. If you plan a small gathering, it can be put together in a matter of days and you can usually get a decent turn out. You also are not traveling nearly as much.

3. You can make strategic connections. If you are the one hosting, you can facilitate more introductions, set up the space in specific ways, and do more to make good matches.

So the next time you are feeling a bit bogged down with attending events, try taking some of that time to plan your own. You may be surprised at what it does. 

Excelsior!

Guest Blog #89 Building something for your Imaginary friend

 

This week's guest blog comes from one of my dear friends Malini Singh McDonald. Malini has been working on a presentation of a really charming new play and is at the tail end of her funding campaign. In this post she talks about some lessons she's learned in the crowd-funding process. I hope you'll consider supporting the project as they get down to the wire. Take it away Malini!

Exclesior!

I love theatre. I love to produce it. I love to promote it. We also have dreams. Some of them are lofty. Some simple. We share them with those we love and sometimes to someone who isn't actually there. You know. Your imaginary friend. 

 

Last year, my dear friend, Nick Radu, gave me a play he wrote called Imaginary. Of course, I felt obligated to read it.  Yet, I wasn’t expecting my heartstrings to be pulled. I also didn't think a spark that had died would be reignited. And it was reignited in a big way. I knew I had read something special because I could clearly see the big picture. I could see Imaginary having a commercial run and appealing to the masses. Who hasn't had an imaginary friend? Who still has an imaginary friend?

 

After reading Imaginary, I knew we had to get it up on its feet. We produced two successful workshops to a very receptive audience. We then shared the play with others whose opinion we respected. When Michael Roderick said that we had a play with commercial potential, Nick and I didn't waste time planning our backers’ audition. About six months ago, we began to work on a timeframe, budget and our Indiegogo campaign. 

 

As we come close to the end of the Indiegogo campaign and closer to the backers' audition, I can't help but think about where I am in this process. I always try to find the lessons so I can better prepare myself for the next project.

 

Lesson 1: Build a team specific to the needs of the project. For example, I should have created a team specific to fundraising and maintaining the Indiegogo campaign. I should have also created a team for the producers. Live and learn.

 

Lesson 2: Acknowledge each emotion. Just because a feeling is familiar to a past experience doesn't mean that it is the same experience. Acknowledge the feeling, recognize that this is a new situation, and move past it. If it is causing a block, ask for help. I called Michael.

 

Lesson 3: Establish a timeline.  Scheduling a general timeline for Imaginary and a personal timeline for me saved my sanity. Scheduling specific deadlines for Imaginary helps balance my personal deadlines.  For example, I needed to schedule the dates of the backers’ audition by the end of May. So, I allocated mornings during the last two weeks of May to find a location. Success. 

I've lived and learned through my love of theatre. I have called Michael to advise me on producing it. And I have succeeded in creating a productive timeline. We have 10 days to reach our goal of $4500. We are almost half way there. Click HERE for our campaign. 

Story: Jack Cartwright has passed on after being involved in a tragic car accident. Before passing on to “the other side,” Jack must take on the job as Imaginary Friend to 8-year-old Molly Hamilton. Jack is just another notch in Molly’s candy lipstick case as she has been through six Imaginary Friends already in her short life. Sampson, the angelic spirit in charge of the Imaginary Friend Network, explains the rules of imaginary friending to a reluctant Jack, who finds the task slightly more daunting than he expected.  

Awesome Person Thursday: Phil O'Brien and Climbing Fish

This week's A.P.T. is Phil O'Brien and his new company Climbing Fish. Phil was a part of ConnectorCon this past weekend and his company is doing something pretty amazing. It helps pair you with amazing people to help you move your projects forward. You can read more about them and find out what a Social Actualizer is below. Enjoy!

Excelsior!

P.S.- There are only a few seats left for my free problem solving session tomorrow. Grab yours by going here. Thanks! 

 

 

Retro Wednesday: Under"Standing" Networking

This week's retro post is all about the importance of where you are in a room at an event. Check it out!

September 22, 2008

Under"Standing" Networking

 

Remember this song? It was one of my favorites when I was growing up. I was at party on Friday night and I was made aware of the fact that just like in marketing, your positioning is important when networking at an event. What does this all mean? Party planners always set up the room so that there are less chairs than there are people. They do this because they want people on their feet and mingling. So it would stand to reason that if you are at a networking event, you should probably be on your feet. 

Think about the last party you were at. Where were you in the room? Were you standing in the center? Sitting in the corner? Sitting outside??? All of those positions influence your networking capacity when at an event. I think of it often from a directing perspective. In my directing classes we talked a great deal about power having to do with where a character is on the stage. If someone is sitting and the other person is far away, the seated person is in a position of power. Now can that power shift? Of course. But where you place people on the stage has a direct effect on who has the power in the scene.

In party situations, the party is your stage.  If you stand center you show others at the party that you are open to being approached. When you sit up stage left, it communicates to others that you are not interested in being approached.

Now that's not to say that there won't be people who will approach you whether standing or sitting, but next time you're at a party pay attention to how often you're approached when standing vs. sitting and you'll see what I mean. This is also particularly effective if you are at an event where you don't know anyone. It's easy to get lost when sitting at a couch somewhere, but stand stage center and see how fast you'll find people to talk to. After all, people have to make entrances and exits right? And where do they cross to do so? That's right. Stage center. 

So next time you're sitting at a networking event and wondering why you haven't met anybody yet, take a deep breath and stand up. Who knows? You could end up standing next to this guy. 

Excelsior!