Passion is a funny thing. We’re always told to be passionate but I suppose it’s mainly for the feel-good nature of being driven, creative, and outgoing about what we do. Who wants to literally hear about someone else’s shite job? I don’t. Chances are you don’t either. Conversely, when in conversation with a passionate human being (professionally speaking) I’m always fascinated by the insight that shines through.

A warning to all of you upstarts out there: remember where your passion ends and business begins because they are two completely different beasts. I learnt that the hard way by figuring out that companies made products in order to make money, not because they saw value, loved, or even liked said product. Content is similar. (Yes, I was naive but it also helped to be fearless by way of ignorance as a teenage entrepreneur.)

When I started publishing an online magazine more than ten years ago it was my passion for music that helped me through the long nights of pushing out content pre-blog, pre-web 2.0 era, and before monetization was much of an option. Content was our passion–and its main selling point came in the form of the possibility of earning ad dollars from our passion of the music rather than the passion of doing our jobs.

That’s probably why I moved from publishing and into the ad business full time. Why represent one site when I can help all of us likeminded publishers to group together to form an ad network? It took faith at all levels. This was the power of the internet to me. Social media hasn’t come close to making the world a better place, but the internet has allowed us to communicate faster to allow for more efficient social interactions. In my case, it led to the founding of Fixion Media.

But the real point beyond my surprisingly introspective self on a rainy Tuesday, I’m again realizing that the system isn’t as self sustainable, fresh, and “open” in terms of social interaction to allow for many real-world business partnerships, deals, or otherwise. And I mean this in terms of my passion for creating change. I think most digital namads are hiding beyond monikers and web personas to avoid the real-world stuff. And P.S. folks, conferences don’t count!

[Rob comes back to the computer several hours later. Hockey intermission permits for writing.]

To tie this randomness together, I think it’s important to evaluate your industry through the filter of making the world a better place. I had big dreams for my online magazine and I am now actively involved in trying to shape an industry where I what I do directly affects dozens of publishers. Potentially this number will be in the hundreds in the coming months and years.

They used to call it “climbing the ladder”. Or something like that. I prefer this meritocratic system. But we all know the real world doesn’t work like that–but in case it does–your competition probably cares more about his/her bottom than line than your own personal achievements. This leads me to question the individual journey that we all must take regardless of how important our public personas and personal brands are. And if my hunch is correct: this journey will help you connect in real terms with the right people that will help you advance in life just as you can help them in their lives–regardless of agenda–business or personal.

Seek ubiquity in your niche. Once you hit a brick wall… move onto bettering the world in another place.

[Over and out. Hockey game is over. Canadiens beat Hurricanes in OT.]

Filed under: Rants, Publisher Side, Social Media, Personal Branding, Politics, The Future, Music Industry, Branding, Leadership

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I’ve been doing my research about Ticketmaster’s majority buyout of Irving Azoff’s Front Line Management. What will it mean for the music industry given Live Nation’s strong position at present?

Bob Lefsetz for one seems to think that he will be an asset in these trying times:

He says he’s Switzerland. That he’s not about playing one entity off against another, but moving this business forward. He made sure I knew that this business “hangs on too long to old school traditions”.

[…]

He’s not going to militate, not going to insist it be his way, but wants to sit down with all the players and come to agreements. And, if there is no consensus, he believes business can continue to function the way it always has. Not that he wants it that way.

While I agree with most of what Lefsetz says, I personally don’t believe that the music business can function the way it has always been. We could have had that conversation 5 years ago but there is a new sense of empowerment at all levels of this industry. This go-it-alone spirit has yet been harnessed though, save for social networks like MySpace that have managed to aggregate much of the indie industry under one roof. The danger is that media companies like Fox care less about music and more about analytics and ad revenues. But I digress.

What we do need now is leadership and methinks Azoff will help to stir the pot. Live Nation for their part is very aggressive online and as much as I’d like to fuel a bidding war across rock / metal / alternative publishers and ad networks like mine at Fixion Media, it’s the prospect of competition that is pleasing to my senses. It is about the fans. It is about the quality of music out there. And this focus could help breathe new life into artists that can actually support loyal audiences.

Above and beyond, it’s going to take more than buying online ads and technical genius to get us to where we need to be. It will come, as Azoff suggests, by a meeting of the minds. Change is coming and we’re looking forward to being part of such change.

[Full Disclosure: Live Nation is a client of Fixion Media.]

Filed under: The Future, Music Industry

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Hat tip: James Fallows at The Atlantic.

Filed under: Economy, Case Studies, Politics, The Future, Leadership, Venture Capital

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Via @jsmooth995 at http://illdoctrine.com/.

Filed under: Rants, Video

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It is becoming apparent that you guys will let anybody slap a banner up on your site. I was unpleasantly shocked when I saw an ad for the anti-Jesus movie up on [web site URL]. People who listen to hard rock and metal music already have to battle stereo types about satan worship and anti religiousness. Thanks for giving the critics more fuel for the their fight. I had planned on doing some advertising on [web site URL] myself from this years budget. Thanks for helping me narrow down my decision to take my money elsewhere. On another note … what does an anti - Jesus movie have to do with music anyways?? Remember the good ole days when [web site URL] advertised for bands and music? Perhaps you’ll be doing Tide commercials next?

Would love to get us some of that Tide money actually. Even metalheads need to clean their clothes. But in all seriousness, we don’t sell ads to haters. It was likely a Google ad for Bill Maher’s new film. Take your complaints over there.

The funny thing is, this guy claims he’s a potential ad buyer. Suuuuuure.

Filed under: Rants

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