460 - Biggie: On Tour Now

Art and sacrifice walk hand in hand no matter what part of the creative world you find yourself a part of. For musicians who write the music we love it takes a couple more emails than you might expect to make that show in a town near you come to life. Our business mentor Biggie of Good Fight Entertainment is here to break down each aspect of taking your act on the road from how you get there to what you take home. Time, money, and inspiration all play pivotal parts in this delicate balance of multiple personalities shoving themselves in the road wagon of their choosing for days on end. Biggie and Mark each have years of experience under their belts and in this touring episode you'll learn about who gets a cut of what and why ten cents on the dollar to play your heart out is still a pretty good deal. The only question left is where are we playing tomorrow night? 

Talking Points

• Seeing the bigger picture.
• Who mentors your mentors?
• Turning a corner with Low Teens and getting everyone on the same page.
• Enjoying the good stuff while you can and not taking your success for granted.
• Starting new business models at 40.
• Planning your cycle through the tiered markets of America.
• Driver floats and an expanded look at the cost of a tour bus.
• Chasing the Highway Glory eighteen months in advance.
• Keep it local and keep it lean while your working for your momentum.
• How the USPS played a vital role at the turning point for independent music.
• Does your singer need a break?
• Staying ahead of the game to get the guarantees and dates that you want.
• Tour managers that maximizer the bottom line.
• Is double dipping spontaneous or was it planned all along?
• Breaking down a day on the bus for everyone who's in it.
• Understanding who you're managing to get the most out of them.
• Loose accounting in touring and worrying about the "What If?!?"
• Playing Tetris with people and losing everything you own.
• When should you add a guitar tech to maintain your mystique.
• Spreadsheets, profits, and the luxuries you can forego.
• Go it alone to make the most money.
• Merch Guys and Front Of House Freakouts.
• The magical moment before you hit the stage.
• The rise of the meet and greet and why Biggie keeps it in house.
• Dreaming of Dave Matthews Band leverage.
• Making ten cents on the dollar to play your heart out every single night.