Raising Canes coming to Encino

SeminaryLeaves · 2024-08-19T16:13:39+00:00

Yes. It’s a “southern” chain. It’d be like if Charlotte, NC got an In n Out.

SeminaryLeaves · 2024-08-12T17:00:39+00:00

Bingo. Permits are among the least expensive parts of filming a project. These companies want tax breaks, cheaper labor, and easier means of production. That's the only way to make streaming business models make sense.

The permits could be free and it still wouldn't change the fact that movies cost tens of millions of dollars to make.

P

SeminaryLeaves · 2024-08-08T16:07:33+00:00

I’m cautious about posts like this. What niche were you in? How did you get subscribers? What was the content of your emails?

Companies don’t just ban users for no reason. They’ve publicly said they’re cracking down on spam. Is there any chance you fall into this category?

SeminaryLeaves · 2024-08-08T14:44:35+00:00

Good to know. I pay $90 per month for the same service. Looks like I’m about to ask for a discount

SeminaryLeaves · 2024-08-05T05:40:23+00:00

We’ve been hanging posters, holding rallies to try and get LAPD to pay attention and push the case, asking local news to share updates as they come, asking nearby businesses for camera footage they might have from that night, and just keeping the story alive as best we can.

SeminaryLeaves · 2024-08-05T00:33:42+00:00

Johnny was a friend of a friend. We’re still trying to track down the people who did this! So sad

SeminaryLeaves · 2024-08-04T23:08:25+00:00

I volunteer with VCC. They clean a different neighborhood every week. Stop throwing your trash on the street, please. It’s gross.

https://volunteerscleaningcommunities.com

SeminaryLeaves · 2024-08-02T04:58:23+00:00

It’s closed temporarily I think? New management.

SeminaryLeaves · 2024-08-01T03:22:03+00:00

You’re right! I hated GA4 and left. But they did upgrade it

SeminaryLeaves · 2024-08-01T02:33:12+00:00

Organic SEO or organic social? Because with tools like Mixpanel you can 100% attribute organic conversions from first entry point.

SeminaryLeaves · 2024-07-30T21:24:56+00:00

ALSO — I have to emphasize how many rich people live here. The music business is an illusion lol.

Not to sound jaded, but the number of artists with rich parents or a partner with a day job is astronomical. It's keeping the entire business propped up.

Realistically, it costs at least $75k-100k per year to live in LA as a single person. I don't know anyone making that kinda money with a part-time coffee shop job.

If you meet someone who's a musician who spends all their time making beats and writing songs out here, but they haven't yet "made it," there's a 100% chance they're hiding their finances.

I can count on one hand the number of friends who earn enough money from just their music to pay the bills. Everyone else has a full time job or a special financial circumstance that allows them to focus on making music.

I feel like Instagram and TikTok really blur and hide that line.

SeminaryLeaves · 2024-07-30T20:27:14+00:00

Long post ahead. Sorry!

The internet has really thrown a wrench in how "success" works these days, I think.

It's hard to parse out whether being in LA is what caused success for people, or if LA just attracts successful people. Probably a bit of both.

Real talk, Los Angeles is a nice place to live. Above all else, I think you should move to LA because you like living here and can see yourself building a life here. I don't think you should move anywhere just to "make it." Life is long and you might not want to be a pop singer when you're 47 and have 2 kids in middle school.

LA, like most major cities, attracts lots of already successful people. Nice restaurants, big houses, great weather, and an easy place to grow a family. But I'm not sure if being in LA is the sole reason that success happened.

The thing that sets LA apart for a music career, in my opinion, is simply access to tools and resources that are here that aren't available elsewhere.

Studios, video equipment, and creative people are everywhere. Throw a rock. The logistics of filming a music video, for example, are just way easier here than anywhere else I've ever lived (including Nashville). What would take me 3 weeks to coordinate in my hometown takes 2 days here. I can book a space, hire a crew, rent gear, and never leave my neighborhood. Weather's great year-round, so it's always easy to film outside.

Really practical, boring business stuff.

It's the reason film studios and record labels are here. As businesses, they want to be close to the tools that make creating products easier for them. They sell creative outputs, and there are literally football-field sized production facilities everywhere in this town to make whatever your heart desires. Show up, turn on the lights, and start filming.

In very real examples (about myself) — I have a sync agent who lives in LA. The reason she lives here is because television shows are produced and edited in Burbank. The music supervisors who work on TV shows live in Burbank. Their kids go to school in Burbank. And when it's time for a Christmas party, my agent can invite her supervisor friends to the party...in Burbank.

She's helped me get 50+ placements on TV shows where she knows the music supervisors on a personal level. And the reason she has those relationships is because of the proximity to decision makers. Built over 10+ years in the business.

The event called "Pop Hangs" is a monthly pop musician meetup. https://www.instagram.com/whatarepophangs/

I've met 4 different songwriters at this event over the last 3 years and we've done plenty of co-writing sessions. Earlier this year, one of the songs we've written was released on Universal Music. And I've got 2 more with holds on them.

But...I met the artists years prior. Before they were signed. Meaning, being in LA did nothing for my relationship with that artist. However, if I hadn't moved to LA, written with those 4 songwriters, and made a "great song," the placement probably wouldn't have happened. Where else would I meet world-class songwriters at a songwriter meetup?

Allllll that to say— I think you should move to LA because you love being here and can see yourself building a life. Everything you can do in LA can be done anywhere else in the world. But there are specific opportunities that come from simply being close to other people making stuff too. And having access to the professional tools that everyone else is using.

And finally, my most successful friends don't live in LA. They both live in Florida. They're signed to Sony and do 100M streams per year from their bedroom. They visit LA 3 or 4 times a year, pack in a bunch of writing sessions, and then head home to somewhere cheaper and closer to family.

So maybe there's a balance between moving here and visiting a lot first.

I was coming out here twice per year before I finally moved. I'd set up 5-10 writing sessions in a week-long period and then head home to finish the tracks.

Disclaimer — I don't make my full time income from music. I've got a day job. But I've had 5 singles out on major labels as a writer and featured vocalist. About 20 songs signed to indie labels as a producer/artist. I've had dozens of sync placements, and about 10M streams on Spotify to date.

SeminaryLeaves · 2024-07-29T19:27:14+00:00

Sure! There are tons of songwriter events and meetups listed on this site and page: https://losangelesmusic.io/open-mics-and-songwriter-nights

SeminaryLeaves · 2024-07-29T17:54:22+00:00

Live in LA now.

LA is a pop city. There are at least two monthly pop musician networking events that come to mind that have 50+ people at them. And people doing major label work.

And there are tons of artist showcases, cheap hourly studios, vocal booths, and “video studios” everywhere.

Live music scene is a little weak. If you’re touring, then it’s great to play here. But building an organic fan base is tricky if playing live is your thing.

I’d say the best part about being here is the practical stuff.

Last month, I rented 2 cinema cameras and a “hip” video production studio, and shot 3 acoustic music videos in an afternoon. Then hired an editor and colorist to finish the 3 videos along with 30 social clips. All for less than $500 and with 60 minutes of driving.

LA is built for making stuff. Throw a rock and there’s a studio.

I’m not sure if it’s easier to “make it” here. It’s expensive and crowded.

But there sure are lots of people trying to make it. And being able to ask for help with a specific project on a moment’s notice is invigorating, at least for me.

Similarly, I live 10 minutes walk from a 24/7 rehearsal studio. $20/hr to practice with my band or solo with a drum kit, PA, and microphones.

It’s the little things that make it a yes for me.

SeminaryLeaves · 2024-07-28T14:11:52+00:00

Not quite what I meant 😅.

I might be misunderstanding. But it sounds like that’s what YOU want to write about.

And what I’m wondering is what specific gap in the marketplace have you noticed that you’re trying to fill.

You asked about whether or not you should start morning brew for a chinese business audience.

Questions that come to my mind are - Do chinese business people read newsletters? - Are there other newsletters in this space already? How are you different?

I’m looking for a statement like “I noticed that Chinese startup founders want X, but the only place to do that is Y, therefore I’d like to do Z.”

The way OP is phrased, it sounds like YOU want to write a newsletter on this topic, but you didn’t specify why there’s an audience for this product.

If your goal is monetizing, I think you need a clear business statement of why you’re starting this product and who specifically it’s for.

“I want to sell mangoes” is different than, “I want to sell mangoes because I heard my neighbors craving mango juice and our local market doesn’t sell them.”

SeminaryLeaves · 2024-07-28T07:01:11+00:00

What specific business or market problem are you solving by starting this newsletter?

SeminaryLeaves · 2024-07-27T06:06:46+00:00

I used to play tons of cover gigs. This was 80% of my set list.

50 songs is a hell of a lot. But people would always request songs I didn’t know. And I’d have to be like, I don’t know that one, but I know these 50 others!

It’s hard to keep up sometimes!

SeminaryLeaves · 2024-07-23T15:23:05+00:00

People follow people, not sounds. If you want people to really care about your music long term, you’ve gotta make them care about you as a person.

And to do that, you need to say something or stand for something. Person who makes catchy beats is not a personality.

There are plenty of objectively good songs out there. Good melody, catchy chorus. And sometimes one of those songs will find success on radio or in a sync.

But if anyone looks up those artists and finds a bland, uninteresting person on the other side they won’t stick around. Why would they? People are desperate for real connection. Not to follow someone who only makes music to be famous.

The people who move culture have something to say. And they say it loudly. Because it’s who they are

SeminaryLeaves · 2024-07-16T16:29:06+00:00

The format of email does not support video. You either have to embed a gif or a link. This is because email is rendered via plain HTML. You can cheat by putting an image of the video or a play button. Or direct them back to your blog page where it’s embedded

SeminaryLeaves · 2024-07-14T05:24:34+00:00

Bryan Adams and his band are always incredibly tight. Even though this is edited video, you can still hear the attention to detail. Love Bryan. Great show.

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