Yet upon looking at these new crop of startup(ers), not many are going to survive this steamroller ride they have hitched for it is not a joy one. Many have folded, and many still will. Say, they have the stuff, the ideas, the know-how, but these things have never been know to be enough. A clever look upon a similar sphere ‘music’, one sees more stuff these entrepreneurs could borrow from their musical neighbors so as to make headway to the top.
What can they, indeed? How can two such diverse fields require common traits? There are abundance of virtues that young entrepreneurs could learn from the experienced musicians in Nigeria today. On closer analysis of these two seemingly worlds-apart spheres, parallels emerge. Musicians are, in essence, entrepreneurs; instead of offering products or services, they entertain with their talent.
The similarities between these two fields are, in truth, boundless, possibly because being a successful musician is a subset of being an entrepreneur. Famous musicians receive so much visibility and attention that they are easy to observe and emulate. Thus, there are a number of nuances and techniques entrepreneurs can imbibe from these famous personalities, to incorporate into their own methods of entrepreneurship.
There are quite a few key qualities that successful musicians embody, which every entrepreneur should possess which is most important in ensuring the success of a startup. If a trait listed is not among your virtues, or something you’ve never thought of before, work on consciously integrating it into your way of life for these qualities are important ingredients in the recipe for success!
1. Passion:
All famous musicians have, at some point, really, really wanted to make it big. Music is their passion, their calling, and they are truly dedicated to the art. This drive shows up as that special something in their compositions, and is what subconsciously appeals to the masses that eventually make them famous.
If you’ve thrown away a ‘safe’ career to pursue starting up, you’re probably very passionate about your company. Take for example Lanre Dabiri, better known by his stage name Eldee namee who studied Architecture at the University of Lagos. What you could learn from musicians is to channel this passion into indications that are telling of your enthusiasm. All the energy that musicians possess at concerts and live shows stems from their passion. Making your enthusiasm obvious in a way that fits in with your personality is very important.
2. Tenacity:
Three words: Never give up.
Every single musician out there who is successful today has faced his/her fair share of rejection, but hasn’t let it get to them. The never-say-die attitude and initiative possessed by famous artists, some of whom were rejected by many major record labels before striking oil, is something every young entrepreneur should aim to emulate.
Letting rejection or lack of recognition get to you is the worst thing possible, because it throws you off your game; and that pretty much ensures that you will never be appreciated and successful.
3. Ability to collaborate:
Being the boss doesn’t mean all the responsibility is on you. To spearhead a successful startup, you need a team you can depend on, preferably one that comprises people whose opinions you value. This takes some of the pressure off you and your co-founders. A lot of bands work because of this. When there is mutual trust, this inevitably takes pressure of the team.
In turn, you’ve got to take your team’s ideas seriously. If the team does consist of people whose judgment you value, this shouldn’t be hard. Sometimes, the desire to dominate the venture that is your brainchild might overpower all reason, and could lead to an irreconcilable argument. So many bands have gone through ugly split-ups because of power struggles between the lead vocalist and another, less prominent but equally important member. Others because of money issues.
Band members have to be able to rely on each other to hold up their own ends, as well as cover up for one another’s errors. They also have to be able to work together, to produce beautiful harmonies that are distinct, unique. It’s quite the same with an entrepreneurial venture. The ability to collaborate is a beautiful one, and very necessary indeed.
4. Willingness to take risks:
Artists, in order to grow, need to challenge themselves, stretch their range and capabilities, branch out; basically, take risks.Taking calculated, small risks can lead to greater success than any other kind of move. For example, take the late Fela Anikulapokuti’s focus on enlightening the Nigerian people on government’s misdemeanors, he took great risks and this is the reason he is world-famous today.
It seems to me that entrepreneurs need to do the same. A shift in focus is an established move in entrepreneurship, called a ‘pivot’. If you have conclusive proof that your company can do better with emphasis on a slightly different wing, then try it out in the least damaging way possible. Small risks can’t hurt too much, and if they don’t work out, you could always return to your old focus. So many artists try out new sounds on a whole album; whether or not it works out, at least they stop thinking about ‘what-ifs’.
- See more at: http://thebusinessaim.com.ng/6-things-nigerian-musicians-can-teach-entrepreneurs/#sthash.RPq50uBJ.dpuf
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