President's Message

Thinking about this month's meeting, I was reminded of an article I read recently on nuclear power. It seems there's this element, thorium, as common as sand, related to uranium, that's on an order of magnitude more powerful, that produces practically no waste, can be used in the home with no adverse effects, can be carried in your pocket and works practically unattended. Sounds great, doesn't it? Then why aren't we using it to solve the energy crisis? After all, our scientists have known about it for 50 years!

Therein lies a tale of missed opportunity and lost momentum. I'll get to that in a moment. But first...

Mining for Dollars
Just as some forward-thinking scientists are re-discovering this powerful solution to our future energy needs, some of our members are mining their own businesses for powerful new directions toward a richer bottom line. I speak, of course, of the entrepreneurial instinct that lies mostly dormant within most of us.

Awake Your Business Within
The truth is that most of us in this business have powerful tools that stay holstered much of the time. Some of us wait for permission to use them and worry about where those permission-giving customers are hiding. However, some of us are constantly thinking of new ways to employ the same tools; ways that will lift us above our old definitions of what it means to be in this industry we love so much.

How Much Do You Love It?
Stephen Pressfield, in The War of Art, writes that persevering in any activity takes love; real love. The way we get smacked around tends to weed out those who are in it for the fun, but not through the adversity. So the professional often comes across as gruff, taciturn and distant, not because he's an a-hole, but because he can't afford to let his emotions ge the better of him. She is the way she is because she loves it more than anyone else, not less. Something to think about as we go through this most interesting economy.

Enough to Try Something New?
In a previous meeting we looked at using your skills in strictly entrepreneurial ways in order to serve completely different markets. This month we expand the definition of entrepreneur to encompass all of us, no matter what we do. I'd hate to see you miss this meeting. There's bound to be something in it for you, no matter who you serve.

The Thorium Backstory
Ah, yes. The thorium question. So it turns out we could have solved our energy problems before they even began, but the cold warriors wanted the by-products of uranium production to make weapons. This single fact doomed thorium. Why? Simple. Thorium can't be made into a weapon...unless you throw a chunk of it real hard at somebody. So the real reason we aren't energy independent is cold, hard, sweaty fear of the "other".

What's Your Backstory?
In the search for new ways of delivering our products and services, we can fearlessly reach out for new and innovative ideas, or we can take the cold warrior approach and fearfully bully our way to the top of a smoldering, festering slag heap. I've made my choice.

What's yours?

Warm Regards,

Steve

p.s. meeting announcement below...

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January 2010

How to Develop and Market Your Own Content

(instead of just waiting around for someone else to hire you.)

Many people in our industry have been struggling in today’s economy because it seems there are not as many jobs. And in a previous meeting, we addressed the issue of how to maintain high quality and creative production with greatly reduced budgets.

In our January 12 meeting, we will focus on some fresh ways to look at your business and how some people in our industry have expanded their business model to produce original content within their niche.

A panel discussion will explore how four people in different areas of the industry have been able to expand on their original business and bring added value to the marketplace.

The panel includes:

1. Moderator:  James Early
2. John Florian--VoiceOverXtra
3. Steve Lovelace--Motion, Inc.
4. Bruce Zimmerman—Zim Music Library 

Who Should Come

What ever facet of the Media industry you find yourself in, this is a vital meeting to help you find new ways to improve your bottom line.

Invite all your producer friends, voice-over and on camera talent, musicians, editors, etc.

There will be an extensive time for Q&A since we want the ideas to flow and new possibilities to proliferate.  And we want to hear your success stories too.

Because the networking part of the meeting has been so popular, we will start at 6:15.

Here are the details:

We look forward to seeing you there!

Steve Washer - President 

Layne Rodney - Membership Chair

James Early – Communications Chair

Don Berry - Secretary

Neal Thomassen - Member-At-Large

Bruce Zimmerman - Member-At-Large

Thank you all for volunteering your time and expertise.

See above for Septemer 2009 meeting