Developing your brand while giving back to your community

As a company, Rising Phoenix Entertainment Group wants to develop quality artists. In doing so, the best place to start is with the children. Many school programs are cutting out music from their curriculum. Without music in schools, there will be a decline in new quality artists and musicians. I began playing saxophone in the 5th grade and absolutely loved being in the band. It was a way to keep young people out of trouble while doing something positive with their lives. I was in the band for 7 years, all the way through to 12th grade. Those 7 years created some of the best memories I have, and the bonds I created with people are still strong to this day. While researching charities that we as a company could be apart of, it seemed fitting to choose VH1’s Save the Music.


The VH1 Save The Music Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization that dedicates itself to creating an awareness that removing music from schools can hinder a child’s educational process, and to returning the education of instrumental music in public schools across America. Since it's founding in 1997, the foundation has raised more than $47 million towards providing new musical instruments to 1,750 public schools throughout approximately 100 cities in the United States, and has impacted the lives of over 1.6 million children (VH1 Save The Music, 2010).

Save the Music’s marketing strategy is far from ingenious. Save the Music simply joins major companies/businesses, influential musicians, recording artists, and even some athletes to put on productions and produce advertising campaigns to raise money for the foundation. When creating a brand for yourself, it is always best to pair with an already established brand to build your own brand name. Rising Phoenix Entertainment Group is currently working on two different brands: the branding of our artist, Fish Scales, as a solo artist; and the branding of ourselves as a new company. A partnership between the three will enhance the value of all.

Source: VH1 Save the Music website

What matters more than your talents?

While surfing through Ted.com, a compilation of videos where individuals give inspirational speeches, I came across a video from Jeff Bezos titled “What matters more than your talents?” This video was in TED’s section it calls “Best of the Web”. Where it groups all of their best speeches. Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, was asked to be the commencement speaker for Princeton’s graduating class. When he was younger his grandfather told him “It was harder to be kind than clever” And that we have gifts and choices. “Cleverness is a gift and kindness is a choice”, he explained. He also stated, “How many of you use your gifts? How you take pride in them is on you as a person. He had several points that he brought up that I felt correlated directly to me as a person. Bezos’ primarily spoke of a person’s character and how if is reflected not by the gifts that we receive at birth however by the choices we make over our entire life. I for one have made many different choices, all which have gotten me to where I am now, Receiving my masters at Full Sail University in Entertainment Business and founding an artist management company. Jeff Bezos had a vision, a vision to allow people to read and purchase books online in a more convenient fashion. Jeff had a very established job and did not want to be haunted by a decision of not trying. I myself have a vision. My vision is to represent individuals in the entertainment business. When the opportunity presented myself I did not too want to be haunted with the not trying, therefore I along w/my business partner went out on a limb and started Rising Phoenix Entertainment Group. As Jeff did we took the path that was less safe and pursued our passion. Jeff asks these questions at the end of his speech: How will you use your gifts? Will you follow dogma or will you be original? Will you live a life of Ease or adventure? When it is tough will you give up or will you be relentless? And last but not least, Will you be clever at the expense of others or will you be kind? I am choosing to use my gifts bestowed upon me for the good of my business. Life without adventure is a waste of living. In the Entertainment business you have to be relentless in order to persevere and become successful. And lastly, I personally feel there is a way for you to be clever w/o it being an expense to others. I always use kindness because in the end, kindness usually prevails.


http://www.ted.com/talks/jeff_bezos_gifts_vs_choices.html