Are You Working with Your Head or Your Heart?

I was reading Bob Leftsetz's column that he writes for the music industry. He talked about something that I have thought a lot about. “The question is, are you working with your head or heart? At some point you've got to stop being who your parents want you to be and start being who you are.”

Very nicely stated. I have been earning a living working on other people’s shows as a television producer since 2001. I have been dreaming up show ideas since I was about seven years old. It happened each morning at the bus stop with my best friend Katie. (I have blogged about her before.) She told visual stories of the previous nights viewing of her favorite shows “Charlie’s Angles,” “The Love Boat,” and “Fantasy Island,” to name a few. I salivated at every juicy morsel – we couldn’t watch television after a certain hour at my house.

In 2003, I started pitching reality TV ideas. I made my own “hot lists,” from reading Variety and cold called people and got my own pitch meetings without a manager. While I worked on shows, I would “go to lunch,” or “the doctor,” just to pitch production companies.

In 2008, I began pursuing my dream full time - creating and developing television shows and pitching them. I started out developing something around Christopher Titus. Since then, I have learned a great deal and have not only increased my contacts, but I am closer than ever before to selling something. It’s officially been one full year.

It wasn’t until this year that I realized there’s been one thing in the back of my mind that I somehow could not let go of. It was a seed planted a long, long time ago in the depths of my blueprint. That seed was my mom telling me I needed to have a job with a 401k plan = job security. Which in today’s marketplace means nothing. There is no security any more unless you own your own company. In my mom’s career height, jobs offered not only financial security, but retirement benefits, health benefits and so much more.

What I am doing for a career is so unconventional “Creative Producer – Pitching Reality Concepts,” not your average career. It never will be. Most people in Los Angeles understand. BUT if you live anywhere else you probably won’t understand the scope of what I am doing. God Bless my Mom. She is a wonderful woman, who is now finding things that she loves to do in life after retiring. We couldn’t be more opposite – I travel a risky route with no guarantee, and she travels a safer route.

When I think about it, it’s as if I had an angel on one of my shoulders and a Devil on the other. My angel (aka my mom) on the left telling me that the route was to be secure and safe. The Devil (aka me) on the right, telling me the route was risky so go pitch and sell a television show! One thing I am certain about is what I did learn from her - that I think with my head and my heart, because I am truly doing something I love. I sleep, eat, drink, and dream about coming up with television shows.

What Defines Success - Michael Jackson

I was watching Kathie Lee and Hoda on the 4th Hour of The Today Show, and Kathie Lee was talking about how Michael Jackson had so much success but died billions of dollars in debt. She then asked "what defines success?" I believe that you define your own success no matter who you are.

Michael was about to embark on a Global Tour and had sold out 50 shows with a kick off in London (more than 750k tickets were sold!!). For A guy who in the media's eyes went from the "King of Pop" to "Whacko-Jacko," I would say Michael is an ICON that will continue to have success even in death.

I have written several posts in the past about success. In June I wrote "I got to thinking about Success and what makes people successful. I feel like its a formula. There is a big difference between people who achieve and people who don't. People who achieve approach things differently than those that don't. They also use lots of common sense, are consistent, have confidence and most importantly - they have PERSISTENCE. And they won't be defeated."

I've also written about Talent, you know when you have it. And MJ has had it since he was a little boy. He was a musical genius, with a complicated life. The whole world has been shocked and saddened by his untimely death. Millions of fans all over the world will be celebrating his success in the music world. Big success like Michael Jackson's comes with such things that you and I could not ever begin to understand. He lived oftentimes a very lonely life and spent way beyond his means. Tears and tributes are all we have now for the man with a gentle soul that touched people all over the world with his gift to music.

While Michael had many bumps in his road map, his blueprint for success can't be matched. Was he desperate to prove to the world that he could still have super star status? I worked with Michael Jackson back in 2002, when I was a Talent Producer for Dick Clark's American Bandstand's 50th Anniversary Show. I was able to attend a private rehearsal where Michael Jackson was dancing with his dancers. There were 5 people watching, and I was one of them. At the end of his rehearsal he got down on his butt and started fussing with his foot. When I asked Larry Klein what he was doing, he told me he had a broken foot. I was amazed - because I would never have known by the way he danced. I was privileged to see what really went on behind the scenes when Michael Jackson entered the building! Fans followed him in packs, oftentimes putting their own lives at risk (like jumping in front of one of his caravans in the middle of the road or hiding out inside the theater for a chance meeting with the King of Pop). Cher spoke about that show on CNN yesterday, and how odd his behavior had become. I remember thinking "why is he covering his kids up with blankets like he was?" Quite possibly for their own safety.

In my eyes, he still is #1 and he is the definition of SUCCESS. But we each as individuals define our own success. You don't have to be a superstar in the music industry to be a success. Success means different things to different people. You define your own success, so create your success the way you see it. We salute a musical legacy.

Is Success is a Formula?

I got to thinking about Success and what makes people successful. I feel like its a formula. There is a big difference between people who achieve and people who don't. People who achieve approach things differently than those that don't. They also use lots of common sense, are consistent, have confidence and most importantly - they have PERSISTENCE. And they won't be defeated.

I think about what I am doing and how persistent I have been with my pitching, development of a concept into a show, networking, meetings - and then there is TIMING. I am a true believer in being in the right place at the right time with the right idea. I am also a big believer in listening to your inner voice; its telling you something. If you feel you should jump on something you should do it right away. For instance, when Sony asked me for a my Promoter package and said on a Monday that they needed it for their next week's Monday meeting, I jammed to get it all together. I had it in their hands at 5:45 PM Friday night. Hand delivered. If you feel you should hold out for a better deal, then hold out for a better deal. For instance, one of my partners and I pitched a great show (which seems to be a popular concept) and we made a deal. The deal went through our lawyers and the production company's business affairs department only to come back with a number that was insulting. As a Producer, I could have worked on a show as a Producer and made better money. So we decided to hold out for a better opportunity. Look at us now, we have OWN interested.

Winners are made. I mean look at Oprah. Her first job was a reporter for radio in Nashville, TN. Martha catered a party for her husband's publishing company. After the party, they offered her a book deal - for a book about catering! We all start somewhere. Oprah and Martha kept going, they were persistent. If you have a good product or a good idea or a good show or a great brand, people will tell you. And if you don't believe in you who will?

The company Lillian Vernon, was started in 1952 by a woman named Lillian Hochberg. It sold for millions and millions of dollars. Lillian said that she was persistent and she never listened to the naysayers. Lots of successful people make the same claim. I have talked about it in past blogs. If you have good ideas and people tell you, keep at it. Keep going. Sometimes it gets bad before it even gets good.

I would love to hear about success and if you think that there is a formula to it? I know that its just a matter of time with all of my great meetings and great ideas and great talent - that a show will be sold. Its hard work. Its a lot of time. Its a lot of networking. Its a lot of meetings...in an uncertain economy too but I know my team will make it happen!!

Success in Sight

For the last week I have been thinking about success. There are lots of successful people in our world. A few of mine; Oprah, Ben Silverman, Mark Burnett, Cathie Black, Eli Davidson, Ariana Huffington, Tom Brokaw, Warren Buffett. In the book 'Basic Black,' by Cathie Black she states that "no one can define success and personal satisfaction for you, except you."

I got into a funk the last two days, I think because options and decisions are taking a long time. I started to get frustrated thinking about how long it takes and how much patience and time it takes to actually pitch, develop and sell a concept. For two days, I had to tell myself that the frustration will pass, the frustration will pass. For a milla second, I did think about what would I do if I did take on another career?! Dear lord that thought passed too, because honestly I couldn't think of too many other things that I want to do - I love producing and creating television way too much.

It all started in second grade. At my house in Massachusetts we couldn't watch television after the nightly news ended. So, this meant going to the bus stop the next day and listening to Katie (my friend for almost 32 years - since Kindergarten) tell recaps about tv at her house the night before. I was tormented with tales of the Love Boat, Charlies Angeles and Fantasy Island. In a good way.

Some days I would listen intently and savor every morsel of what happened the night before aboard the beautiful ship traveling to tropical or mysterious country, with vacationers aboard the "Love Boat" where Gopher, Dr. Adam, Isaac, Julie and Captain Stubing tried their best to please vacationers and sometimes help them fall in love.

Other days she dripped small sexy details about my favorite characters on Charlies Angels. Three beautiful ladies Jill, Sabrina and Kelly who went undercover to solve crimes. God I loved hearing about them. Kelly Garrett was my favorite (Jaclyn Smith). I had all of the collector cards. In fact in second grade I remember Katie and I laid them all out (they had a puzzle on the back) and they blew away and Rusty Bent (the bad ass in our grade) started to collect them and threatened to keep them. I cried and told him they weren't mine, and eventually he gave them back.

The moral of my rant about not being able to watch tv as a kid...I went in to school and retold Katie's stories just as they were my own, as I if I had watched them. In fact I hadn't - but nobody knew that I hadn't. And in second grade my love for television stories and shows was born.

So two days ago, that thought of frustration came and went. Things take time. And I define my own success. People can comment or have an opinion about anyone and their success, but we as individuals are the ones who define our own success. It also takes direction, purpose, vision and action. I am living my best life, doing what I love and I define my success. I am confident in my abilities and that I am a talented successful producer. God, I love television. Now somebody BUY a show - not just an option - a Flat out BUY... :) He he.

On a side note...I need a new creative partner...got any ideas you want to collaborate on?