Over the last couple of years I’ve worked on a lot of different creative projects. I’ve done session work for other artists and producers, created tracks for live shows, produced music for tv, worked on a film score, and so much more, but I knew that my roots as singer/songwriter were never going to leave me alone.

My absolute favorite present I got for Christmas this past year was a Rolling Stones vinyl box set recorded live at The El Mocambo. I watched that box set for a long time, hoping it would go on sale and then my fantastic mother-in-law picked it up for me for Christmas. There are very few things that inspire me like live music and especially live albums and especially The Rolling Stones. Listening to them and a few other bands almost always bring me out of a creative slump.

I know organization is not a strength of many creatives that I know and/or work with but it can literally save you time, money, and help you get the gig sometimes. So I want to talk about some simple organizational resources and practices that have helped me through the years to make sure that I’m being effective and efficient and that I’m ready to handle whatever opportunity that may come my way.

I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty nostalgic and the holidays just exacerbate that trait in me. I love to think back about the past and remember moments, songs, and traditions that bring me joy. My love for nostalgia has also created a habit in me to make sure that as seasons or years end that I look back and take stock of things.

If you know me or been around MYFI for any length of time you know that I believe that clarity is a BIG deal. Several years ago I heard a story about the one sentence pitch for the TV show “Friends”. Some people call it an “elevator pitch”, meaning that you can give the pitch in the short time it takes to ride an elevator. The creators of the show had to convince NBC that the show was compelling with just one sentence.