Derek Womack

Derek Womack is a singer, songwriter, producer, and musician who has had a passion for music since he was a little boy.  Passion might be an understatement, as the art of performing has become his lifestyle; a lifestyle that defines who he is and who he wants to be.

Born and raised in Tampa, FL, Derek started performing at the young age of three in his living room.  As most music artists, Derek loved Michael Jackson and at age three he was able to watch his tour and reenact the entire performance for his family and friends.  This is just the beginning of what you would see from this talented performer.  By age 14, Derek was writing his own songs, playing the bass, drums, and singing back up for his mother Belinda Womack.  He had a desire to share his talents with anyone who would listen.

Tiffany Deriveau

Tiffany Deriveau has a gift.  A natural performer at heart, Tiffany is not only a talented singer but she is also an actress, musician, and a songwriter you can’t take your eyes off of.

Tiffany is not new to the entertainment industry.  Born and raised in Windsor, Ontario Canada, Tiffany’s first gig was at the age of 14 in a local legion hall.  At 14 years old parties and hanging out were not her priority, all she wanted to do was perform.  Since she was under age, her and her mother had to convince the legion that she was 19 and with her mother’s accompaniment, she would make $50 a night every weekend.  This was only the start of great things to come.

Annie DeVaux

Annie DeVaux is a performer and Production Sales Representative for Event Show Productions.  Event Show Productions is a corporate entertainment company that provides creative and technical services for corporations across the globe.  Annie has been performing for the company for eight years and recently has taken on the responsibility of putting together proposals for clients, who are looking for entertainment and production ideas at their next conference, party, and many other corporate events.  I got a chance to sit down with Annie and ask her a couple of questions regarding negotiating.

In the entertainment business, you have dealt with a lot of clients as a performer.  Now that you are proposing ideas to these clients and you know how some of them operate, how do you separate the people from the problem?

I always tell the client that it is going to work out.  Telling them that it is going to work out calms them down before we even get started.  I try to make them feel a part of the solution.  I do not give them multiple options.  I give them one option, and then get their feedback.  If they do not like the first option, then I give them another one.

Dave Ramsey

Finances are a very important part of life.  Whether you are a stay at home mom, a business owner, or a struggling musician, your financial outcomes can affect your life drastically.  I am currently taking a business finance class and I am learning how to budget and handle finances for my business.  This has really made me think about, not only my business but my personal views on how I handle my finances.  This has made me interested in getting rid of my debt and saving money so when my husband and I expand our family, our children will be well taken care of.  Who better to help with this part of my life then Dave Ramsey.

Dave Ramsey is very familiar with how you can be financially set one minute and then have nothing the next.  Ramsey is a financial author and motivational speaker, who help people manage their finances with his program Financial Peace University.  I first heard of this program a couple of years ago in my church, and now have many friends and family members who have benefitted from its classes.  Ramsey has classes for churches, military personnel, correctional facilities, nonprofit organizations, high school students, college students, and even businesses (Ramsey, Dave Ramsey Homepage, 2012). 

Performing for Love or Money

     Working in the entertainment industry can be a rollercoaster of emotions, jobs, and especially money.  The life of a performer definitely comes with its challenges, but many people are willing to go through the struggle, for the ultimate adrenaline rush of being on stage.

     Over the last couple of months, I have written about different performers in the Tampa Bay area.  All of them being very talented and living the daily grind of a performer.  Not knowing if a contract is going to be renewed, or when the next move is going to be, or when you are no longer the “it” performer can be very scary.  But all of these performers love what they do and the money does not matter.  Exposure is a big key to success but some performers choose to stay local and not take that next step into stardom.

Robert Gupta: Music is medicine, music is sanity

Music is medicine.  That is what Robert Gupta talked to his audience about in March of 2010 on the TED stage.  A violinist with the L.A. Philharmonic, Gupta talks about his encounter with a violinist, Nathaniel Anthony Ayers, who suffers from Paranoid Schizophrenia, and how this changed his mind on the power that music has over us.

In 2008, Robert Gupta met Nathaniel Anthony Ayers, at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, after a concert he was involved in with the Philharmonics.  Ayers came back stage and met Gupta and they had a great conversation about music and life and then they both went on their way.  Before I tell you what happened next, let me tell you about the life of Nathaniel Anthony Ayers.

North American Performing Arts Managers and Agents

I have had the pleasure of performing in the entertainment industry for the past 5 years and I have gotten to a place in my life where I want more.  I want to take my experience to the next level and help others take their natural talents there as well.  I feel North American Performing Arts Managers and Agents can help me in this venture, by helping me develop professionalism and give me the community support I need to succeed.

NAPAMA is a non-for-profit service organization, founded in 1979.   This organization prides itself by promoting the professionalism of its members and the spirit of the performing arts.  Located in New York City, NAPAMA has helped artists, managers and performers for over 30 years.  Their mission statement is “to promote the best interest of performing arts agents and managers through leadership, professional developmental and alliances in the performing arts industry.”  All of NAPAMA’s active members consist of agents, agencies, presenters, associations and artists, and uses the Certified Performing Arts Executive Certification Programs to help their members with professional development.  They also collaborate with other organizations including Arts Midwest, Western Arts Alliance, Performing Arts, and many more.