Day 175: It's Business

There's the expression it's a dog eat dog world out there. That is especially true in the world of show biz and entertainment. Everybody wants to be cast or hired for the next big show but it's a competition. We are all friends and family but at the end of the day it's about the job. We all have the I hope I get it feeling like the cast of a chorus line. As an accompanist the demand being higher makes this simple but it's still a business. There is still competition. You have to be professional and not demean others ability to gain business (I don't do that). You have to be humble about your own ability. You have to work with the people well that you accompany and be lenient while being the boss of your own business. You have to price competitively while still understanding your worth. As my grandpa taught me, "never underestimate the value of your time." Money isn't the most important thing though and neither is the job. It's all about the enjoyment we get from doing what we love. There's competition, drama, and money involved at times but we know it's just business. Speaking of this business, next year I will be in full business here because I will be playing and getting paid for everything literally because most if not all the current accompanists are leaving after the spring because of graduation or other reasons. I will be the accompanist on campus and my business will be booming. That won't matter to me though because what it boils down to, is I love what I do. You know that's true when you would do it for free. The fact that I get a grade or a paycheck for it is just a business bonus.