Success Beyond The Score

International Women’s Day highlights the actions we, as women, do every day to ensure our place in the world. It is a day to celebrate ourselves and our strength and to commemorate the efforts that millions of women before us have done to get us where we are. It is also a day to reflect and decide what’s the next step.

Time For My Music is there for all women who see a future in music when they look ahead. The industry is still male-dominated and there’s a lot to learn and do in order to open space for women. This community aims to close that gap by providing training and resources related to the music business.

The group is receiving new members from all around the world. You have time until Sunday 13th March to subscribe.

These are some of the themes that we are going to cover this time:
· Setting up and utilising a YouTube channel to showcase your work.
· How to grow a fan base.
· Learning about all the components for putting on a live...

This information and the services mentioned are all by GPDQ, which provides nationwide healthcare services for individual, businesses, and the NHS. We share it here because we believe it is essential to break the taboo around women’s health in all spheres of life!

Support your colleagues this IWD 2022 by breaking the taboo around women's health in the workplace.

At GPDQ, we pride ourselves on being one of the UK's leading corporate healthcare providers, and this International Women's Day we want to lift the taboo that surrounds women's health in the workplace.

Following feedback from our clients, we know that female employees often feel they have to keep their health issues private and under wraps from their employers. But from periods to pregnancy, menopausal symptoms and much more, we know that not discussing what you are going through can actually lead to an increase in mental health problems and ultimately an unhappy and unproductive workforce.

In today's “Ask the...

Hey ! Are you a female musician? Would joining an online community of female musicians, who meet twice a month, help you to take your music to another level?

If you are struggling with:
· Getting gigs.
· Promoting yourself effectively.
· Identifying the type of tech you need to amplify your sound at your gigs, and getting tips on how to use said tech.
· Acquiring equipment , within a budget, to perform online from your home.
· Meeting likeminded women in an online space, who are also working towards their music dreams.
· Being part of a safe group where you can bounce ideas, ask questions, talk about your hurdles, and receive support.

Well, you are not alone! Once upon a time, I was a struggling musician too. I did not know how to get gigs; I did not know the best way to present myself on stage or to engage an audience. I did not have a following but dreamt of having recordings. Over the years, I’ve learnt so much and now I am a multi...

Last time, I mentioned that we get work through our connections. I hope my words helped you identify the people who do that for you.  But how do you maintain the work you get through your connections? Today, I want to discuss one aspect of that.  

In the early days of my music, I was on my own. I arrived to gigs on my own, I set up and pulled down on my own, I handled my gig enquiries on my own and sorted out my tax return on my own. I did everything myself, making decisions and only seeking advice when needed. Does that sound familiar?

This way of working was fine for some time, but as my music grew, it became unwieldy. I couldn’t keep up with everything. I worked long days and into the night to balance family commitments and work. I felt stressed with missed deadlines, keeping up with admin requirements was a nightmare and personal practise on my instrument was deteriorating. I felt like I was on burnout.  It dawned on me that, in order to advance, I...

The season 2 finale of the podcast Success Beyond The Score is available now! Listen to Millicent Stephenson highlight the best from the interviews she held during the season, comment and add on the advice by the guests and thank every one of them for their fantastic advice and contributions.

Click here to watch the episode on YouTube.

Click here to find your podcast platform of choice to listen to the episode in audio format.

Don't forget to leave comments and to share with friends that are also working their way into the music business.

Also, let's take this chance to confirm there will be a season 3 of the podcast. Stay tunned!

The online evening performance by Time For My Music had the aim to raise funds for the homeless. The women chose two charities to achieve this: “The House of St. Barnabas” and “CEO Sleepout”.

Both of these were brought to the attention of the group my Anouck, who was also in charge of talking about them during the concert. You can listen to her following this link, and read more about each charity in the links below:

Working to break the cycle of homelessness by giving people affected by homelessness the skills and confidence to get into employment and find accommodation.

Visit the official website of The House of St. Barnabas.
Donate to the The House of St. Barnabas.

Around the UK business leaders are invited to sleep rough for one night to raise funds to fight poverty and homelessness in the UK.  Monies collected are donated to charities at the front line of homelessness and poverty.

Visit the official website of CEO...

Did you know that, without being clear on your motivation, you won’t achieve your music targets or complete your plans?

During lockdown I, like many, had my live music work restricted, postponed or cancelled. I was depressed for the first two weeks of our first lockdown.  Although I was worrying about my income, I was mostly sad not to be able to meet people and do my thing. Why? Because I enjoy the fact that my music makes people feel better and it takes them to another place. It’s one of the reasons why I go on stage. Realising this helped me to adapt the way I work during lockdown so I could continue doing what I do. 

 The other thing about motivation is that it can change. In the early days, I just wanted to play because I felt this is my talent and I must deliver. Later on, it was about earning through my music and making it my full-time career, which I did. Nowadays, it’s about making a difference by imparting my experience to help others...

From the Musicians' Union, there's an invitation to take part in the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) Women’s Committee’s anonymous survey, which seeks to gather comprehensive data in regards of sexual harassment directed towards women. The goal is to help building a safer and more equal world of work for all.

Take the survey following this link.

Remember to check the Musicians' Union website for relevant information regarding the music industry in the UK.

The concert organised for the Time For My Music community is just one day away! Starting 6:30pm UK time, watch aspiring female musicians perform to raise funds for the homeless. Where can you watch, you ask? On my YouTube Channel!

The charities supported by this event are:

The House of St. Barnabas: Working to break the cycle of homelessness by giving people affected by homelessness the skills and confidence to get into employment and find accommodation.

CEO Sleep Out: Around the UK, business leaders are invited to sleep rough for one night to raise funds to fight poverty and homelessness in the UK.  Monies collected are donated to charities at the front line of homelessness and poverty.

See you there!

For quite some time, like the Frank Sinatra song, I thought ‘I did it my way’ with my musical achievements.  I believed I developed my music hobby into a professional music business all on my own steam.  I felt I carved my path and forged my way with no input from anyone else.  That I figured it all out, through epiphany.

But, while I was compiling my music business plan on a course I attended 10 years ago, I learnt something quite significant.  I learnt that although there were moments of revelation in my journey, I did not achieve half of what I had without someone else’s input.  

The people who point the way; those who offer a shoulder to cry on; individuals who pass on opportunities; fans who take it upon themselves to be my ambassadors; colleagues who make the time to explain concepts so I can do my business better; and so on.   

By the way, your own connections are not too far away.  

Everything...