The music industry was one of the first to be severely disrupted by technology. Any advice on how leaders can embrace disruption rather than being left behind?
You have to accept that in any business, embracing change is important. You have to realise a great product has to evolve to become a better product, to remain at the top of any growing and competitive marketplace. It can become challenging to operate outside of your comfort zone when you’ve already achieved at a high level doing what you know how to do, but you have to realise the future entails creativity, ingenuity and embracing technology.
You have to appreciate and accept these things to move your business forward. Music went from being an entirely physical product to almost exclusively a digital product. Customer demand required the music business to pivot. Those who embraced change and pivoted realised major gains from making the product accessible to all. Anyone who rejected change and lived in the CD mindset aren’t here anymore.
How would you characterise the current state of the music industry? Is enough being done to support artists, and if not, what more needs to be done?
The current state of the music business is probably one of the most beneficial to artists that it has ever been in the history of the industry. Artists now can take their music to the marketplace and bypass the middleman and can go straight to digital streaming platforms and independent distributors to share their music with fans. That is something that has never existed before for independent artists.
For major record labels and companies, some of the biggest music corporations in the world are seeing record-breaking revenues. Universal Music Group is worth $50bn after its debut into the stock market. Warner Music is worth $10bn more than just last year. So when you consider the ways artists can connect directly with fans, and how companies have recovered from the financial hits they took when music first went digital, this is an amazing time for people to be involved in music.
What is your take on the Middle Eastern and Gulf music scene and what can be done to further develop the sector?
I had an opportunity to visit the UAE a few years ago and see just how much music connects us all. The Middle Eastern and Gulf music scenes do a great job of integrating the cultural nuances of the region with what would be considered mainstream pop culture music. So when I hear artists like Wegz and Soolking, I hear and feel the same energy and vibrancy I feel when I listen to music from other major metropolitan cities. I would tell the artists on the Middle Eastern and Gulf music scenes to continue to capitalise on what technology has afforded us all, mass exposure and global reach to gain a larger presence on different continents.
You’ve worked with some of the biggest names in the music industry. Do you have any particular stories you could share?
I can’t give you all the secrets but I will say this: Having had the opportunity to be a part of the successes of some of the biggest artists in the world, I realise the great ones are great for a reason.
When I reflect on how methodical and dedicated these artists were in their lives and to their craft, their greatness makes sense. They were dedicating 10,000 hours to their work before the phrase became popularised. In my career, seeing the work ethic of Mariah Carey, Rihanna, Mary J. Blige, Lionel Richie, DJ Khaled, or Future, they were not only amazing in their craft but their preparation. They spent countless hours working and perfecting their music and craft to ensure it was always at the highest level so that we were fortunate enough to receive their art that has marked so many important moments in our lives.
What can we expect to see in your upcoming book ON IMPACT: Life, Leadership & Betting on Yourself, and what drove you to write it?
You’re going to see a deeper insight into my life from a personal and professional standpoint, and hopefully, you come away realising no one gets to the top alone; we all need help. I wanted to create a roadmap for people who didn’t always come from the best circumstances, to help them know there is hope if you commit yourself to the process, work hard and grab opportunities when they come.
The way I came to write the book may not have been the best, but it was my way. Hitting a tree at 90 mph, I sustained critical injuries to my body and nearly lost my life, but during that time God put a book inside of me called On Impact. Literally and figuratively, the point of impact changed my life forever. IMPACT is an acronym for Intuition, Mastery, Pivot, Authenticity, Connection, and Teamwork, and the book takes you through my life from an 11-year-old entrepreneur delivering newspapers to the modern times as an indie record executive and all my stories in between that helped get me to where I am today.
What advice could you give for an entrepreneur looking to embrace technology and build their own company?
You must understand how you go from a concept, to a minimum viable product, to the app store. Learning this process has been humbling for me, but it was essential for the success of our app, Kandiid. You must be comfortable being a student, and remaining open to learning so you can make the right decisions for your business. You have to study, and you have to be dedicated. Don’t just think about your company becoming a unicorn, think about pulling together the best possible team to prepare you for the starting line.
How would you describe your management style?
My management style is inclusive, nurturing, and focuses on mentorship. I like to provide an environment where people can be their best selves and feel supported by their team, because when they are, when people feel they can trust you and see you as a solid leader and decision-maker, they bring you their best ideas and commit their time to see the team’s vision come to fruition. Life has moved me past “I,” its only team.