josh lauritch

"A life lived that matters is not of circumstance but of choice."

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 13:37:00 -0500

“A life lived that matters is not of circumstance but of choice.”

- Here’s the original source: click here

from “Character Counts”, a Poem from Josephson Institute of Ethics.

audrey assad: A poorly written word vomit on excellence.

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 07:40:39 -0500

*audrey assad*: A poorly written word vomit on excellence.:

audreyassad:

Some people desperately want Bob Lefsetz to review their records or come to their performances. I am scared poopless of that idea. I mean, I think of it and actually shudder in fear. You know why? Because I don’t have the balls to say that I’m great at what I do! That makes me think I haven’t yet…

I love this post! The quest for great art is and should be never ending. don’t settle…keep digging in and pressing through. this is especially motivating to read from an artist I highly respect. Audrey inspires me.

I’ve been thinking about this quote for a while and think...

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 09:00:22 -0500

I’ve been thinking about this quote for a while and think it is very true. Also, you should follow Lisa’s Tumblr The Unspectacular Things as both she and her blog are awesome…and this is where I first saw this wonderful quote.

Be Yourself

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 15:00:11 -0500

I’m getting my morning started the right way today…coffee, bacon and Adele. I’ve had her Live At Royal Albert Hall DVD sitting on my desk for a while…finally sitting down to watch it.

If you haven’t ever seen this concert leave please my little blog right now, buy it on Amazon, then come back to my little blog ‘cuz I got stuff to say, yo.

Anyway, I think there’s a reason she’s successful. She keeps it simple and knows who she is. She is an incredible singer with such grace and class on the stage. And she’s charming, funny and seems to care a great deal for the audience. It’s infectious. She knows what she can do and she owns it. She interacts with the crowd, cracks jokes and never seems to take herself too seriously.

If you’re an artist there is something about you that is unique. We are all, in fact, unique. There is only one of you. Stop trying to be all things to all people. Dig in deep and figure out how you’re wired. Focus on the qualities you possess that make you and your music special and then own it. We can’t all blow up the stage with pyro, sing crazy runs, bring the party, crack jokes, strut across the stage or preach a sermon mid-concert but you can BE YOURSELF.

Stop listening to your insecurity. It’s natural to have fear when you’re putting yourself out there but you don’t have to indulge it. Be courageous. Figure out what’s unique about you and rock it. If you don’t get a handle on that you’ll end up feeling like you don’t measure up or worse, you’ll blend in with everyone else. Boring.

By the way, this doesn’t just apply to artists…it’s for all of us. Each of us was created in a unique way. There is only one you. Dig in and figure out who you are and what you were made to do. Then do it the only way you know how…by being yourself. I am a brand manager. I work hard every day to be myself. I’m passionate. I’m opinionated. I’m cheesy. I have lots of ideas…some great, some awful. I’m bad at math. I love people. I am a dork and it doesn’t bother me. I care…a TON. I want to bring out the best in people.

This world and our specific worlds would be a way better place if we were less concerned with what others thought of us. Be yourself. On the stage, in the office, on the internets…wherever you are.

I kind of went on a rant there for a minute but I have one more point to make about Adele that I think you’ll agree with once you watch the concert. She doesn’t need all the bells and whistles. The show is visually interesting and engaging but it’s simple. It’s Adele being funny, charming, vulnerable and authentic…oh and she sings her ass off. That’s the point of this whole post…if you’re a singer, SANG. If you’re a dynamic performer, be that. If you’re funny, make jokes. If you’re anointed and know the Word, preach. If you’re a worshiper, worship. If you rock, blow stuff up on that stage and rock. If you’re an idea girl, put yourself out there. If you’re organized, organize the crap out of your world. If you’re a math guy, work those numbers.

Find out who you are then…BE YOURSELF.

The Results Are Not Up To You

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 08:40:05 -0500

I went to school to be a teacher. Most days, I cannot believe that! Then I remember that God has always had a plan that’s WAY bigger than me. It turns out working with artists is a lot like working with 1st graders…they have short attention spans, get jealous easily, are not very good at sharing and are quite a sensitive group of folks. If you are an artist you know this is true. I still love you though. :)

Here’s the deal, I’m working on writing out the detailed version of how I ended up working in brand management at a major music company. You may or may not care about that detailed story but I think it’s very important for me to write it. It’s important to remember where you came from and how you got there.

As I’m reflecting on my story tonight I’m reminded of how the entire thing has nothing to do with me. I didn’t do it. I didn’t make it happen. Sure, I was given a desire and a passion for music and artists but the path that has brought me to this point in my career…that was all from God. He laid it out and made all the moves. I had to say YES and trust Him. I had to be faithful with what I was given. I had to work hard, serve those around me and do everything with a spirit of excellence. The result was and always has been up to Him.

We are called to something in this life. Each one of us. I know it’s tough to figure that out amidst all of the pressures of life and all of the demands that are put on us or that we put on ourselves. You might have a job that’s pulling you down or that you feel is keeping you from your calling. Maybe you’ve failed at the thing you know you were made to do. Maybe you’re in the middle of what you know you were called to but aren’t satisfied with where you’re at…you know you were meant for more.

Hear this: You do not control the outcome. Please pursue your calling in life. We only get one shot at this thing. Don’t waste time doing the safe or easy thing. If you’re not sure what you’re called to do then figure out what you’re passionate about and chase it. God has given you gifts and talents and passions and He will accomplish whatever He chooses with what He’s given you. It’s up to you to be responsible and excellent with what you’ve been given and from there, it’s out of your hands.

Enjoy the process of discovering what you were made to do. If you’re already doing it, enjoy the fact that you are doing exactly what God has put you on Earth to do. Stop worrying about the outcome. The results aren’t up to you anyway.

ok God. now you’re just straight up showing off…...

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 08:43:19 -0600

ok God. now you’re just straight up showing off… (Taken with Instagram at Chamberlain hotel)

homemade brunch…nothing better. first time I’ve...

Sat, 08 Oct 2011 11:34:41 -0500

homemade brunch…nothing better. first time I’ve poached an egg too…delicious! (Taken with instagram)

my view for the day…Dara Maclean video shoot. (Taken with...

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 11:45:27 -0500

my view for the day…Dara Maclean video shoot. (Taken with Instagram at Ocean Way Studios Nashville)

high school football. really starting to love it!...

Fri, 19 Aug 2011 19:58:30 -0500

high school football. really starting to love it! #ifeeloldthough (Taken with Instagram at McGavock High School)

mahi tacos with tomatillo sauce that’s so good I shot it...

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 13:26:00 -0500

mahi tacos with tomatillo sauce that’s so good I shot it like whiskey. mmmmm…love this food truck! (Taken with instagram)

mmmmmm…ice cream. Jeni’s in East Nashville. SO...

Mon, 04 Jul 2011 15:23:33 -0500

mmmmmm…ice cream. Jeni’s in East Nashville. SO delicious! (Taken with instagram)

"The humble brand understands that it needs to re-earn attention, re-earn loyalty and reconnect with..."

Tue, 17 May 2011 11:51:29 -0500

“The humble brand understands that it needs to re-earn attention, re-earn loyalty and reconnect with its audience as if every day is the first day.”

- Seth Godin - Brand Exceptionalism

absolutely genius.

Thu, 12 May 2011 20:36:31 -0500

absolutely genius.

"the beat is everywhere, but every life has to find it’s own flow."

Mon, 09 May 2011 09:33:47 -0500

“the beat is everywhere, but every life has to find it’s own flow.”

- Jay-Z (from Decoded)

lessons from a hustler :: part 1

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 07:47:06 -0500

I’ve been reading Decoded by Jay-Z. I am facinated by his story and love his music. Anyway, I stumbled onto a quote in the book that’s making me think.

Referencing Russell Simmons, Jay-Z writes:

“He knew that the key to success was believing in your own product enough to make people do business with you on your own terms.”

Here’s the question. When it comes to the product you’re selling, do YOU believe in it enough so that those doing business with you do it on your terms? It’s typical to cave to the way things always have been or to let your accounts or business partners dictate details about your product. I don’t believe it should be that way.

If you’re not passionate about the product you’re selling enough to take risk, show initiative and lead those you do business with my sugesstion is to get a better product or check yourself. If you’re the problem, get out of the way.

We need passionate people.

We need risk takers.

We need people willing to lead.

Will you?

Photo

Fri, 22 Apr 2011 09:44:56 -0500

this is SO important to remember.

Sun, 03 Apr 2011 17:42:39 -0500

this is SO important to remember.

It isn’t the consumers’ job to know what they want

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 21:34:15 -0500

If you know anything about Apple and their awesome company, we can all agree that Steve Jobs is brilliant. I don’t need to ramble off all of the stats and talk about all of their products. The guy has done amazing things with that company. I came across a quote from him recently that kinda blew my mind.

In the New York Times article here, a reporter asked Jobs what consumer or market research Apple had done to guide the development of the first iPad. His response:

“None. It isn’t the consumers’ job to know what they want.” - Steve Jobs

Here’s a question for my radio friends in light of that quote. Do you think he’s wrong? If not, do you think that logic is true of music…that it’s not your consumer’s job to know what they want from you? What if you could build so much loyalty to your brand that you could do no wrong? You set the trend. You tell them what is cool. They love it because they trust you and love what you put out to them.

So what keeps anyone from actually operating like that? Fear, I suppose. “If we stop seeing those research scores we won’t know what the perfect 39-year-old mother of 3 thinks and she’ll stop listening and ratings will go down and giving will go down and I’ll lose my job!” Hardly. You know as well as I know that they’re not gonna stop listening because they didn’t like a few songs. They stop listening now. What you end up with is a station that’s by definition, safe. Safe = free from harm or risk (according to merriam-webster).

I wonder what would happen if that same logic that was applied at Apple was applied at your radio station…would you have just as many “hits”? Could you sustain or grow your audience without your music research? Like, if you actually trusted your music director to direct the music and pick the songs that hit the core of what matters to the audience? A singable hook, music that made people feel something, lyrics that represent Biblical truth and made the listener feel like the song was meant for them, etc.

Do you really know what the audience wants and expects? Does that matter?

If you know me, you know that I’m passionate about music and about radio. This quote really jumped out at me and made me think. What if he’s correct? Would it, should it, change how you do things?

Photo

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 10:43:27 -0600

The internet is still just a rebellious teenager. This video is...

Mon, 14 Feb 2011 08:00:07 -0600

The internet is still just a rebellious teenager. This video is hilarious today, but it’s a reminder of just how young this thing still is. Thanks to Jeremy Holley for the link! What will we be doing in another 17 years? I vote for the ability to beam ourselves through space. That would rule!