"Invest in yourself. Bet on yourself. Trust yourself," with Alyssa Hoffman

Invest in yourself. Bet on yourself. Trust yourself.

Alyssa Hoffman is the “fearlyss” manager of the rock and roll band, Wayland. Fear-”lyss” like Alyssa, she embodies that mentality in her business in the male-dominated music industry. Being Fearlyss is a testament to being in your integrity and in your zero points to make the best decision in the present moment for the highest and best harmony of all. www.fearlyssentertainment.com 

Can you tell our readers about your background? 

I grew up the oldest of six children on the Jersey Shore. We had one bathroom and two sets of bunk beds in our bedroom that the girls shared. There were six of us, so we didn’t go to a lot of places or travel much at all and truly leaned on each other and our family. 

What inspired you to start your business?

I didn’t choose my business. My business chose me. I was working at a Fortune 500 job setting the intention to climb the traditional corporate ladder when a rock band would steal the hearts of my family and then mine. Within six months I quit my job, sold my possessions, and moved onto a tour bus to manage a rock and roll band with no experience and only intuition guiding me. 

Where is your business based?

My business is currently based in Joshua Tree, CA, but I travel full time with the band as music management.

How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?

I started my business literally from the back of a tour bus. I started working for the band in merchandise and social media and when I started living with them and seeing what their management, promoters, and team were currently doing, I knew it was something I could do and could do better. I dove in headfirst and bet completely on myself. I spent my savings, invested in myself, and worked around the clock every day that I could. I looked at people around us that we’re doing the same thing and emulated what I could. I didn’t even get a business license for about a year afterward. 

What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business? 

Word of mouth has always been the biggest awareness. Shaking hands, saying thank you, and making sure to engage with everyone in the room has created a reputation that I hold sacred. 

What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them? 

There are always challenges in everyday working in music and especially as a woman in music. Being taken seriously for who I was and what I could bring to the table was major resistance in the beginning. It was up to me to not listen to what people were saying about me, but focus on what I was saying to people. My response is my power. 

How do you stay focused?

I focus like a laser and not like a lightbulb. I zone in on what I want to accomplish. I am naturally obsessive and it helps me in an industry like this one. 

How do you differentiate your business from the competition? 

I don’t believe in competition. I believe in collaboration. I believe there is room for everyone and when you are truly standing in your authenticity, there is nothing to differentiate. No one can do it as you do, and that is your power. 

What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business? 

Authenticity. I don’t have a physical product, I have a band and musical artists, and especially in marketing, everyone can see right through anything that does not connect. Being truthful to the art and the artist’s take is always of primal importance.

What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?

Invest in yourself. Bet on yourself. Trust yourself. Your gut feelings are always right, so are your goosebumps. Take it as confirmation. No one will know the answer more than your body does. Listen to your body.  

What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?

My favorite app is the WWE Network. Number one, I’m a massive fan of wrestling, and number two, every piece of content that comes out of that office is ingenious. It’s a monster piece of inspiration for me. My favorite blog is the one I write for Fearlyss Entertainment. You have to always be your biggest fan. I am an avid reader and get frequently put on “book bans” by the band and my boyfriend since you can only keep so many on a tour bus. I read so fast I go through a book a day so favorites are constantly changing. At this moment, The Four Agreements tops the list. 

What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?

My favorite business resource is the fans. Listening to them, trusting their opinion, and understanding what they’re asking for offers me more than any business article. 

Who is your business role model? Why? 

Rick Rubin. Rick built Def Jam out of his dorm room and has single-handedly rearranged the music industry more than once. He also works barefoot, loves wrestling, and has a library I would kill for. We’re business soulmates. 

How do you balance work and life? 

When you look at a scale, the pendulum in the middle is always moving, it’s never still. You will never obtain the “perfect” balance because it is always going to move. It is up to me in the present moment, in every present moment, to observe from a neutral point which way the pendulum needs to swing. That decision changes in every moment what is requiring more attention or focus, and it’s up to me to stay grounded to make that decision. 

What’s your favorite way to decompress?

I love to walk with my boyfriend and our dog Charlie. We walk the beaches, the deserts, the busy city streets outside venues, and the tour bus. We’re always walking and sometimes that’s all I need.  

What do you have planned for the next six months? 

With touring being on hold with the state of the world, we’re working on WaylandTV which is seven days a week of content that we host on the band’s YouTube channel. Each week on Friday’s we will have a brand new musical release, video, or podcast as we work towards creating The Desert Demos, a collection of songs the band is recording and producing themselves in their home studio.

How can our readers connect with you?

I am AlyssaHopeHoffman on Instagram and Facebook, AlyssaHHoffman on Twitter and for all of my blogs and videos, it’s www.fearlyssentertainment.com

"Too many entrepreneurs try to do it all themselves, and they do themselves a disservice" with Mella Barnes

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I had the pleasure of interviewing musician and singer, Mella Barnes.

Can you tell our readers about your background?

I was born into a musical family. My parents, grandparents, uncles, and cousins are all very musical, so it was pretty natural for me to “get into the biz” as they say. I was hanging out in recording studios since I was a small kid, and I started singing for my uncle’s friends around age 10. They were songwriters, but not singers, so they needed someone to convey their message. Since I just happened to be there, they would often have me do it.

Fast forward to adulthood, I’m now a full-time session singer, songwriter, and voice actor!

What inspired you to start your business?

I was exhausted with all of the work I was putting into singing other people’s songs and never getting paid. Singing is often considered a “hobby,” or that I should *WANT* to do it for free because I enjoyed it so much. I started asking for money (very small amounts at first) and to my surprise, people were willing to pay! It snowballed from there into an actual career. I now write about my experiences and the music industry on my blog, where songwriters, singers, and music lovers can get info about all things music.

Where is your business based?

I’m from Detroit, Michigan originally, but I’ve lived in Nashville as well. I’m currently back in my home town, where all of my family is!

How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?

The first steps were very nervously asking if songwriters would be willing to at least cover my gas money to get to their studio, haha. When they agreed, I started to kind of interview my market. I asked songwriters what they would be willing to pay for someone who had their own equipment, delivered high-quality, radio-worthy vocals in little time, and completed projects to their 100% satisfaction. There is a huge difference between “hiring someone who can sing” and hiring a pro who does it for a living, so that became my base.

What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?

My blog has been great for that. I don’t talk about myself often, but people find me through articles and posts I’ve written there. They usually contact me to ask about my services and we go from there! So I guess Google’s SEO is pretty important because that’s how a lot of people find my blog! 

What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?

As I mentioned, people are often not willing to pay for “something you love to do anyway.” I try to meet clients where they are in their careers, but overall, you will get out of your music what you put into it. You can have your neighbor sing it and I’m sure it will be fine, but I have years and years of professional experience. I have pro-quality equipment, and I have business policies that keep you and your song secure also. So, just convincing people that my prices are worth it is tough, but usually, if they’re ready to take their songs to the next level, it’s not an issue! I also have a ton of reviews, references, and reels which they can use to decide whether or not it’s worth their money.

How do you stay focused?

This is tough, especially because I work from home! I also rescue animals (wildlife, dogs, and rabbits) so there is ALWAYS something going on. I have found that keeping a schedule is very helpful. If you treat it just like any other job, where you have a start and end time, it’s a lot easier to get your brain to comply. Especially when your scenery doesn’t change!

How do you differentiate your business from the competition? 

Everyone’s voice is unique, so that’s typically how we differentiate in session singing. I can impersonate a variety of artists, but my natural voice is kind of soft and smooth. It works well with ambient, jazz, EDM, and folk songs. If someone needs a gritty or husky voice, that’s not me, and I’m always happy to refer work to my colleagues! 

I also think my blog differentiates me a bit. Not too many people blog actively about the music industry, so that helps me find new people. 

What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?

Blogging for sure, but I’m not great at marketing. I have a really hard time promoting myself. Blogging is a great way to write about what I love, not focus on myself, and then people find me through Google. I definitely could use some marketing help though!

What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs? 

Know what you suck at. Too many entrepreneurs try to do it all themselves, and they do themselves a disservice. I recommend making a huge list of all the things you do, then put a star by things you either don’t like doing or aren’t good at doing. How can you bring in someone else to help with those tasks? I know I’m being sort of hypocritical with my marketing answer above haha, I need to get on that!

What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?

App: Relax Melodies. It’s a calming, meditative app that just plays background sounds but you can make them yourself! You can add crickets, strings, a thunderstorm, whatever you want to create a meditative sound. As a music creator, I love the ability to make it myself! Blog: The Confused Millennial. Applies to my life, haha. Book: I have so many! I’m a big fan of Augusten Burroughs and David Sedaris, but I’m currently reading Dolly Parton’s autobiography. It is hilarious!

What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?

I use Wave as an accounting tool. It’s super easy and allows me to keep track of my finances, which makes tax season a lot less stressful.

Who is your business role model? Why? 

My dad! He started his own business when I was very young, and I watched him work super hard into where he is today. I can bring him any of my business beginner questions and he always has some knowledge bombs for me!

What is your beauty routine? What are some of your favorite products?

Depends on the day - I’m very much a nature lover, hair in a wild bun type of gal. However, I also do make videos for clients occasionally and I have a vlog, so on those days, I glam up. I love Bailey Sarian on YouTube, she has great tutorials and she does “Murder Mystery Makeup Mondays,” where she does a full makeup look while discussing a true crime case. 

As for products, I only buy cruelty-free things so that cuts down on a lot of possible products! 

How do you balance work and life?

Keeping a schedule is a must. It’s so easy to just work whenever I feel the urge, and since I work from home, I can end up working around the clock. I have to force myself to take weekends and evenings off because otherwise I can get burnt out really fast! 

What’s your favorite way to decompress?

I love to either read or go on YouTube and watch my favorite creators. 

What do you have planned for the next six months?

I’m planning on ramping up my blog and posting a lot more and growing it into more than it is now. I have a massive project I’m undertaking on it right now, where songwriters will be able to buy “pre-made vocals” from me. It’s such a huge project and a labor of love, but I’m really excited about it!

How can our readers connect with you? 

I’m on all of the social networks, but my blog/website is my hub: www.mellamusic.com

Here are the rest of my links!

https://www.facebook.com/MellaMusic/

https://twitter.com/MellaNation

https://www.instagram.com/_mellamusic/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mellamusic/

https://www.pinterest.com/MellasPins/

https://www.tiktok.com/@_mellamusic

https://www.youtube.com/user/MellasPage