In March 2026, David was invited to conduct interviews at the Music Pro ā26 conference at Musicians Institute in Hollywood, CA.
From sitting in up close and personal sessions with the likes of Steve Vai and T Bone Burnett, to catching up with friends like Justin Longo and Sunavana Grace. The three-day music conference brought with it highs and lows, excitement and disappointment, and even crucial realizations.
In this episode of The David Andrew Wiebe Podcast, we start at the very beginning and take you all the way to the end. From pre-conference preparation to post-conference reflections, this episode features the complete Music Pro ā26 journey.
In This Episode:
- What David was told to do just one week before the conference began
- Why Davidās experience at the Music Pro ā26 wasnāt all a bed of roses
- Why David ended up making a new T-shirt design in anticipation of the conference
- What David was looking forward to most at the conference
- The people David had the opportunity to interview and connect with
- The surprise opportunity David ended up finding at the event
- The swag David brought back from the conference
- Davidās āunacceptableā behavior at the event
- Why you ought to seize the moment when opportunity presents itself
- Why how you show up matters
- The passion David ended up returning to
Key Resources:
- Printful: print-on-demand merchandise (affiliate link)
- Kit: email marketing platform for creators (affiliate link)
- What Iām Taking Away from Music Pro ā26: Davidās blog post that was published shortly after the conference
Davidās 5 Lessons from Music Pro ā26
At the end of this episode, David shared his top five takeaways from the Music Pro ā26 conference. Here, weāll unpack these lessons and look at how they can apply to your career or business.
Be Grateful for Every Opportunity
When all was said and done, David expressed his gratitude for being invited to the Music Pro ā26 conference and for taking the time to visit Hollywood for the occasion.
We all receive invitations, and perhaps there are some youād rather not respond to. Or, there are those youāre a little unsure or skeptical about.
There are times when the answer should be āno.ā But there can also be times when the answer is going to be a begrudging āyes.ā
Much has been said about being āpaid in exposure,ā but even unpaid opportunities can have their perks. Itās well worth taking the time to evaluate each opportunity independent of income, as there are occasions that pay off in other ways.
When an opportunity has been accepted, dive in with both feet, and regardless of what happens, express gratitude for the invitation.
Opportunity Likes Speed
David made some connections at the conference on Day 1, with whom heād hoped to schedule an interview on subsequent days. But not only did those individuals not return to the conference, but David hasnāt been able to get in touch with them since.
The best plan? Seize the moment, because it may not come around again.
You may hope for better timing or better circumstances, but sometimes they never come around. You might even be nervous to make the ask, but even if the answer is āno,ā youāre no worse or better off for having asked in the first place.
Next time an opportunity shows up for you, act with speed. It may not be how youāre used to doing things, but if you do it enough, youāll gain practice, and soon, it will become habit.
How You Present Matters
To the best of your ability, show up to conferences looking and feeling your best.
Sometimes itās a tricky balance to strike, because you donāt want to be on either extreme of aloof or arrogant (unless these are specifically part of your shtick), but you want to find that middle ground where youāre both relaxed and confident.
You can sometimes find that sweet spot by pretending youāre a celebrity ā someone people want to meet, but someone who also has the responsibility to value the people around them and act with humility.
David mentioned that, as heās becoming more recognized as an emerging public figure/celebrity, he is more mindful of how he shows up in every situation.
Preparation Precedes Triumph
Although Music Pro ā26 was an unpaid opportunity for David, he still wishes that both he and the conference were better equipped for the role he was meant to play (interviewer).
Ultimately, David still captured quite a bit of footage and conducted five interviews, but given the right circumstances and access to equipment, David feels he could have done a lot more.
Whatever youāve been asked to do, prepare for the opportunity. Make a checklist and ensure that youāve got the tools you need, or that the tools will be available at the destinations you visit.
Note: David is available to be a (paid) interviewer at your event, whether itās to capture the vibes of the conference, talk to attendees, gather testimonials, glean insights from presenters and celebrities, all the above, or otherwise. Contact us for more information.
Music: The Passion That Wonāt Die
David doesnāt necessarily regret the meandering journey heās been on, as heās aware that virtually every successful person goes on the same kind of adventure to get to where theyāre going. The journey to success is rarely a straight line, as has often been said.
But David didnāt really know that he would be returning to music (both as a studio musician and a musician coach) in a more concerted, intentional way. In fact, if he had known, he says he might not have taken some of the detours that he did.
What this underscores is the cruciality of staying locked in. Sometimes, itās so easy to deviate from the path youāre on. What at first appears to be micro adjustments can actually be unintended pivots that take you away from doing whatās needed to get to escape velocity.
David is surprised by what heās been able to accomplish just by staying locked in for the last three months. He does anticipate additional opportunities arriving, but more than ever, heās appreciating the value of staying steady, as heās enjoyed some early benefits.
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