I recently read a few chapters in Sahpreem King’s Dude I Can Help You! 18 Mistakes Artist Make and How to Fix Them in attempt to see how some of the content relate to my music career. My first choice was to read chapter 7 The Problem: Image Verses Reality, to kind of ego check me if I needed it. Interestingly the chapter spoke on topics I did not expect it to. Covering subjects such as, the importance of an artist’s appearance, staying grounded to ones’ true self, and humbleness. King also used a comparison on how hip-hop moguls P. Diddy and Russell Simmons carry themselves differently. Diddy being flashier, which isn’t really my style, and Russell being the low key speak when spoken to kind of man. Those complete opposite of styles that these great men posses give significance to appearance not defining the success of a man. In addition to identifying what’s real from what’s fake, this chapter also touches knowledge of career expiration dates. Basically knowing if its your time, or if your time has passed and you have to take alternate route to make a profitable living in the music industry. There shouldn’t be any emotional decisions in business, if I’m offered a more than comfortable living through different career options within the same industry I’m all for it! The second chapter related to my music career was 8 The Problem: Zero Local Fan Base. For me its simple, my fan base is next to nothing, and I could use all the advice I could get in this field. I’m a New Jersey native living in Miami, I don’t have a name for myself. The things I was involved in for income at home, weren’t really “career path in the music industry” kind of jobs, more short term thinking decisions. The reason I’m saying that is because, I don’t even have to many people in my home state that know I’m in the music business. This chapter was great for me, it let me know the difference between a consumer and customer as well as the importance of customer service. All is not lost for me, I am known and loved in my neighborhood and city so I do have hope but I also know I have a long way to go. From what I read in the chapter, I have to begin to get my music out, as well as performing in those hole-in-the-wall bars to build fan base. Once I’ve began to get a fan base, no matter how few or remote, I have to treat them like they are the best fan in the world like they truly are.