The Music Scout (Alternative)

Author: Jay Goldberg

The topic this month is business plans. To me, a business plan is a very, very, very well-written poor detective story. In a detective story, there are twists, turns, and surprises. In a well-written and well-structured business plan, the reader should be shaking their head "yes" and saying "I saw that coming."

Below is how I write and organize business plans:

1. Executive Summary – the first section in the plan, the last that you write. A two to three-page summary of your business plan – and only the good stuff. Think of it as your business plans' resume.

2. Industry History – this is like a school research project. For radio stations, this would include at a minimum: the radio industry, how people listen to music, and the station's genre.

3. Industry Current Trends – the same topics as above but the last 18 to 24 months. This is mainly magazine and newspaper articles.

4. Industry Conclusion – a one-page summary of the above two sections that hopefully can conclude with a statement like "based on the history and current trends, this is a good industry in which to have a business."

5. Strategic Plan – all your objectives, strategies, tactics, and goals. This section should also include your mission statement (4 or 5 sentences centered on … making a profit) and can include your vision statement (I personally don't like them – I allow the plan itself to be the vision) and descriptions of your marketplaces.

6. Marketing Plan – your products and/or services, your pricing strategy, how you will promote the business, and your distribution and/or sales processes. You should also include a grid here comparing your business to competitors' businesses.

7. Management – very simply put, the bios of the key people in your business as it relates to the functions they will be performing.

8. Financials – numbers only here, no written analysis. Let the plan reader look at your numbers and make their own conclusions. Projected profit and loss statements and cash flow reports are the centerpieces here.

9. Risks – play the 'what if' logic game to determine your risks. Then for every risk write how you will overcome, eliminate, or minimize that risk. Risks can be related to the industry, the business, and your management team.

10. Supporting Documents – these are items that you want to include in the business plan but would interrupt the flow. For example, in the Management Section you write bios. In the Supporting Document section, you could include resumes.

Now on to the music:

"Blue" by Ugochill

Ugochill is Alex Rado from the Netherlands. This song was inspired by David Bowie and the Chinese fairytale The Blue Rose. Whoever brought the Emperor's daughter a blue rose would marry her. The man she wanted brought her a white rose, she called it blue, and they got married.

"Shot in the Dark" by Within Temptation

Has anyone heard of the genre symphonic metal? Well, Within Temptation is labeled both goth metal and symphonic metal. Lead singer Sharon den Adel also says some songs, like this one, are symphonic rock. Symphonic metal uses orchestral elements, often focusing on elements found in movie soundtracks.

"My Love Will Find You" by Korie

Korie is Kindness Okorie, a self-taught musician from Nigeria. This is her love song to…music! When writing the song Korie pictured music in place of a person. And no matter where she goes, or what happens to her, her love will always bring her back to music.

"Reach" by Martini Ranch

This may be the only new wave/dance/western song ever. Bill Paxton was half of this duo, and the video was shot when Aliens was being filmed, so James Cameron directed it. There are cameos by some of the other Aliens actors, and the western whistling is by Judge Reinhold.

"R U Hip 2 the Revolution'" by Jefff

Jefff is Jeff Clark. Clark wrote this song to be both ambiguous and poignant. The choruses ask questions; the verses give possible answers (all different) – from "down to earth" answers to beings from outer space might be what saves the human race. I love the vibe of this song.

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