How I Got Creative During The Pandemic And Learned To Code As A Second Career
This is a follow up story for Miguel de Maria, Elegant Spanish Guitar. If you're interested in reading how they got started, published over 3 years ago, check it out here.
Hello again! Remind us who you are and what business you started.
I’m Miguel de Maria, I play Spanish guitar for corporate events, weddings, and private parties. The service I provide entails me performing live music to enhance the ambiance and lend prestige to gatherings.
My clients are anyone from Fortune 25 companies to normal people having a get-together. The main draw of this business is that I get to play guitar, which I love to do.
Tell us about what you’ve been up to. Has the business been growing?
The past year or two has been a challenge because of COVID. As you can imagine, live music performance was essentially non-existent during 2020. The last year has mostly been scrambling to keep up as I went from a deathly slow 2020 to ramp up business in 2021-2022. One thing I had to adjust to, is that in 2020, I decided to learn how to code as a second career, in case COVID made playing guitar non-viable.
One thing I learned (or relearned) is just how much business has to do with the vicissitudes of the market. I had no control over people postponing and then rebooking-- I just had to adjust to it.
I then took a part-time job coding and have been doing that ever since--it made sense since most of my gigs are in the evening. I feel it’s good to have another direction to take in case it’s needed, and coding interests me in some of the same ways as the guitar does.
During the last couple of years, many of the clients who had to either cancel or postpone their events have now booked as things opened up. So I have been very busy catching up on these gigs and have had some of the busiest weeks on record.
Almost all of these new engagements are due to previous contacts such as event planners or venues that have worked with me before or were passed my information from someone else. My experience continues to be that my network is the main source of business, and I am a big believer in networking and in just generally doing a good job at every event.
One of my recent clients gave me a very nice compliment, saying “it’s not that easy to find someone who is talented but also reliable and easy to work with.” I was glad to hear that because I feel that I can continue to be successful if I continue to deliver that level of professionalism.
What have been your biggest challenges in the last year?
Having been busy the last year, I don’t have many complaints, but I do have concerns about the future. I wonder how much of this surge of business has to do with postponed events clumping up, and whether things will drop off once that phase is over.
Another thing I have been pondering is whether there will continue to be demand for Spanish guitar in the coming years--will a different type of music replace it?
Do the younger people who will make decisions prefer something more related to their preferences? My final concern is, given that the image of an entertainer is important, how will clients respond to me as I age?
What have been your biggest lessons learned in the last year?
One thing I learned (or relearned) is just how much of business has to do with the vicissitudes of the market. I had no control over people postponing and then rebooking-- I just had to adjust to it.
One thing I did do, that’s not so great, is neglected my marketing during the last year or two. Just because you’re busy doesn’t mean you should neglect to invest in the future. I am working to rectify this by trying to get some reviews so people realize I have been busy during this time!
Finally, on a technical/geeky note, I have significantly reduced the amount of gear I take on my gigs. I had previously been taking a fairly large speaker or two to amplify my guitar, but I chose to purchase a smaller, battery-powered speaker and also got a battery to power my guitar effects.
As a result, I now carry less gear and don’t have to worry about finding electricity and taping down cords. This may not seem like much, but it saves time, reduces stress, increases my flexibility in terms of location, and is easier on the back. I found that I very rarely needed large speakers for what I do.
What’s in the plans for the upcoming year, and the next 5 years?
My plans for the future are to continue as I have in the past, gradually adjusting to the inevitable changes that will occur. I am beginning to consider how I will change my image and clothes to be appropriate for a more “dignified” age.
One opportunity I am keeping an eye on is for “micro-weddings,” sometimes called “elopements.” These are normal weddings, except much smaller--30 people or less. For such an event, I can provide the ceremony music and the reception music, and can even play for the first dance. This works great for me because my music works best for more intimate settings, and I also just feel that smaller events are more personal.
Another benefit is that, since I am more likely to play for the whole event, my fee will be higher. More money is always good--and the total cost for the couple being married will be much less than getting multiple performers.
I have been told that this is a growing trend and one that I hope to be involved in. Time to write a blog post or two!
Also, keeping in mind that I do play music, after all, I have found that I am enjoying the art of improvising rather than playing set arrangements more, and am investing a great deal of effort in improving this aspect of my skill. People seem to enjoy it and it ensures that every performance is different and feels fresh.
Finally, my daughter is now a teenager and has recently been consistently playing her guitar. Her improvement is very quick--she’s learning much faster than I ever did!--and she is enthusiastic about joining me for my gigs. I am beginning to teach her my repertoire and training her to play with me. This is exciting and I’m thrilled to pass down my knowledge and perhaps do some gigs together.
What’s the best thing you read in the last year?
I am reading Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg, and it’s excellent! Certainly, for a musician or anyone who wants to acquire physical skills, the ability to create and reinforce habits is essential. I also feel that it is essential for success in other areas of one’s life.
For me, certainly, this has never been so easy. Fogg’s book’s central insight is that by creating small, very easy habits, one can eventually create immense changes.
Advice for other entrepreneurs who might be struggling to grow their business?
I feel the most important thing you can do is to work with your characteristics, rather than against them. What are your strengths, and how can you use them to stand out? Meanwhile, can you minimize the effects of any weaknesses you might have?
This probably sounds either over-abstract or obvious, but I feel it’s essential. We’re probably going to be most successful doing something for which we are naturally suited.
Where can we go to learn more?
If you have any questions or comments, drop a comment below!
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
