Costly mistakes entertainers make

Quite often, the people who move ahead, break barriers, and make a name for themselves in any sphere of life are individuals who yield to counsel.

Obeying counsel is the pathway to greatness. Many are taking snail steps in their careers because they are too proud to do what works and bury the strategies they’ve grown to love to the extent that they are unwilling to change, even though its not setting them up for success.

In this piece I will be sharing with you seven costly mistakes entertainers make. These mistakes are drawn from my interactions with them and observations from the entertainment industry.

1.CHOOSING THE WRONG NAME

What’s in a name?. A name is an identity. It’s a distinguishing element that sets you apart from the crowd. As an entertainer, a wrong name can repel people from your brand. I have seen artistes change their names at the peak of their careers, leaving their fans confused as to how to identify them from the army of artistes in the Nigerian entertainment world. Black face of the defunct Plantashun Boyz changed his moniker to Blackface Naija Dat Nigga Raw changed his moniker to Mr. Raw Nwanne. I doubt if their fans call them these names. The most important career decision you will ever make is what to christen yourself. Make sure your name represents the essence of your brand.

2.UNRESOLVED LEGAL BATTLES

 It is suicidal to have an unresolved legal issue hanging on your career. Ignoring the legal terms of your career can ruin it. Up and coming entertainers are always in a rush to showcase their talents to the extent that they underestimate the legal terms of their contracts .This reminds me of an experience I had with an emerging artiste who told me all he desires is a label to sign him. In his words: ’I am not bothered about these contract issues, I just need a label that can foot my career bills.’ Before you sign that contract, make sure you contact a knowledgeable lawyer. The legal issue Asa had with her erstwhile label almost ruined her career, thanks to her indomitable spirit.

3.NOT SAVING FOR THE RAINY DAY

Yes, you may be driving an Hummer today, wearing expensive jewelries and footwears, living in the best mansion in town, but remember success has a short lifespan if it’s not multiplied and replicated. We have read stories of entertainers who made mega bucks from their careers but are struggling today, because they refused to invest their funds. It is not what you make that matters, but how much you invest after you’ve made the money. Save for the rainy day.

 4.NOT UPPING YOUR GAME

The likes of Psquare, Asa, Tuface, Darey, Genevieve, Kunle Afolayan, are still relevant today because they didn’t rest on their oars. A writer once said: ’The music industry is very much like my ex girlfriend. You are dumped in a hurry once they are tired of your presence.’ Where are the likes of Marvelous Benjy, Azadus, Eddy Remedy who were once the cream of the crop at a time? Entertainers like other professionals, burn out quickly when their last hit, or last movie appearance is still their only claim to fame and relevance. Keep raising your game, and embracing personal development. Good is the enemy of great.

 5.UNDERESTIMATING PUBLICITY

Being talented is not enough. You have to publicize and have all of the components of a great publicity campaign. You can be on a million social networking websites and social media websites, but people in the media are often times busy people – they do not have time to click on links to your social websites, without at least being enticed to do so. You have to have a press kit, biography, press releases…that is what will get you out there to the world. Expecting the media to automatically cover your new movie, event, song, is not a proactive way of pushing your talent. I once approached a rising female rapper for an interview. She thought it was her right and not a privilege. She told me to call her manager before the interview can be granted…playing the diva card on me. I forgot all about the proposed interview. Publicity is an ongoing activity that mustn’t be underestimated.

 6. STAYING WHERE YOU ARE (THE LOCATION CHALLENGE)

 One of the greatest threats to your talent is your environment. Everything God created has an environment where it can thrive. This is what I call your comfort zone. Newyork is the hub of entertainment in America. In the same vein, Lagos is the hub of entertainment in Nigeria. Entertainers make the mistake of not being flexible enough when they refuse to relocate to an environment that will open their talents up to more opportunities and make them gain visibility. This was what ruined the music career of some who decided to stay in Abuja ignoring the counsel of colleagues to relocate to Lagos. On the flipside, the careers of Banky W, Tiwa Savage, M.I, Iceprince and Tuface witnessed a turnaround when they relocated to Lagos. In Real estate, location is everything. It is your location that determines your allocation.

7.WAITING UNTIL IT IS TOO LATE (IGNORING YOUR HEALTH)

The phrase Live fast, die young and leave a good-looking corpse, originally spoken by actor John Derek in Nicholas Ray’s Knock on Any Door (1949), emphasizes how unfulfilled promises have always been fascinating and intriguing for many of us. While some great artistes lived up to their full potentials, sometimes through decades of fruitful careers, others have passed away long before that. Taking care of your health is critical to how far you go in your career. Your dream of becoming a superstar can’t be achieved if you don’t take care of your health. Your body is a tool for living life, and if it’s in a bad shape, it will hamper your career. Therefore do not make the mistake of ignoring your health at the expense of your quest for wealth. Pay attention to your health. Always go for medical check –ups.

Written by Kehinde Ajose is a talent development coach, publicist, and writer. Follow him on twitter @ splendidkenny.