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Happy BMI Day & 3 Year Recap/Update

Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2019 8:25 pm
by markhimley
First off happy royalty payday to all my fellow BMI folks :D

This week also marks the end of my third year with TAXI, and things are really starting to take off. I always loved seeing people post about their journey when I first started and found it super inspiring, and I still do very much, so figured I would share a little bit of my journey in case this might do the same for some of you just starting out.

I don't have super specific numbers as I've shied away from tracking them so diligently, especially over the last year. I've been focusing more and more on daily habits and routines, not analyzing numbers so much and focusing on how far I still have to go, just taking it one day at a time. I find a lot more satisfaction focusing on the process of showing up every day rather than thinking where I need to be in x amount of years and all that. Don't get me wrong - I absolutely still have long term goals and am shooting to make the 5 year plan work, but I focus more on the daily habits that will get me there as opposed to spending all my time thinking about some point in the future. It's easy to take a day off when your goal is several years away. Not so easy when your goal is right now, on a daily basis.

Oh and something really cool that happened recently that I'm excited to share: I got a placement with the one and only Anna Yarbrough on The Ellen Show! Well sort of.. Ellen had Kris Jenner on the show, and as she introduced Kris, they played a clip from the Kardashians that happened to be a scene that used our cue, it was a good 30+ seconds if I remember correctly. So technically our music was on The Ellen Show, but it was via a clip of KUWTK. Not sure how that works in terms of royalties or if we'll even see anything.. but it was still cool to find out that our music was on the show.

Anyways.

2016: Year one
0 libraries/publishers
0 placements
Did not attend the Road Rally, but spent tons of time on the forums, watched Taxi TV very regularly, and made connections in the Taxi community. Got lots of returns and failed fast and often.

2017: Year two
2 libraries/pubs
2 placements
Attended my first Road Rally and met many of the people that I had begun building relationships with, continued with forums+Taxi TV, made more connections and continued to grow relationships.

2018: Year three
7 libraries/pubs
Somewhere around 80 placements (that I know of, but very well may have more than this as this is just from Tunesat and placements I caught live on TV). Most are in US Reality shows, about 20-25ish were foreign placements consisting of ads, promos, and foreign reality shows.
Got my 1st Royalty Check
Attended my second Road Rally and continued with forums+Taxi TV+connections etc.
Started to somewhat regularly see my music in the reference folders for various briefs from publishers and shows.

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I know these numbers don't tell the whole story, but as you can see - things don't happen in a linear fashion at all with this stuff. It's definitely exponential growth. If it weren't for this community I very well may have given up after year 2 or earlier, or at least slowed down quite a bit. However SO many Taxi members and vets told me to keep going and that it would pay off. SO many vets gave me priceless advice and encouragement. So many times in Taxi TV episodes and here on the forums I kept getting the messages we all hear. It takes time. Write, submit, forget, repeat. Marathon not a sprint. etc etc etc.

Also I want to stress the importance of the Road Rally - that was HUGE for me. Honestly it's too impactful to really get the point across in words. I kept reading how life changing it was, how great it was, this and that. I was like "yea, yea, yea..", and "Oh yea? Standing in line for 8+ hours is fun? And it'll be life changing?.. puh-lease!!" LOL. I knew it was going to be great, but I thought some of the hype was, well, just hype. But you know what? It's all true, and so much more. Seriously. Go to the Road Rally.

None of this to boast. Heck there are many other members' annual updates with stats that are way more impressive than mine, and far more inspiring - that's not the point. Point is - trust the process. It WORKS. It can be super frustrating. It can feel like things aren't going to happen. Just keep doing the work and follow the path so many members have laid out. Taxi TV + Forums + Road Rally. Write, submit, forget, repeat. Do the work.

Lastly to emphasize my point: I've been doing this on top of holding down a day job that I work overtime every single week at. A job that is often physically exhausting. If I can do this, you definitely can too.

Hope you all had a killer 2018 and have an even better 2019!!!

Only 287 days until the Rally!! :D

Re: Happy BMI Day & 3 Year Recap/Update

Posted: Sat Jan 19, 2019 7:28 am
by SteveBaruah
Hi Mark!

Such a great update. I'm really glad it's taking off for you. 80+ placements is impressive!
I've heard some of your cues and the quality is definitely there.
I would say I'm a year behind you, so you know yourself how encouraging updates from other members are.

One think I would like to know: How many cue would you say you have signed by the end of 2018?

Thanks,
Steve

Re: Happy BMI Day & 3 Year Recap/Update

Posted: Sat Jan 19, 2019 7:53 am
by dotted8
Congrats, Mark! It’s obvious you’ve got your nose to the grindstone and it’s paying off. It’s nice to hear these updates with a breakdown of the slow, gradual process (marathon). I hope 2019 is another good year of continued, rising success for you...

Re: Happy BMI Day & 3 Year Recap/Update

Posted: Sat Jan 19, 2019 8:22 am
by LamarPecorino
Great report, Mark! Thanks for sharing!

Re: Happy BMI Day & 3 Year Recap/Update

Posted: Sat Jan 19, 2019 9:01 am
by ksutton1207
Thanks for sharing, Mark! You’ve been a huge inspiration man, and I know you’ll be alongside those top earners in no time. I’m feeling the momentum pick up on my end as well, and you’ve just got to trust the process and take it one day at a time, like you said. Here’s to enjoying the journey!

Re: Happy BMI Day & 3 Year Recap/Update

Posted: Sat Jan 19, 2019 10:08 am
by jdstamper
Hey Mark, that's fantastic.

What jumps out to me is going from 2 placements to 80 placements in only a year, amazing!

Jim

Re: Happy BMI Day & 3 Year Recap/Update

Posted: Sat Jan 19, 2019 10:32 am
by VanderBoegh
I just absolutely love everything about this post, Mark. VERY impressive and motivational. You're going to do this, my friend. Heck, you're already doing this. But just wait and see what the next two years brings. You've already outlasted the standard "drop-out" phase which is nothing but years and years worth of work with no money and a lot of frustration. Most people can't push through that, but you have. You're out of the woods now, and your proverbial train will just continue to pick up steam.
I focus more on the daily habits that will get me there as opposed to spending all my time thinking about some point in the future. It's easy to take a day off when your goal is several years away. Not so easy when your goal is right now, on a daily basis.
YES!! So true.

Keep up the great work, Mark. It's been fun watching your growth!

~~Matt

Re: Happy BMI Day & 3 Year Recap/Update

Posted: Sat Jan 19, 2019 10:53 am
by ComposerLDG
That's great, Mark. Congratulations!

Re: Happy BMI Day & 3 Year Recap/Update

Posted: Sat Jan 19, 2019 3:18 pm
by DannyWeber
Hey Mark,

I’m inspired by the TAXI success stories I’ve heard as well. Especially yours because, you seem to definitely want to pay it forward to your fellow members and I really get that! I also, appreciate that a lot!!

Keep up the great work, Mark and congratulations on your success!

Dan

Re: Happy BMI Day & 3 Year Recap/Update

Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2019 10:44 am
by Holmseth
Congratulations Mark and thank you for sharing. Great that you are starting to get the placements. Here’s for you adding a zero or two to you placement numbers :)
All the best and happy writing.
Asbjorn