Why It's Important to Work With People You Believe In (Even In the Music Industry)

Do you think you can effectively work with artists whom you don’t believe in? Can you be the manager, label, PR rep, social media manager, or any other team member for someone whom you aren’t a fan of? While the lines between professional and fan must remain clear, there’s also a level of sincerity that seems present when someone genuinely believes in the artist(s) they’re working with. There are people with the ability to sense how commercially appealing an artist may be, however many of those people are more concerned with making a quick profit than they are with helping artists build lasting careers. As is the case with any profession, the difference between doing something for a paycheck and doing something for enjoyment is evident and when someone genuinely believes in the music they’re promoting, that excitement is palpable. Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer rather famously said: “Work for someone who believes in you because when they believe in you, they’ll invest in you” and she’s absolutely right. No matter the industry, people invest time and energy in projects and people they feel a sense of excitement about.
It’s not being suggested that thirty-something marketing executives are frothing over the next Justin Bieber project, but more often than not, if people industry-wide are working on projects they care about, that energy becomes contagious, resonating with audiences and artists alike. It also helps foster an environment where artists are working with professionals who truly have their best interests in mind, allowing them to focus on their creativity.