Episode Transcript
Speaker 0 00:00:00 This is the gig ready podcast.
Speaker 0 00:00:18 This is it. Welcome back, everybody. Jordan Goodfellow here on the east coast, Joe Mack, on the west coast.
Speaker 2 00:00:26 We're going from, we're going
Speaker 0 00:00:28 From coast to coast here at gig. Ready? We're excited. Um, today wanted to talk real quick, nothing, nothing super long, but people are getting back to work. We're excited about it. Uh, I know Joe is, he's got some awesome stuff coming up. Uh, Joe mentioned something about auto shows are seeing our revival, which is great. We love that. And, um, you know, as we get back to work, Joe and I were talking earlier today about all of the emotions, the feelings, everything that goes on around being gig ready when it comes to going back to work. And, and a lot of people may not necessarily know where to start, what to do, how to do it, um, because some people are working and other people aren't. And so you're, you're looking at everybody working around you. And so what we wanted to do is just take a couple of minutes and say, here are a couple of pieces of information, actionable information that you can do today, tomorrow over the next week to be ready to go back to work and not miss out on opportunities when they come, when they come your way. So, um, yeah, man, Joe also, I didn't even say, Hey, but it's great to have you here and I'm glad you're here.
Speaker 2 00:01:42 Good, good to be here. It's been a pretty hot couple of weeks here in Portland. I'm sure. So I'm sure we are finally cooling down.
Speaker 0 00:01:50 That's awesome. Glad to hear it. Um, so let's start with the first kind of top of the list. And I think that that falls right into the world of, uh, opposites, I guess, FOMO as they call it the fear of missing out and then despair. Um, and the, oh my gosh, I see all these guys on Facebook or Instagram or Tik TOK or whatever social media network you're using is that everybody's talking about working and you're you feel like you're the one person that isn't working right now? Um, I can tell you that I, myself am not, I mean, I'm working at home, but I'm not gigging right now. We're not gigging. Joe's at home. He's not gigging. So there are other people that are not working. And so know that that is okay. Um, first and foremost, don't let yourself get down and think that you're the only person not working.
Speaker 0 00:02:40 Cause it may look like everybody's working, but I promise you, everybody is not working. Um, when everyone is working, you'll know it and you'll understand it and you'll see it. And you of course will be part of that. But, uh, don't let that despair the fear of missing out the fear of, oh my gosh, I'm out there. Somebody must not think I'm good enough or not awesome. Uh, overtake your mind. Ultimately you are good enough and you are capable. And that is what matters and know that the phone calls are coming, the emails are coming. Don't let yourself get, um, stressed out about it. And so, I mean, I know Joe, you've had some, some situations over the last few months where it's been moments of, oh my gosh, I got this gig. And then the gig goes away, you
Speaker 2 00:03:29 Know? Um, talk
Speaker 0 00:03:31 A little bit about that. The emotions that are kind of rolling
Speaker 2 00:03:33 Through it. Yeah. You know, uh, again, you see your friends on, on social media and they they've got gigs rolling up, you know, here's the office and like, it's awesome. Right. It's so great to see people working again. But like you said, you know, going, wait a minute, why am I still sitting on my couch? But you know what, pretty much everybody still is. Uh, you know, I, I heard, uh, yesterday on the news about, um, they did a story about roadies, you know, and, and recovery on CNBC. And they were talking about, there's only like six tours actually out right now. That's a very, very, very few for the amount of bands that are out there. So, you know, don't, don't, don't get stressed yet just yet. We know it's going to be a long, a long process to get back to fully, you know, working.
Speaker 2 00:04:22 And I don't, I don't think we're going to be back 100% until, um, you know, maybe spring. So, so it's going to be trickling. It's going to be a drip, drip, drip, uh, of, of gigs coming back. And, you know, it might be like fast and furious and we get a bunch of things all at once. And of course, you know, what do you do? Well, that's when you partner up with your colleagues, that's when you find, uh, other friends who aren't working at the same time and get them the work to, you know, you can be, you're an advocate for your buddy, um, to, to help and try and get everybody working. So just keep your ears open. If you have a gig going on at a time and a friend says, yeah, I'm looking for lighting folks, or I'm looking for scenic, or I'm looking for audio, you know, say, Hey, I know a lot of people in my area that are working, or I know a lot of really good people that aren't working and then you pick up the phone and you start handing out gigs like it's, you know, Halloween candy.
Speaker 2 00:05:21 Um, but, but the thing that, that, that is, is really important right now is to just stay mentally focused on that. And don't, you know, it's hard to not let it get you down when you're not working. Uh, we all been through it. Lots of tears have been shed a lot of screaming, a lot of whatever, a lot of frustration. Um, I had a friend unfortunately take his life not too long ago. Um, and, uh, and all signs pointed that he was okay, but he wasn't. So, you know, just, just go out there and check in with your friends, check with everybody, you can get on the phone and call somebody just to catch up and, and commiserate, whatever you need to do, cry together, laugh together. Um, but find that, that moment to pick up the phone and check in on your friends and find out that they're okay, because we all need to be okay right now. Yeah,
Speaker 0 00:06:16 No, that's a great thing. And if you don't, you know, some people have, some people honestly fight despair more than others. And so don't, uh, don't think that just because you don't fight with it, that someone else doesn't, and, and like just said, pick up the phone, call your friends, reach out, find out how they're doing, check in on them. Sometimes that one phone call, uh, that one, email, that one text message that says, Hey, how are you? Um, is the one thing that could change somebody's life? And so it's a huge benefit to just being a friend, being somebody who looks around at other people and stops, you know, Naval gazing for five seconds and says, you know what, maybe somebody else is fighting and I'm not, uh, let's find out how they're doing. And so reaching out and letting people know how you're doing. So
Speaker 2 00:07:06 A lot of face-to-face coffees and it's been amazing, like, cause I just wanna, you know, I just want to talk and hug. Right. That's right. That's right. So it's been, that's been the good part of all this. No,
Speaker 0 00:07:17 I'm a hundred percent with you. I'm excited. Uh, I'm excited for what's to come and it's going to take a little bit longer and getting here, but it's coming. I know it not only do we know it is, it is, it's just, it's going to happen. Um, and so the, the, the gaps have to get filled and they will get filled. So don't lose faith all as well. Um, but when we're looking at that, so suddenly, boom, I'm not getting the phone calls. And then I get six phone calls for five different shows
Speaker 3 00:07:47 All in the same day. What is next that we should be
Speaker 0 00:07:53 Looking at before we get those calls? So we're not, you know, we're not getting that call up. Hey, I need you here tomorrow. Cause I promised that's going to happen. It's the, you know what, we underbid this job. We had five less guys than we needed. We really need this, you know, this LD that can help us like this set because we should have, and we didn't, uh, we need you here tomorrow. And then you're like, oh my gosh, um, what, what, what should we do before we get to that point, Joe?
Speaker 2 00:08:23 Uh, well, uh, as I learned just this last week, um, check your computer, uh, check it, check it, hard, run every program that you possibly need to, to produce a show, uh, whether that's Vectorworks, whether that's your visualizer, whether that's, um, whatever, uh, make sure it's working a hundred percent. Cause I was, I had landed, uh, an auto show and uh, started drafting and right in the middle of it, some little battery bug, uh, took it out and like literally dumped my computer. And I was gassed. I mean, I was like, oh my God, are you kidding me right now? So, so thankfully I keep a time machine backups, uh, running on the regular and was able to take, uh, a different machine, fire it up and get it updated within a few hours. And I was back up and running. Um, so, so go check your, go check your computer, make sure it's updated to the most updated software that you need and make sure your licenses are all their Vectorworks and, and cat or whatever. You know,
Speaker 0 00:09:33 I got to introduce you to carbon copy cloner, Joe. Got it. We got to get you out of the time machine world. So you can be up and running instantly when you have
Speaker 2 00:09:41 A meltdown. Okay. Well, I mean, I, I can, I can with Dropbox, right. But, but having, having all of your parts and pieces in the exact same place is, uh, definitely a world you need to be in. So double check your computers, kids. Yeah.
Speaker 0 00:09:57 And the rest of your gear for that matter, your kit, your road kit, your work box, your, uh, any gear that you're taking out with you, your passport, if you are an international traveler, uh, six months, I mean, gee, it's been, it's been a year and a half. Uh, it could suddenly be five months from your passport expiration and you're not paying any attention to it. Uh, someone calls you and says, Hey, we need you to go XYZ to this place, to do this thing. And you look at your passport and you're like, crap, I can't, I can't
Speaker 2 00:10:29 Do it. So, um, yeah. Check, look,
Speaker 0 00:10:32 Find, um, passports. Aren't super backed up right now. I actually just renewed all my kids' passports a few months ago and it, it didn't, it took a little bit of extra time, but it didn't take forever. So, um, something to be aware of as we are, as we're kind of moving forward and then your road kits, all of your gear, your dongles, your support pieces, your flashlights, your, um,
Speaker 2 00:10:54 All your tools. You know, if you've been doing, if you've been doing projects around your house, your tool kit might be a little ticked over and tools are sitting in Brit random drawers or your kids have walked off with them or whatever, right.
Speaker 0 00:11:08 It's like, it's like being on the, the it's like being on the never ending show site, when your tools are walking away, the kids are grabbing it out of the buck. Daddy, I need to, I need to put the batteries into my, into my little car thing. Um, and my boys will take my Phillips head, screw drivers and everything else that they can get their hands on.
Speaker 2 00:11:26 Check your suitcases for rats. You know, there might be something living in your suitcases if you haven't been traveling for awhile, pull them out of the sure. I hope
Speaker 0 00:11:36 That that's not happened. I mean, I'm sure it's happened to somebody, but thankfully it's never happened to me. Um, I would not want to open my suitcase and find a rat that would suck.
Speaker 2 00:11:45 Or are you feeling, you know, you open, you're helping your attic and there's a wasp nest in here super basic stuff then. Right. That
Speaker 0 00:11:51 Does not sound like fun. Well, I mean, we've got that, uh, checking your gear, checking your licenses, checking your computers, making sure it's set to go. Um, how valley health, health check and health. I love
Speaker 2 00:12:05 That. Um, one of the things that, that I saw, you know, the writing on the walls I've been sitting for, you know, 18 months and, uh, needed to, I needed to get up and start moving, get walking. You know, when we're on show site, we can work anywhere from 10 to 20 miles in a day on, on concrete. Yep. Um, so, so get out there and walk, you know, I started taking my dogs to the park twice a day, walking a couple miles each time. And then I walk with my wife at night, you know, and, and so I try to get in about five miles a day at a minimum, um, just to keep, keep my feet in shape and keep my body in shape. And, and so it's not going to hurt too bad when we, when we are on that situation again. Yeah. And
Speaker 0 00:12:49 Those 10:00 PM, those 10:00 PM back to hotel room for the 6:00 AM call the next morning, uh, is gonna hurt a lot if you're not walking right now. Sure.
Speaker 2 00:12:59 A lot, get your stretch routine figured out, you know, get back into the hotel, workout, stretch regime, whatever you do at, at, uh, at your hotel. Um, just, just kind of play through an entire load in load out show situation, and, uh, and have a plan, have your planning to make it, make it the best
Speaker 0 00:13:20 Virtual walkthrough of all. That is a great idea. Um, and just thinking through what that's going to look like. And lastly, I think to, to defeat the FOMO and anything else that might be coming your way, pick up the phone, start telling people you're ready to work, telling, sending out the emails, telling, given your schedule, um, you know, what, it may be completely open right now. And that's a great thing. Hey, my schedule is completely open. I am ready to gig right now. Let's do this. Um, and to be honest, being that email being in the right place at the right time, especially for me as a business owner, like if I get an email from one of my key crew members that says, Hey, I'm ready to go. I've got this time open. And a job just pops up on my radar that they're getting the first call.
Speaker 0 00:14:06 That that's just the way it works. You gotta be present top of mind. Uh, and if you're making the calls and sending out the emails, um, you're going to get more work. So don't wait for people to come to you, go to them and you don't have to be pushing yourself super hard. You don't have to be, uh, you know, you don't have to be calling them every day, but knowing that you're ready and available, even if it's just call up and say, Hey, how are you doing? Um, you know, those are the great relationships because we know that relationships are, are the currency in our industry. Um, and keeping those relationships up is critical for any sort of work going forward. Um, anything else to add?
Speaker 2 00:14:49 Just showcase gig that's I live by that. That is, that is my motto show face, get gig. You, you stay present in people's minds and top of mind, then you're going to, you're going to find yourself, uh, on a show site faster than anybody else. That's right.
Speaker 0 00:15:06 I love it, man. Well, anything else you want to add real quick? I know this is a quick, short and sweet one, but, uh, we're, we're excited to get back to work and we want to give you guys some, some good value to say, Hey, here's the things I should be doing right now to gig now gig and be ready.
Speaker 2 00:15:24 Yes. Yep. B be, uh, be mindful of all the things that you're going to need. Um, and be ready on a moment's notice because you know, people are throwing these shows together faster than, than most, you know, we're doing an auto show here in August and normally we're, uh, we're a couple months out, uh, at this point and yet we were loading in, in like three weeks. Right. So, so you've gotta be, uh, really on your game and ready to Zig and zag and be flexible. And again, as we've always said in the past, we gotta be patient. We gotta be kind. Um, cause a lot of people went through a lot of things in the last year and a half and um, we just gotta make sure we're all mentally cool with each other. That's right.
Speaker 0 00:16:07 A hundred percent. Well, that's great. Awesome, Joe. Well, Hey, thanks for coming on. I appreciate the time, uh, excited for our next episode next week. Uh, we've got, uh, uh, well, it's a surprise. I'm not even gonna tell anybody what it is, but it's going to be good. We're going to be talking about going from your lowest point and working your way to your highest point. And we're really excited for that. I think it's going to be really relevant to everything that we're, that everybody's been going through for the last 12 and a half to, you know, year and a half to two years. So, uh, Joe, great to see you, man. Hope you have a great weekend and
Speaker 2 00:16:40 Have fun unpacking in Orlando. Oh gosh.
Speaker 0 00:16:42 Yes, dude. I hate moving. It sucks. I really do. And every time I do it, I promise I won't do it again. And then yet here I
Speaker 2 00:16:51 Am and there you go. Awesome. All right, well take care.
Speaker 0 00:16:56 Take care. We'll talk to you soon. Have a great day. You too, but we're coming back here. Come the gigs, get ready. You can be gig ready. Now you can be gig ready tomorrow and you can be gig ready for the rest of your life. Just by spending a little bit of time thinking about what's coming next, make a plan, figure it out and then execute it. We're excited to have you here with the gig ready podcast and we hope we can help you and bring more value to you each and every day. Leave us a review, tell others about what gig ready has done for you and how we can help you be better. One gig at a time. Talk to you soon. Have a great day. Take care. <inaudible>.
