Anthony Katz Interviewed by Rabbi Yitzi Weiner — The Huffington Post
Last September, this article went up on The Huffington Post. I had the pleasure to share information with Rabbi Yitzi Weiner. Enjoy this read.
5 THINGS I WISH SOMEONE TOLD ME WHEN I FIRST STARTED
Yitzi Weiner:: Thank you so much for doing this with us! What is your “backstory”?
If you want to read an article about how accessible entrepreneurship is, turn around. As the proud cofounder of two thriving marketing agencies, MusicPromoToday and iNexxus, I can tell you from experience that it took years of hard work. That said, while my career in entrepreneurship has not always been easy, my perseverance has allowed me to travel the world while doing something that fulfils me both personally and professionally.
I knew I had made the right choice in becoming an entrepreneur after executing a homerun digital campaign for one of my idols, Swizz Beatz. He was actually coming to me for advice and I provided results that exceeded expectations. From there, I took my experience in social media, data and digital marketing to become the go-to growth hacker for biggest label in the world: Universal Music Group.
More recently, some additional highlights in my entrepreneurial career have been becoming an official member of The Forbes Agency Council and a growth hacker for Fortune 100 corporations, as well as being recognized as a master of music marketing by Billboard Magazine — the most influential publication in my industry. The key takeaway for me has been if you are good at what you do, good things will come.
Yitzi Weiner: : How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?
I think I am having a large impact on the music industry and its extended community by preparing and creating future media influencers. I have been building products that allow me to do this both at scale but also in ways that leverage large amounts of media data and I can proudly say that I have made this process meaningful for more than 50,000 artists to this day. I’m convinced that this nascent journey I have embarked on will lead me to even greater impact in the very near future.
Yitzi Weiner: What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why.
Now, here are the five things I wish someone would have told me when I first started my career as an entrepreneur:
Taking a day off will not end your career —
One of the most important lessons to learn is that you always have to put your health first, both physically and mentally. We all do our best work when we are rejuvenated, relaxed and refreshed, so make sure you know your limits and don’t be afraid to do what is best for you. Ultimately, your career will benefit.
Use stress as a motivator —
It’s common knowledge that some stress actually helps us become more productive. Fortunately or unfortunately, there’s plenty when you’re an entrepreneur! When you have a tight deadline or an important milestone coming up, use the pressure as motivation rather than succumbing to anxiety. Trust your capabilities, buckle down and get it done. I promise you will feel much better afterwards.
Entrepreneurship is a way of life —
It’s hard to say if this is something someone could have told me or if I had to experience it myself. If you want to be an entrepreneur, you need to know that you will be faced with some of the most exhausting, but rewarding, work of your life. You always have to push harder, be smarter and go longer, but nothing feels better than finally tasting success when you get there. If you are questioning the lifestyle, I can assure it is worth it if you put in the work.
Making mistakes is not always a bad thing —
I’m sure I’m not the first person to tell you that you shouldn’t be afraid to make mistakes, but for entrepreneurs this advice is vital. Experience and expertise is built on a foundation of both successes and failures. Instead of seeing each misstep as a loss, it’s essential to know how to reframe them as a learning opportunities in order to move forward stronger and wiser than before.
Balance intuition and evidence —
Many entrepreneurs will tell you to trust your gut. And while I believe that as well, the data scientist in me says decisions need to be backed up with empirical evidence. If someone says they can do something, ask for proof or talk to past clients. If you can, test everything scientifically and verify results. It may seem like a lot of work, but it will save you time and a lot of money in the end. Trust me.
