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Breaking Barriers and Building Stars. That is what Walter Tucker, founder of LiveThe.Biz, had in mind when designing and building this unique company, focused around mentoring and educating up-and-coming musicians from urban communities. Tucker, a superstar himself, has been in the music industry for over a decade, working with teams who manage 50-Cent, Justin Timberlake, and Beyonce, just to name a few!
LiveThe.Biz members not only have the opportunity to work with Tucker, but are introduced to endless opportunities, including sold-out music education panels, mentorships, and potential job opportunities any musician would jump at.
We had the pleasure of speaking with Walter Tucker, and dip deep into what fuels his growing business.
What made you want to start LiveThe.Biz, and bring music industry insight and access to the masses?
"The main motivation behind starting LiveThe.Biz was really fueled by wanting to help educate & connect artists & aspiring executives. After working in the music industry for almost a decade, I started to realize that there was so much knowledge not being passed on to those who wanted to succeed in the music business who didn’t have a mentor or a way in the door. I felt that there they needed to be a safe & cost effective platform to help curate that experience. I saw a problem & my motivation came from finding the solution."
How did you get your start in the music industry?
"I got my first start in the music industry at Oscar Smith High School. I really fell in love with music to the point that I wanted to play some role in it. In Virginia (especially my area of Hampton Roads “757”) we were really inspired by what our hometown heroes Missy Elliot, Timbaland & The Neptunes were doing regarding producing & songwriting so I did the same. I started writing songs & making beats for local artists in my area. While this was happening, I became even more interested in the business side of the industry so after graduating from high school, I enrolled into Johnson C. Smith University as a music business major. While there I was able to intern for amazing entertainment companies like Atlantic Records, Sirius XM & ESPN. After that, I was accepted into an MBA Media Management program at the Metropolitan College Of New York which lead into full time work after graduation."
What is your greatest accomplishment relating to your brand thus far?
"Having sold out independent events in over 5 different cities (New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Philadelphia & Nashville). The fact that this started in a small theater in West Village which has led to helping thousands of creatives across the country has been amazing!"
What is your proudest success story from an attendee at any one of your events?
"It would definitely have to be one of my attendees & frat brothers Trenton Pratt getting a job offer in Music Programming at BET. He landed that job after networking with one of our Vice President panelists from Viacom. That was literally our first event. By our 20th event, he was a speaker on one of my panels & was able to share his story on how LiveThe.Biz helped propel his career. That was a really great 360 moment!"
What are some of the tips you give attendees looking to make a name for themselves in the music industry? "It all starts with a plan & how each artist measures their own success. If success is more song exposure, they should work on an online marketing & promotion strategy that drives people to platforms where they can listen & buy their music. If success to them is doing more shows, they should be working on a strategy to secure more shows & performances through networking & pitching to promoters. If the success is generating more revenue, then they need to spend the necessary time in creating a revenue model relied on serving their core fans.
The common factor is really understanding the fan base that you’re building through your music. In return, they’ll support the music which will hopefully lead into the desired result in however they measure success!"
Personally, what do you enjoy most about your business and lifestyle?
"The ability to help a lot of great artists & creatives achieve their dreams through our platform. That is an extremely rewarding experience."
What is the one thing you want attendees to takeaway from your events?
"Contacts! The goal for every attendee should be to meet as many people as their can & get their contact information for a follow up. I usually advise each person to aim to get at least 30 contacts per event which should include their best contact information & their profession."
Where do you see LiveThe.Biz in 10 years? "All over the world! One of our goals since we started was to reach anyone who wants to work in the music industry which also includes international audiences. We're aiming to truly be a global resource for the entertainment industry which will mean having event panels in music based cities outside of the US."
Fun fact for our readers: Favorite music artist and/or producer? "Michael Jackson is my favorite artist & Timberland is my favorite music producer."
Keep an eye on LiveThe.Biz for upcoming panels and more!
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