Belmont recently hosted a curb seminar, “Patience & Perseverance: The Success Story of Centricity Music,” featuring guest speakers Steve Ford, general manager of Centricity Music and John Mays, vice president of A&R of Centricity Music. They shared their journey and experience running a Christian independent label, as well as what matters most when taking on new artists.

Mays shared that if you start something from scratch, there isn’t a grid to figure out who to be or even how to form a mission statement. Ford said that when you don’t have catalog or residual sales of a hit, you’re starting from the bottom of the sales side, as well. He shared that their boss’ heart for making dreams come true, love for worship and love for worship music created a desire for service that permeates in their company.

That development is different at every label, Mays said, as you try to find the sound, style and songs right for each artist. Ford shared the risk and reward associated with artist development, as significant amounts of money are spent developing each medium. He said that in country and Christian music, you can’t break an artist without radio. Mays shared that you hear the word “consumption” more than the word “sales,” nowadays. He said that number is becoming more important than even a Billboard chart today.

Mays and Ford shared that they are looking for people that are doing their best already to promote themselves. They’re looking for someone with an engine that isn’t waiting on someone, a label for instance, to come turn it for them. They shared that a self-starter is definitely appreciated and noticed in this industry.

The event concluded by Mays stating that what is important is what will never change: values of relationship, support and faith. He said that music and the way you go about doing it will always change, but that they hope to embrace those things even more quickly. This event was moderated by Dan Keen, instructor of music business.

On Monday, February 20, Belmont University hosted a curb seminar, “Bruins on a Mission,” featuring guest speakers and Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business alum Lacy Cowden, admin assistant of advocacy and membership at The Recording Academy, Matt Fox, co-founder and president of Make Music Nashville and owner of Fox in a Box Marketing & PR andRachel Fermin Stansell, national projects coordinator of the T.J. Martell Foundation. They shared with students how their jobs in the music industry intersect with service and how to incorporate the skills acquired at Belmont in the nonprofit world.

Fox shared that the trickiest part of starting a nonprofit is committing to it holding onto the motivation to keep moving. He advised students to build a team that understands what you are going for and has the same motivation that you do. Stansell agreed with Fox that the hardest part is the follow-through, but also that you can’t give up in the nonprofit world. Cowden shared that it is hard to have so many things that you want to fix or help with but can’t at the moment. She said that it is best to find what it is that you can fix and put everything you have into that.

Cowden advised students to keep their eyes open for new opportunities and to be curious and patient. Stansell shared that if she had kept her blinders on, she would have never entered the nonprofit world or known what she knows today. Fox shared that when working in the nonprofit world, to figure out a growth strategy for your organization and run with it.

Cowden stated that Belmont still instills a sense of curiosity in her and that it gave her the tools to learn in the industry. She shared that Belmont helped her astronomically in the nonprofit world and shared that music business classes like copyright law will really come in handy in this industry. Fox said not to bog yourself down with things you don’t want to be doing, and if you feel like doing something else, give it a shot.

The session concluded with Cowden saying it’s more important to know what you don’t want to do as what you do. She said that this knowledge whittles it down and keeps other options open. This event was moderated by Sarah Cates, director of development and industry relations in the Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business.