Music Biz Pros: In Conversation with Craig Spann
Published 29 May, 2020
From starting a band to music journalism and working with big-name music organisations on business strategy, Craig Spann has led an impressive career in the music industry. Ahead of Craig’s Experts in Residence ‘Strategic Planning’ sessions, we spoke to him about his career trajectory, the benefits of strategic planning for music businesses and how participants get the most out of his sessions.
Please tell us a bit about yourself and your career?
I am probably not alone in this, but over the past 20 years I have done pretty much everything in and around music. I was a journalist and music writer for many years and, along with my partner Deb, took the fateful decision to start a band together. We did some pretty amazing things with our band looking back now. When we realised no cashed-up label or manager was going to knock down our door, we started to learn all we could about the industry and started our own label – which has changed a lot over the years, but is still up and running today.
After walking away from writing full time as a journalist and band, I have since worked in corporate communications, taught marketing and communications, and worked in Government relations and music publicity before focusing on working with major industry organisations including Q Music and the Australian Music Industry Network (AMIN). After a stint driving music policy and business development with Virgin Australia, I shifted focus to continue developing our music services company SUGARRUSH Music. While SUGARRUSH works with a range of artists and delivers unique community music projects (Big Sky Girls). I have also worked extensively with business, events and arts organisations alongside local, State and Territory governments to develop and deliver strategic, business and operational plans that inform growth and encourage new and innovative ways of operation. I continue to remain close to the international touring sector through a role as Strategic Partnership Manager with global travel and events company TAG.
What are the benefits of strategic planning for music businesses?
When you are trying to run a music business, there are so many elements you need to be across. And they change all the time. Add in the fact that many music businesses are small operations – often sole traders or a few people crammed into one office – just responding to the day-to-day can be overwhelming. Which means forward and strategic planning often gets pushed to the side.
If done well, strategic planning is really about taking a step back and identifying a direction for your business. It’s identifying and refining what you do. It’s about defining your values. Goals are important, but there is huge value in getting a better understanding of the ‘why’ you do what you do. That can mean facing some difficult questions and decisions which is critical to the process. Ultimately a strategic plan is a document you can go back to time and again to refocus the work you are doing and to assist in making decision. It is also very useful if you have new people joining your team to ensure continuity of fundamental business values. A good strategic plan will help you work better, work smarter and help you from going being consistently reactive to your daily work – to being proactive in sourcing new business, new ideas and new concepts and having the time and the energy to do that.
How can music business professionals get the most out of your Experts in Residence sessions?
Simply by being honest. Anyone can sit down and write a bunch of values and goals that sound impressive. The end result though is you wind up with an unrealistic document with unachievable goals that ends up in a bottom drawer, rather than informing and guiding your operation to what is achievable.
Coming into the sessions with ideas about where you want your business to go is important. But possibly more so is being open to something new. Being prepared to look at your business and the broader industry in a new way that may challenge ideas you have carried for some time. And you need to be prepared to answer a lot of questions!
What’s the biggest challenge for Victorian music business professionals today and how can people overcome it?
Clearly the fall out from the COVID crisis looms over everyone. Not just Victorian business, but nationally and globally. The industry had already spent years confronting major challenges, but nothing has effectively shut us down like we have seen over the past few months. There will be people and business who have little choice but to walk away which is devastating to see.
How to overcome it? Well, that in part is what these sessions are about. The time is ripe for people across the sector to reassess everything. The pandemic has provided further evidence of how fragile our industry can be and this ‘down time’ can be used in a productive way through this process. Creating a new Strategic Plan is important given the goal posts have moved yet again, and in a dramatic way. What does the music business look like in a post-COVID world, and how do I fit into it? That is the question at the heart of these sessions.
What books, podcasts or articles would you recommend to music business professionals?
The funny thing about writing for a living is that my desire to read books has taken a dive lately. That said, I am thoroughly addicted to news – probably because I spent many of my formative years working as a journalist.
I read all the usual suspects – ABC, Guardian, BBC, New York Times – but I also work very hard to ensure I read publications that may not necessarily share my world view. We all need to take a step outside the bubble. I think it is critical that anyone working in an industry as volatile as ours has a strong understanding of the broader community and political landscape in which we operate. Few industries can be impacted like ours by legislation, whether it be arts funding decisions or local government policy that impacts on venues. And maintaining a close watch on that environment and understanding the impact it can have is critical to any business operation. I certainly don’t get too wrapped up in things like business or marketing blogs. There is no ‘science’ to writing a hit song, and there is no set in stone steps you can take to have a successful business in this industry – so often the business-as-usual rules simply do not apply. I have though read and listened to some interesting views lately about how we navigate a post-COVID music industry that are worth checking out.
The Music: “How The Australian Music Industry Will Emerge From The COVID Pandemic”
MidiaResearch: “The Music Industry’s Next Five Growth Drivers”
RechargeVic: Wangaratta Rocker Dallas Frasca On Cultivating A Regional Artist Community
Learn more about Craig’s ‘Strategic Planning’ Experts in Residence sessions:
www.vmdo.com.au/expertsinresidence