Laura Bull - From Individual to Empire: A Guide to Building an Authentic and Powerful Brand

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FROM INDIVIDUAL TO EMPIRE: A GUIDE TO BUILDING AN AUTHENTIC AND POWERFUL BRAND

With small steps, big changes can occur. In this book, Laura shows you how to step by step cultivate and articulate not only a successful personal brand but an authentic and powerful one.

Shawn Achor,New York Times best-selling author of Big Potential and The Happiness Advantage

Engaging and informative, this book is a treasure trove of golden nuggets.

Jim Loehr, world-renowned performance psychologist and best-selling author

Laura Bull has achieved something remarkable. As the youngest executive to ever to work for Sony Music Nashville, she discovered early on what it really takes to establish an artist as a brand. Now she takes her knowledge to teach others how to build their own powerful and authentic brand.

Thomas R. Baldrica, former Vice President of Marketing, Sony Music Nashville

In todays DIY music environment, artists must not only create great music, they must also develop an authentic brand identity that resonates with fans. Individual to Empire provides insights and strategies for building a successful career in music, literature, or any field where communicating and influencing are key. A must-read!

Denise Shackelford, Attorney, The Primary Firm,
Assistant Professor, Recording Industry,
Middle Tennessee State University

This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher and author are not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. Nothing herein shall create an attorney-client relationship, and nothing herein shall constitute legal advice or a solicitation to offer legal advice. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought.

Published by River Grove Books

Austin, TX

www.rivergrovebooks.com

Copyright 2020 Laura Bull

All rights reserved.

Thank you for purchasing an authorized edition of this book and for complying with copyright law. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the copyright holder.

Distributed by River Grove Books

Design and composition by Omar Mediano

Cover design by Jennifer K. Beal Davis

Creative direction by Colson Horton of ADR Creative

Photography by Cameron Powell

Excerpt from Oprah Winfrey reproduced by permission and courtesy of Harpo, Inc. All rights reserved.

Excerpts from TED Talk, The Happy Secret to Better Work by Shawn Achor.

TEDxBloomington, May 2011. Copyright (c) 2011. Reproduced by permission of TED. To watch the full talk, visit TED.com

Publishers Cataloging-in-Publication data is available.

Print ISBN: 978-1-63299-261-1

eBook ISBN: 978-1-63299-262-8

First Edition

Dedicated to those broken down on the side of the road on the way to the next gig; it gets better.

T his book was merely an idea for many years before serendipity took over and placed the right people in my world at the right time. When Im asked how long my book is, I often truthfully joke that Ive written well over 100,000 words, but only about 50,000 good ones. Between moving, getting married, having a baby, teaching, consulting, and finishing a masters degree, this book could have been derailed into nonexistence without the undying support of my tribe. I want to thank the village, old and new, for helping me jump hurdles and for shaping my understanding of the cross section between the human experience and marketing.

First, a sincere thanks to Dr. Janet Harris. She helped me, quite literally, find my voice. She believed in my idea and, even though I had zero writing experience, helped me develop this passion project into reality. Her consistent reassurance from the first page to the last is the only reason this book exists. A simple thank-you is not adequate. Also, I must thank Dr. Anthony Picchioni for busting open my egocentric predicament, Dr. Kimberley Monden for introducing positive psychology, Dr. Charlotte Barner for transforming my narrative, and the late Dr. Gerald Perkus for reminding me of the true meaning of the American dream.

Thank-you to the Sony Music greats who are pioneers and my personal heroes: Tom Baldrica, Tanya Welch, John Grady, Margie Hunt, Deb Haus, Mike Kraski, Butch Waugh, Heather McBee, and Joe Galante. I enjoyed every late night and early morning, every ounce of stress, and every celebration, because I was able to learn firsthand from these extraordinary leaders. Together, we made a few dreams come true. I can never repay them for the immeasurable experiences both professional and personal.

A heartfelt thanks to everyone on my team: Barbara Norris, Cindy Birne, Jennifer K. Beal Davis, Colson Horton, Cameron Powell, Brenna Mader, Omar Mediano, Scott Safford, Michael A. Ransom, Gigi Stone Woods, Brian Apunda, Justin Branch, Jen Glynn, Sally Garland, Karen Cakebread, Emily Maulding, Tiffany Barrientos, OLicia Parker-Smith, and everyone at Greenleaf Book Group. This phenomenal group shared their passions and their immense talents, and this project wouldnt be the same without any of them.

A big thank-you to my Dark and Stormies: Mary Harris, Mary Guthrie, Bonnie Bazley, Liz Grote, Pam Zeko, Sean Gilder, Sarette Albin, and Johnnie Mays. This group of talented writers, from poets to novelists, keeps me on my toes, triggers my creativity, and holds me accountable for what and how I write. The endless laughter and encouragement have pushed me past some serious writers block many times and if you look closely, you will see each of them sprinkled throughout the book.

A shout-out to my girl tribe spread about the country: Tara, Mimi, Jessica, Capucine, and all my Nashville and Dallas girlfriends. Theyve each seen me at my best and my worst, and they still root for me anyways. Thats true friendship.

An eternal thank-you to my family. My parents, Ellis and Leta and Jerry and Donna, have instilled grit into my being from the onset. They taught me the importance of education and made sure I never questioned my ability to do anything I wanted in this world. It is because of them I am passionate about what I do, and mostly fearless about how I do it.

A special thanks to my grandparents, Appaw and Roma, for the endless love. Thanks to my supportive and loving in-laws, Bill and Mary, for flying down to watch Baby Girl so I could write. And, a begrudging thanks to my big brother, Mike, who pushed me down the stairs on a pool raft headed straight for tile flooring when we were kids. Despite that little hiccup, he has since become my closest ally in this world. Oh, and he deserves an extra special thanks for marrying Adriene, who quickly became my best friend, and for my Nugget, Bug, and the little Prince.

And most of all, my world would be miserable without my husband, Michael, and our perfect little girl, Ainsley. Without even realizing it, theyve made all my dreams come true.

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