Who Makes It In The Business

My intern, Alessandra Rizzotti and I decided that it’s time to give you a sneak peek into my coaching office. We’ll be sharing the type of questions that come in and how I go about tackling each specific case to offer the best career advice in entertainment, sports, and politics.

Alessandra comes to me with questions on “how to survive” in the business. I say, Darwin was right—it’s all about survival of the fittest.



Alessandra: It seems like you have to be a panther or tiger or something to really get what you want in the business. How do you know if you have what it takes? Should I hire Simon Cowell to give me an evaluation or something?


Lindy: A long time ago, when I was first starting out, I attended a seminar at UCLA. The professor said, “The entertainment business is very much like high school; the people in the center are the most popular and the ones around them, are trying to get the attention of the ones in the center.” He said at some point you have to know if you have the personality for this kind of business; if you have whatever “it” is to make it in this business. I thought that was rather interesting, and never forgot it. I saw many folks fall by the wayside as I climbed the ladder. I can’t point to any one or two things that contributed to that, but I did see that there is a certain kind of person who makes it in this business. She/he doesn’t have to be the most popular, but they do have to have a sense of resiliency, optimism, and professionalism.

CLIMB THE CAREER LADDER:


BUILD SOME CONFIDENCE:



Alessandra: How do you get those characteristics? Can you buy them at your local supermarket?


Lindy: It takes time to develop. I think first off, you need to know if you have a fast thought process and move quickly. You should also have a decisive personality. People in the entertainment business often say, “He/she gets it” and that is really just a code phrase meaning that this person is one of us; he or she can play the game, they know how it works. There doesn’t need to be a lot of explaining or long discussion about something.
If you’re a really insecure personality or someone who needs constant affirmation, or shrivels at the thought of rejection, this really isn’t the business for you. It’s a tough business, there’s no doubt about that. And you have to REALLY want to succeed.

Alessandra: So basically, I should start developing a sense of confidence. I guess talking to you and other mentors helps. The more confidence I have, the better I am at finding a career. It's like dating-- without self-confidence, you're not desirable to ANYONE.

DATING: ODDLY LIKE FINDING THE CAREER THAT FITS



Lindy: That sounds right.

Alessandra: Ya, I read some dating books.

Lindy: Maybe I should read these dating books so that I can offer even better career advice.

Alessandra: No—you’re fine without them. It’s funny because, I used to be that insecure person you’re talking about (the one that needs constant affirmation). What helped me get out of that phase was 1) Growing up a bit (so young readers should know that it can just be a phase, not a character trait) and 2) Developing a support group, including mentors like you.

Lindy: Yes, getting support from your friends and colleagues certainly helps you stay confident in the business. That’s why it’s important to develop a group of career-oriented friends and to STAY CONNECTED to them.

CHEESY, BUT NECESSARY:



Alessandra: Got it. I’m going to make a Facebook group now of all my friends in the entertainment biz…

Lindy: You can mention my website.

Alessandra: YES. Thank YOU, lindydekovencoaching.com !

Lindy: Thank YOU, alessandrarizzotti.com!

Alessandra: That was self-promotion at its finest moment. Now, for those of you who want to get an evaluation of your own character and see if you ARE right for the business, I would say, arrange a phone conversation with Lindy: 310) 246-1973.

A Conversation with the Creative Career-Seeker

My intern, Alessandra Rizzotti and I decided that it’s time to give you a sneak peek into my coaching office. We’ll be sharing the type of questions that come in and how I go about tackling each specific case to offer the best career advice in entertainment, sports, and politics.

As a former entertainment exec who’s worked on a lot of creative projects, I love offering advice to creative people because I know the business side of things. Alessandra is one of the first creative people that came to me for advice and this is what went down…

Alessandra: I want to be a standup comedienne. Is that crazy? My mom thinks it is. My dad won’t tell me what he thinks. (Probably because I don’t know him). What do you think?

THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO BE WHEN I GROW UP



Lindy: Do you JUST want to be a standup? Because to be a standup, you do shows or open mics EVERY night, you go on the road, you probably spend some nights lonely in a motel room…(kidding)

VERY LONELY IF YOU'RE CHECKING IN SOLO:


Alessandra: Um….well if you put it that way, I just want to be everything—an actress, writer, standup, artist…doctor, astronaut, princess, video game character, a hero...(that seems easier, right?)

CAN'T I JUST BE THIS FOR MY CAREER?




Lindy: It’s really difficult if you’re "multi-talented" because when you’re first starting out, you need to be FOCUSED. You can start as a standup, and if you are good, it can lead to you becoming an actress, maybe an Emmy winner, then a multi-millionaire. But, you have to limit yourself first to get to where you want to be in the future.

A GOOD TIP:


So, for example, if you’re able to secure a position as a writer on a cable show, then grab it. Maybe down the line, as you achieve more success as a writer, you’ll be able to crossover into acting. At that point you’ll have a stronger base and may be able to branch out into other areas. That’s what Conan did. But in the very beginning, I’d recommend grabbing any really great opportunity that is closely related to your talents.


Alessandra: So do I look for a job in the business or find a day job that gives me more time to develop my talents? Because right now, I don’t think I have one specific solid talent and my job options are: preschool teacher or entertainment assistant.


I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS LIKE THIS:




Lindy: It’s a good thing you know that you haven’t developed one specific talent yet. So, you might want to go with a more relaxed day job during the day to work on your comedic skills at night. At the same time, if you find a day job SPECIFICALLY connected to writing in the business, go with that. I always say, stay IN the business, on the creative side. There are pros and cons to both.

If you venture into assistant territory, you’re talking about a 24/7 position. There are a lot of demands on you and your time, and little time for you to spend writing a spec script or auditioning. However, if it’s the right assistant position, it might offer you more networking opportunities than working at a preschool. On the other hand, the preschool position offers more flexibility and time to hone your skills as a writer, and get material in the pipeline. At the end of the day its about the job, how happy you’ll be, how much money you need to live on, and of course the priorities in your life.

Alessandra: I’m thinking I’ll stick to assisting little kids, NOT adults.

GIVES ME TIME TO WRITE ON THE SIDE:


Lindy: That sounds like a plan.

Alessandra: So, in the end, I learned that having a day job in entertainment CAN take away from my time to work on my own creative material. BUT, there are awesome networking opportunities to having an entertainment day job, which can lead to a more focused career path. The only way an entertainment day job would be fruitful, however, is if I have material to show my employers. So, I better start cracking the creative whip!