BizJams... "Keep Your Day Job"
One of the more controversial Grateful Dead song is called "Keep Your Day Job". There are no obscenities ("Wharf Rat"), drug references ("Casey Jones") and the music itself didn’t suck (“France”). It was never put on an album and was played sparingly between 1982 and 1986.
If you ask me, which I know you don't
I'd tell you to do what I know you won't
Apparently Deadheads didn't like being told to get a 9-5 job while spending their summer selling grilled cheese sandwiches and looking for a miracle. Robert Hunter's lyrics to the Garcia tune apparently pissed off everyone. Hunter was quoted as saying, "this song was dropped from the Grateful Dead repertoire at the request of the fans. Seriously."
Maybe you collect or maybe you pay
Still got to work that eight hour day
So a few words about me to give everyone some context. I'm a guy who loves music and especially live music. I'm not the biggest Deadhead by any stretch. I was introduced to the Dead my freshman year of high school (who could turn down free tapes when you were used to buying music), saw my first show at 15 in 1986 and have seen around 30 shows in all the groups various derivations. If that seems like an impressive number, you're clearly reading the wrong blog.
Ring that bell for whatever it's worth
When Monday comes, don't forget about work
When I was 8 years into my career, I had my first professional mid-life crisis. I left public accounting as a senior and was lucky enough to be at a fast growing public software company. I was willing to volunteer for any new role and each year I found myself with a new title and more responsibility. At 29 years old, I was a VP in the fastest growing division and I was melting down. Someone recommended reading 'What Color is Your Parachute' to help hone in on what type of accounting role best matches my personality. I completed the book and accompanying questionnaire which details matching careers based on 4 binary personality variables (think Myers-Briggs). When I looked up how close I was to an accountant, I found I was literally THE EXACT OPPOSITE.
What the F?
Whether you like that job or not
Gotta do your work while you're lining up your long shot
So here I was having this book tell me I had wasted 4 years of college and the first 7 years of my career doing something I was apparently not cut out for, that caused me stress and didn't match my personality.
On the flip-side I was decent at what I was doing and there were plenty of things in my accounting roles that I did enjoy. Talking to people, thinking in the grey areas, teaching and always trying to learn. I certainly didn't have a fear of stretching myself and could generally figure things and problem solve.
Keep your day job
Whatever they say
So at this point I had a decision to make. Should I start over or continue down my current path?
OK, cut the crap... In 1999, I had 2 kids and a 3rd on the way (eventually a 4th). Going back to school for 5 years to get a masters and PhD to be a college professor probably wasn't the right decision for anyone involved. So to quote our man Robert Hunter,
Keep your day job, until your night job pays
I am keeping my day job (I’ve been a CFO the past 12 years), but figured I’d try something a little closer to the color of my parachute… which brings us to BizJams.
Some people might think it's a stretch to tie Business and Jam-Bands together. I say screw those people.
My goal is draw lessons from the two different worlds to inform the other. I will be interviewing people involved with some of my favorite bands to better appreciate how they balance their musical pursuits with the business reality. I will talk with business leaders to learn how music has played a role in their professional career and personal life. But let's be honest, my ultimate goal is to be able to write-off a show or two as a business expense.
Don't underrate that pay-check power
If you ask me, which I know you don'tI'd tell you to do what I know you won't
Apparently Deadheads didn't like being told to get a 9-5 job while spending their summer selling grilled cheese sandwiches and looking for a miracle. Robert Hunter's lyrics to the Garcia tune apparently pissed off everyone. Hunter was quoted as saying, "this song was dropped from the Grateful Dead repertoire at the request of the fans. Seriously."
 |
| Alpine Valley 2016 |
Still got to work that eight hour day
So a few words about me to give everyone some context. I'm a guy who loves music and especially live music. I'm not the biggest Deadhead by any stretch. I was introduced to the Dead my freshman year of high school (who could turn down free tapes when you were used to buying music), saw my first show at 15 in 1986 and have seen around 30 shows in all the groups various derivations. If that seems like an impressive number, you're clearly reading the wrong blog.
Ring that bell for whatever it's worth
When Monday comes, don't forget about work
When I was 8 years into my career, I had my first professional mid-life crisis. I left public accounting as a senior and was lucky enough to be at a fast growing public software company. I was willing to volunteer for any new role and each year I found myself with a new title and more responsibility. At 29 years old, I was a VP in the fastest growing division and I was melting down. Someone recommended reading 'What Color is Your Parachute' to help hone in on what type of accounting role best matches my personality. I completed the book and accompanying questionnaire which details matching careers based on 4 binary personality variables (think Myers-Briggs). When I looked up how close I was to an accountant, I found I was literally THE EXACT OPPOSITE.
 |
| Wrigley 2017 |
What the F?
Whether you like that job or not
Gotta do your work while you're lining up your long shot
So here I was having this book tell me I had wasted 4 years of college and the first 7 years of my career doing something I was apparently not cut out for, that caused me stress and didn't match my personality.
On the flip-side I was decent at what I was doing and there were plenty of things in my accounting roles that I did enjoy. Talking to people, thinking in the grey areas, teaching and always trying to learn. I certainly didn't have a fear of stretching myself and could generally figure things and problem solve.
Keep your day job
Whatever they say
So at this point I had a decision to make. Should I start over or continue down my current path?
OK, cut the crap... In 1999, I had 2 kids and a 3rd on the way (eventually a 4th). Going back to school for 5 years to get a masters and PhD to be a college professor probably wasn't the right decision for anyone involved. So to quote our man Robert Hunter,
Keep your day job, until your night job pays
I am keeping my day job (I’ve been a CFO the past 12 years), but figured I’d try something a little closer to the color of my parachute… which brings us to BizJams.Some people might think it's a stretch to tie Business and Jam-Bands together. I say screw those people.
 |
| Boulder 2018 |
My goal is draw lessons from the two different worlds to inform the other. I will be interviewing people involved with some of my favorite bands to better appreciate how they balance their musical pursuits with the business reality. I will talk with business leaders to learn how music has played a role in their professional career and personal life. But let's be honest, my ultimate goal is to be able to write-off a show or two as a business expense.
Don't underrate that pay-check power
What bands do you want to hear from?
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