Entrepreneur Spotlight: Beat Drop

When Beat Drop Audio Production and DJ school opened its doors in 2010, it was the realization of a dream 15 years in the making. Back then, founder Mitch Lee dreamed of a school where students young and old could come and learn the art of music production and DJing, where the blinds could be pulled back on this somewhat elite and secretive industry and he could share with everyone his knowledge and love for it. However there were many difficult obstacles on the logistical road; equipment, a space big enough – these were things that forced him to put the idea on the back burner and focus on his career in audio and sound production. He became an award-winning composer, creating innovative music composition and sound design for the Film, TV and Video Game industries for some big names clients such as Warner Brothers, Nokia, Atari and Source Magazine. But he always kept that idea back in his head; a simple enough idea but something that nobody else in Calgary was doing.

Early in 2010, finally with enough studio space to hold classes, he decided the time had come to forge on with the dream. He called on Rick Cruz aka DJ C-Sik, a local DJ who he had collaborated on a past project with, to join the Beat Drop team teaching the DJ courses. With about 30 years combined musical and industry experience between them, these two aim to share their knowledge and passion for making music with other like-minded individuals, no matter what their skill level. 

Long before the Internet was what it is today, long before you could go to YouTube and type in “dj tutorial” and get over 300 000 results, the arts of music production and DJing had to be cultivated and learned at a much more organic, individual level. Rick tells us of the years of late nights spent in his bedroom, playing on his first set of turntables, experimenting with scratching, beat juggling and mixing. There was no such thing as a tutorial video; any videos featuring DJs at all were hard to find. It was a painstaking process. Beat Drop gives students a head start, a foundation of skills built over a few classes that might otherwise take them a year to learn. Though there are some online resources, both instructors believe that there is nothing that compares to hands-on, face-to-face instruction with instant feedback from an industry professional, and all Beat Drop classes focus heavily on mentorship and collaboration. Besides the actual courses, Beat Drop also offers free workshops that showcase different local acts talking about their passion for DJing and music making, and offering tips and tricks to attendees.

Beat Drop’s goal is to cultivate a community of musicians, DJs, producers and enthusiasts of any and all genres who can meet and collectively enjoy making, creating and appreciating music. This new movement of education and inspiration is bringing a fresh, new dimension to our city’s small but growing music scene.

They just launched their spring series of courses that cover everything from Ableton Live to DJ Essentials to Music Foundations. More information on classes can be found on their Facebook Page http://www.facebook.com/beatdr0p or their website http://www.beatdrop.ca

-Article by Josephine Cruz aka jayemkayem

Lesson 85: Angels In Your Evolution

Excerpt from The Greatness Guide - Robin Sharma

An idea just came to me. You've heard it before, but the more we get exposed to a good idea, the more deeply we get to integrate it. Like reading a powerful book for a second and third time. Seems like a whole new book on every new reading. Did the book change? No. You did. Your capacity to understand got bigger. Your world-view got broader. Your ability to take in the insights grew. And so you discovered a whole new level of knowledge in that book. That was always there. You just didn't have the eyes to see it before.

The idea I feel so passionately about on this sunny afternoon can be stated in a simple phrase: Angels of Evolution. Nothing soft and irrelevant about this one. Just a way to look at life's challenges in a better light. As blessings rather than curses. Because they just might be. Angels of Evolution. Everyone who is causing you stress, struggle and challenge in your life just might be an angel of sorts. They just might be the very messengers carrying the lessons you most need to learn to get to your Next Level of Greatness.

The difficult teammate might be an angel of sorts, here to teach you understanding. The mean salesclerk might be an angel showing up to help you with compassion or communication or standing up for yourself. A business setback or professional disappointment might be an angel sent to build your resolve and commitment. A health issue might be an angelic wakeup call to get you to commit to a better diet, regular exercise, relaxation and meditation. Each encounter represents a defining moment that gets you to the excellence meant for you.

Angels of Evolution. The hardest stuff in your life is the ideal stuff to get you to where you've always dreamed of being. The people and events that irritate, anger and hurt you are the ideal educators to help you learn the lessons that will help you shine at work, at home and in life. So that you evolve. And grow.

Crabs in a Bucket

Be careful who you surround yourself with.

We all know the dangers of getting caught up with the wrong crowd in High School but we seldom take the same precaution when we grow up and move into our professional lives. We can be affected by our peers just as bad and easily now as when we were teens. Your colleagues/co-workers & friends/family can be both a positive and/or negative influence on us and our successes everyday.

It's called the crab in a bucket theory. If you place a single crab in an empty bucket, you have to cover it up to avoid an escaping crab, but as soon as you place a second crab in that same bucket you never have to cover it again. The crabs will constantly pull each other down.

The same effect is true in our lives, be wise to the people who you surround yourself with most. Do they make you  feel confident and encourage you to succeed? Or are they like the crabs in a bucket, pulling you down every time you reach for the sky...

Entrepreneur Spotlight: Privé Design

When they first met as students at Mount Royal University, Stephanie Gottlieb and Mae-Lee Khoo could have never guessed they would one day launch a business together. In fact, they had no inclination they would even venture into the world of entrepreneurship until one fateful phone conversation in which they discussed their shared dread of the junior drafting jobs which they felt they were sure to start their careers in. They both agreed that drafting someone else’s designs would not be nearly as fun as designing their own, and with that epiphany Privé Design Group was born. It took a mere three weeks for them to get incorporated and get their first client, and the rest, they say, is history.

These ladies grew up with a love for all things artsy and creative, so it’s no surprise where their career paths have lead them. For Mae-Lee, design was something she knew she wanted to do ever since a first place finish in an 8^th grade interior design contest jumpstarted her interest in the profession. Stephanie always loved redecorating and rearranging her bedroom and family’s home, but it wasn’t until she started attending Mount Royal that she discovered that she could actually make a career out of her passion. While students of the Bachelor of Applied Interior Design program, these two built a strong working relationship while supporting and encouraging each other through the ups and downs of a program known for its intensity. Focused, hard working and trusting of each other’s abilities, they bring different strengths to their collective table. Above all, they are equally committed to developing Privé into a large, successful interior design company, and making their clients design dreams come true in the process.

Stephanie and Mae-Lee took time from their busy schedules to answer a few questions for us about what it is like to launch your own business, and where they want to take Privé in the near and distant future. Read what they have to say after the jump!

Lesson 81: Whatever Happened to COMMITMENT?

Excerpt from The Greatness Guide: Book 2 Robin Sharma

"We live in a world seduced by the easy. We want to look great and be spectacularly fit but we don't want to have to exercise to get there. We want to be successful in our careers but we wonder if there's a way to reach world class without having to work hard and be disciplined (every great executive is strikingly disciplined, as is every great company) We dream of living fearless, joy-filled lives, but we all too often avoid the very best practices (like getting up early, taking risks, setting goals and reading) that are certain to deliver us to our ideals. Nothing comes for free. There truly are no free lunches. The best things in life require sacrifice and devotion. Each of us, to get to our own unique forms of personal and professional greatness, must pay the price. And the more we pay, the more we'll receive.

Wanting to live your best life, at work and at home, without having to work at it and stay disciplined around our important To Do's is like wanting an amazing garden without having to plant anything. Or like hoping to be in superb physical condition without having to give up the daily chocolate bar. Or like praying to have a great business by swallowing some magic pill. Whatever happened to commitment? And dedication?

Great lives don't just occur out of the blue. They are crafted and built, like the Taj Mahal and the Great Wall of China, block by block, day by day. And superb businesses don't just appear. They are forged through continuous and never-ending improvement and effort. Let's not fall into believing that the best things in life come without effort. Give your best, and the best will come to you. Guaranteed."

Lesson 49: The Hidden Machinery

Excerpt from THE GREATNESS GUIDE (Book 2) -Robin Sharma

I recently read a fascinating issue of TIME. All about the 100 Most Influential People in the World. Jobs is in there. So are Branson and Gore. Mittal makes the cut, as does Oprah. But one of the profiles that intrigues me most is the one on Leonardo DiCaprio. Because of a single turn of phrase used by filmmaker Martin Scorsese. He describes the first time he saw DiCaprio acting: "In his performance, I didn't see the machinery." I had to put down the magazine after I read those words.

Masters make everything look so simple. The most brilliant of the best do their craft with effortless ease and exceptional grace, or at least, make it look that way to you and me. We can't see the machinery. We don't see all the early morning and late nights spent working hard to be BIW (Best in the World) We don't observe the fierce determination that was invested to overcome impossible odds and make the dream come true. And we don't hear the laughing of the critics that needed to be ignored to get to the mountaintop. Remarkable performers- in entertainment, business, politics, education- all make it look easy. But it wasn't. It can take years to become an overnight sensation. Let's not forget that.

Addella Book Club

During preliminary interviews, I ask people what they're looking to gain out of their next work experience. The number one answer is "I want to work with a company where I can grow and advance". Rightly so, the majority of individuals looking for a professional career never want to get trapped in an entry level role.However, what most people don't understand is that in order to achieve that level of success, there is one major component that is universal to EVERY business; personal development. 

Education gets you considered as an applicant, personal development and experience is what will get you ahead.

At Addella, our growth has been fueled by a student mentality. There is a resounding culture of learning, initiative and the drive to continuously gain more information.The primary source of our learning comes from books that we read and share with others in the office.

The upcoming months' blogs are going refer to the current books we are reading:

Stay tuned and enjoy!