Free Game
“I’ve been lucky enough to have some amazing mentors over my career, and now I’m looking to give back to the next generation of hustlers who are looking to break into the entertainment industry. Here are 5 rules to get you in the game”
1. Find Your “In”
No doubt, this is the hardest part. It really is all about “who you know.” You’re going to want to network with anyone associated with the individual or brand you’d like to work for.
Say your dream is to be LeBron James’ personal photographer—research and make a list of his inner circle (manager, publicist, agent, etc.), and reach out to them through DMs and email with an introduction.
The key is to be persistent without being annoying. This is exactly how I leveraged my first job at Bad Boy in ’06. Give it a try—what do you have to lose?!
2. Show Value
This might be the most important piece of advice I can give you. Whenever you are engaging someone about working for them, always start your message by explaining the value you can bring to their team first. Offer your services for free if you have to.
True story: My first year working for Diddy at Bad Boy Records, I worked for $0. Did it suck? For sure! Everyone thought I was nuts. But I did whatever I had to do to get my foot in the door.
3. Stand Out
Whether you’re still hustling for a job or you’ve already landed one, you have to stand out. There are thousands of people applying to work in the industry every day, so you need to be hungrier and more savage than the rest.
If you’re asked to do a task—go 200% with it. Be proactive. Be tenacious. Find the gaps that no one else is filling and master them yourself.
If this is just a part-time hobby for you, get out of the game now—because you won’t last.
4. Hustle Hard
Here’s where I might lose some of you—and that’s okay. Not everyone is cut out for this. One trait I pride myself on is my tenacity. While you’re sleeping 8–10 hours, I get about 5.
Why just 5? Because I’m way too anxious to get up and hustle more than you. My friends who work typical 9–5 jobs think it’s nuts that I answer my phone at 3 a.m.—but that’s the game. Be available, be reliable, and hustle hard.
Do get some sleep though—it is important.
5. Invest In You
And lastly, it’s never too early to invest in yourself. You always want to sharpen your skills and learn from mentors. I highly suggest subscribing to MasterClass and taking courses to learn from the best. I recommend starting with courses by Bob Iger and Anna Wintour.
Personally, I was self-taught. I learned by studying what my mentors had done in my position and by soaking up any free advice I could find online.