A month after marrying my wife experienced temporary parallasis and was diagnosed with MS. Two years later I got laid off. During the 8-months following my wife bought me my first drum kit (by God). After two major lay-offs(one before relocating and then relocating and loosing a car to repo and another a week before finding out my wife was pregnant and we had just lost the medical benefits with our jobs - cause we worked for he same parent company). Then loosing a job as a college instructor because of a faulty car two weeks before my daughter was born then going through 3 hurricanes starting two-weeks later ('05 a la Katrina years) and loosing our home (working with a shady Christian) while having a 4-month old daughter I was faced with my family living on the couches and spare rooms of "friends" till they quickly tired of us and put us out. Then having to either live out of our car. I had to put my wife and 4-month old daughter on a plane and send them back "home" to family. We left there in first place for better, because that wasn't where we were supposed to be for growth. My wife was willing to live in our car rather than be separated while I stayed to get us back on our feet. I had to make a hard decision, to send them away. It took 2.5 years being 12 hrs apart without little to know funds, missing birthdays, a wedding anniversary, mother's days, father's days. Finally a had to relocate to "go get my family". In that time God was preparing us and showing us things in ourselves and folk around us, training us in ministry all in order that we can better fulfill our purpose. Now geographically reunited (as our relationship was strained but never broken) we stand stronger than ever and are being blessed in our extended vision, external relationships, new wisdom/knowledge/understanding and business opportunities.
My point in my testimony is that when two (husband and wife) agree as one you can make it and prosper. What I learned was the husband has to has a clear vision and he has to write on tables and make it plan so that those who see it (wife and family) can run with it. That communication has to be clear and understood. I also learned that you have to tithe, sow(into good ground... into your future), and save (as the ants save in the summer). The wife has to be a Proverbs woman... building here house, not being strifeful etc, working to own, giving from her plenty not simply taking. The husband has to be priest of his home, the houseband/husbandman (binding the family together and weeding out that which is not fruitful). He has to constantly seek wise counsel and take car of what he speaks into existance and understanding. The husband has to be willing and allow his faults to show and the healing to be open to the wife and family in order for the strength of the testimony to go forth and be absorbed. it is not for us to be happy but be full of joy and enjoy/empower/embrace our wife and family.
We the husbands must strive and prepare to leave and inheritance of material value as well as integrity (spiritual, a good name), work ethic of diligence and proven/marked completion for the next generation to stand on. Else we leave a curse. So do:
-invest in a life insurance policy
-create a living will
-establish yourself as a legal independent business (EIN/Tax ID#, Business Name, Business Bank Account)
* if your band is a corparation apply for group insurance benefits in the company name because it is a business.....
MY PEOPLE PERISH FOR LACK OF KNOWLEDGE
Business/small-biz/home-biz Co-ops have group rate insurance opps. Musicians union has insurance opps, Most states are starting to offer basic insurance opps for the uninsured. Research: Humana, Blue Cross Blue Shield and other insurance... it's not that expensive. it is a security investment because you cannot afford today's medical/hospital bills.
-get renters insurance to cover your gear... it's like $40/mth
- Brand yourself... what you stand for and what you deliver and STAND BY YOUR WORD BECAUSE THAT IS YOUR GOOD NAME
- TRAIN Your children in the Brand... what there name stands for and what is expected of that name and their presentation/representation of that name
- do not co-sign (give you name for someone unproven else you mentor and develop them to be representative of your brand)
- Study business marketing books/principles
- Develop corporate relationships and relationships with business networking, business-trade associations, area Chamber of Commerce, large area non-profits and community serve organizations. seek to schedule yourself as entertainment for their yearly events. As well contribute (sow 4, sow time) into their service projects. Build your own relationships and market to fall back on. Convention bands get paid well.
-MySpace is not a business website. In a dot com (domain name and a professional web site, even if it is template based).
-Get you some professionally designed business cards, letter head and envelopes
-GET SOME NICE GEAR BAGS
-KEEP A NICE WATCH... ie be early always and stay late
Get you and investment banker/counsellor