Building a Robust Contemporary Music Sector in British Columbia
with Tailored Professional Development

Vancouver, BC - With support from Creative BC, FACTOR, Ryan Beedie and Beedie School of Business at Simon Fraser University, Music BC Industry Association is pleased to announce the launch of the PHOENIX Training & Professional Development Program as part of Music BC’s How-To Series.
 
The PHOENIX program was developed to help BC music industry professionals navigate the ever-changing music industry landscape with its evolving business models, income streams and priorities. The program is designed for time-poor, mid-career music professionals, who want to optimize their business models for growth, offering participants the opportunity to work with experienced mentors and advisors. A board of industry experts will review and select the small group of PHOENIX 2017 participants. See below for information on how to apply.

Based on a successful program operating in Australia and New Zealand, PHOENIX will incorporate two residential workshops with the first workshop taking place near Vancouver from August 13-16, 2017. Six music and business advisers, including Terry McBride from Nettwerk, will work with participants on their leadership skills and business models. A blended teaching approach incorporating face to face and self-directed learning will be used. The objective of the program is to encourage participants to consider the development of new business models and income streams and develop their business as a stable, sustainable and growing enterprise.

“PHOENIX is a progressive and very effective professional development program,” said Music BC Executive Director, Alex Grigg.  “The program challenges participants and gets them to rethink the way they work. A similar program has had great results in Australia and New Zealand. Alumni there report that it not only changes their businesses for the better, but their lives as well.” 

“I’ve been a mentor on the program in Australia and I can tell you that it really does change lives,” added Terry McBride.  “I’m looking forward to now offering this great opportunity here.”
 
"We are pleased to be a part of the PHOENIX program,” said Dr. Andrew Gemino from Beedie School of Business - SFU. “We look forward to working with Music BC on this exciting project to help advance BC’s music industry beyond our borders.”

PHOENIX will provide participants with practical business guidance. It will include a comprehensive review of the different business models found in the contemporary music sector, as well as deep analysis of each business model brought to the lab. Advisers and mentors are drawn from both the music industry and the business world, to give participants a range of perspectives on possibilities and ways forward. The work becomes more personalized for each participant as the workshops progress. Psychology sessions are incorporated to give participants tools for working more efficiently and achieving better work/life balance. Resilience, time and behavioral management are also topics that will be covered in the program.
 
The PHOENIX application form and guidelines are available from Music BC’s website: www.musicbc.org. The application deadline is: June 2nd, 2017.

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Overview: 
The PHOENIX program is based on an Australian program designed and delivered by strategy consultant Mariel Beros. It has made a substantial positive impact on the business acumen and skill levels of Australian music industry participants, while also building professionalism in the sector.

Culturally Canada, Australia and New Zealand share similar characteristics, as do their contemporary music industries. They have similar industry strengths and challenges, having an exceptional pool of talented artists but small domestic markets which can limit their reach. To succeed in this new era of constant disruptive technological and social change where music fans are moving from ownership to access, music industry professionals need to adopt a growth mindset. Strong business and interpersonal skills are now essential.

About Music BC: www.musicbc.org
Music BC is a not for profit association serving the for profit and nonprofit music industry, including artists from all genres, industry professionals, service providers, studios, promoters, venues, festivals, producers, agents, managers and educational institutions. Music BC is a member based organization that provides the industry at large with information on the state of the industry, trends, funding & educational programs and resources.

 About Beedie School of Business, Simon Fraser University: www.beedie.sfu.ca
Since the creation of Canada's first Executive MBA in 1968, the Beedie School of Business has championed lifelong learning, productive change and the need to be innovative as we deliver research and teaching that makes an impact. We are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and have received the EQUIS Quality award from the European Federation for Management Development (EFMD). AACSB and EFMD are globally recognized accrediting agencies for business schools. Less than 1% of business schools worldwide have earned both of these accreditations.
 
Undergraduate, graduate and Ph.D. programs demonstrate a spirit of innovation, flexibility and relevance.  Supported by extensive partnerships with public, private and not-for-profit organizations, our goal is to produce broadly educated, enterprising and socially responsible managers capable of making lasting contributions to their communities.

The Beedie School of Business operates on all three SFU campuses, with:

• over 3,800 undergraduate (BBA students) in Burnaby and Surrey
• over 700 MBA and graduate students at the Segal Graduate School and at the Surrey Campus
• non-credit programs at the director, executive and management-levels
• a thriving Ph.D.program