SAME JOURNEY, DIFFERENT BIKE

Thursday, July 9, 2009
Joe Wehinger

Sorry I haven't been around.  I've gone from wondering, to thinking, to
procrastinating and now to moving forward on the business plans for our
2010 production slate.



It's bigger than anything previous.  It's more ambitious.  Frankly, it's less risk (which is nice for all).



But it still makes me nervous.  It's extraordinarily easy to get a "no".



My job is to find every reason for a no, and find a rebuttal that leads
to a yes.  My job is also to think of every reason for a yes, and then
find calm ways to turn that yes into cash in the bank account.



I've read 3 books (not a lot, but still...) and about 40 magazines in
the past 3 months.  Procuring data, statistics, numbers, box office
reports, home video, internet sales.  Viable, unviable.  Rumors,
truths.  new contact and connections.  Potential partnerships.  New
media, advertising in old media.



And drinking.  Lots of cocktail hours, cocktail receptions.  Wine.



And yes I'm still nervous. 



Why?



I haven't raised entertainment money since 2007.  I have raised significant sums for new media, technology, even green. 



At the end of the day (and after 2 weeks of hardcore prep) I feel I'm
ready.  Friday evening (during a British rock concert) I will pitch my
initials ideas to a BP and gauge his response.



Finance is finance.  If anything, the last 18 months have given me the
ability to learn other metaphors, other techniques, other sales.