Let Go..Be Humble...Learn to Trust (Again)...
Christmas Day, Moscow Traffic. Two Shows, Two miles apart. Only thirty minutes time to travel, change clothes and start show on time. One Moxie...
Masha to the rescue! It was a highly eventful time leading up to an extremely eventful day. There´s NO WAY I could´ve given both clients quality performances, with her help. I learned a valuable lesson from her: Let go, be patient, remain humble.
Life has always been my teacher for everything. I built my business from the ground up, with no formal training. So I always have this "if I can do it, anybody can do it.." attitude. In turn, I become impatient when rookies need me to hold-their-hand. For example, I do ALL of my business on phone, email, or text. Masha, however, likes to have face-to-face meetings. I always suggest Zoom, Face Time, or text. But she wouldn´t compromise. I remember having less patience with coordinators that came before her. But after working with several of them, over a very short period of time, I began to think that maybe I was the common denominator for loosing all of them. So, I chose to be more compromising; and understanding the "I´m the Boss, we will do things my way" isnt the right approach to PEOPLE. So, I reluctantly had the meetings. But when she requested I go to sound- check, I felt she had gone too far!
Sound check is usually a waste of time for me, because the sound system is never ready. This time wasnt any different. We showed up to sound check on time, and the sound- system- team was two hours from being ready. Masha was livid! She handed me a bottle of water, took me to the dressing room...and headed out to argue with the sound man. LMAO!! In that moment, I learned another lesson; Let Go...
I had to allow her to do her job. I needed to put more faith in the fact that she would handle everything. Once she noticed the sound engineer was not prepared, the situation was taken care of, immediately. The same went for our traveling time. I had EXACTLY thirty minutes to leave one shoe, and be ON STAGE for the next one.
I HATE traveling via the metro, and she knows this about me. But it was going to take seventy five minutes to travel via taxi, due to the Christmas traffic. My nerves were in shambles, as we entered the metro. But she had our path already mapped out. We zig zagged thru the underground, then popped up 300 meters from the Ritz Carlton (where the second event was located). A car was already waiting for us when we exited the metro, and it quickly zipped us to the event, with 15 minutes to spare!! Wow, what a rush.
Once we got there, I went to dressing room to quickly change. "She will not start the show, until she has had her glass of wine. It was on the tech rider..." I heard her yelling outside the door. "There is no wine in the dressing room." Lesson three crossed my mind...Be humble. That evening, Masha was the Star. The Captain. The Queen of the Night. Though I am the singer at my events, it isnt always about me. I need to step back, and let other people do-their-thang.
As I reflect over past situations, I can see where I may have disrespected others by being so demanding. I couldve refused to go to soundcheck. I couldve refused traveling via metro. It is my right, as the boss to do so. I am sure Masha wouldve obliged. But it wouldve made things more difficult for her. I may have been happy, but at what cost?
My past makes it so hard for me to trust others. I become so set in doing things my way. But I am learning to let go, be humble, and trust others. As a woman, that is really tough to do, when you have been hurt so much. It´s going to take time, but I am learning. Thanks, Masha. Hold your loved ones close, and your happiness closer!!!