"It's Amazing What Can Happen in a Year"
Ever heard of a musical group called Straight No Chaser? If so, you likely didn't know about them until 10 years after they first performed. Straight No Chaser is a men's A Capella group from my alma mater, Indiana University (Go Hoosiers!). While students in Bloomington in the late 90s, they realized IU didn't have such a group so they took the initiative to create one. The group full of very talented men developed a uniquely funny and genuine musical style. They enjoyed performing during their college years, then graduated and went on to bigger and better things, inside and outside the musical world. Then, about 10 years after they first performed, one of the group members decided to post a video of an old performance on YouTube. It's a very original comedic version of 12 Days of Christmas that makes me laugh every time I watch it. The video went viral. A record company executive fell in love with it and the rest is history. Now in their early 30s, Straight No Chaser is back together, having fun making albums, performing on tour, singing at NFL games, and doing the media circuit. You can read a heart-warming, inspirational, first-hand account of this surprise turn of events here.
Some may say that SNC is just lucky...that it's just random a music executive just happened to watch the YouTube video. Perhaps there is a bit of truth to that, but this amazing group of men did a number of things that made it possible for this scenario to unfold. We can all learn quite a few lessons from Straight No Chaser.
- Show initiative and take some risks.
- Do what you love.
- Be genuine and down to earth.
- Have a good sense of humor.
- Surround yourself with people who bring out the best in you.
- Spend time honing your craft.
- Don't be afraid to pursue several different paths at once.
- Develop an online presence.
- Be open to possibilities.
- Realize that dreams can have a timeline of their own.
So...if you're feeling discouraged...remember that you never know what opportunities await you just around the corner!
