We recently connected with Mark Schlotterbeck and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Mark, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about how you’ve thought about whether to sign with an agent or manager?
I took the “scenic” route to where I was going. And while much of that musical journey was barren and full of detours, I finally started to find my way and came across the right people that believed in me. The most important person is my wife. She not only believed in me, but she helped me believe in myself and my songs. That type of impact can’t be understated. Even if it was my songs that eventually did prove to be good enough, I might have never learned that without her lifting my confidence and cheering me toward that destination. I now have 3 agents that collectively represent many pieces of my work and I’m proud to have them as part of major radio and television projects.
Mark, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
While it sounds cliche, songwriting has been a passion since a very young age. Since the late 80s, I knew I wanted to create music and share it with the world in hopes of it having a positive influence in other people’s lives. I began my musical journey thinking that I also had to be a performer, but somewhere along the way – as an introvert – I realized I could step back behind the scenes a bit and still put my dear songs out into the world. I began focusing on songwriting alone, and began writing them for others to perform. This felt like the right fit and gave me much better focus. I also began to realize my music could have a wider impact than just being played on the radio or included on an artist’s album, but it could also be an important element in a film or television show where it helps carry a scene or deliver an important message. Today, I work with an incredibly talented network of musicians that help bring my music to life, and I’ve also gained a wonderful and meaningful community of friends.
Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?
Something I wish I’d learned along time ago was that success wasn’t simply about that “golden contact” and getting my product into those right hands. What I learned decades later was that the key for me was to not do it alone, and more importantly to surround myself with the RIGHT people – people that support and nurture who we are at our core.
I’ve gone through significant eras in my life where the people around me simply didn’t understand what made me tick. While that’s just a fact of life for most of us because we’re all a bit different, it’s still important to also find a community that GETS you. That can start with one person like a friend or spouse, or it can be a group of people with similar interests and goals.
I look around today and I’m grateful I finally found a support system that not just supports my need for creativity, they are also like-minded people with a similar sense of purpose, and that creates a natural environment that allows me and my dreams to feel free and truly thrive.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?
I grew up around a lot of non-creatives and I often felt they didn’t understand me. These were key people in my life that I love and respect to this day. Some of them even think my creative endeavors seem frivolous or silly. I eventually came to the realization that it’s okay. We’re just wired a bit differently I guess, and I’m not sure we’re even meant to fully understand each other in those ways. Just like some creatives may think other professions feel trivial, we all make the world go ’round and we need each other. And even if we don’t feel understood, it doesn’t mean they’re not pulling for us. That’s been the case for me – those important people have still ultimately been in my corner and I’m forever grateful for them.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://mfschlotterbeck.bandcamp.com
- Instagram: @mfschlotterbeck
