We recently connected with Rose Mercado and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Rose, thanks for joining us today. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?

Being successful and the definition of success are different for everyone. The major players and keys to success include authenticity, integrity, and relentlessness. It has taken me a lifetime to find the “sweet spot” where what I love and what I have to offer the world intersect with financial success. For me, that is a success, where what I love builds my wealth. As a creative, I relate to my clients (largely independent musicians) in that what we offer in terms of art has an almost arbitrary value to the world, but recognizing the value you have as an individual has the capability of creating a market for you and what you do. Could anyone help artists with their vision and development? Sure, but none of those other people are me, with my life experience and singular perspective on the music industry. Likewise, anyone can make music, but not everyone is you. You are the secret sauce. Your authenticity and integrity create the power to be successful, and your relentless passion and pursuit of your goals is the vehicle that will get you there. That’s the formula I follow and believe in regarding every project I take on and every business venture I pursue.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

People call me Photobombshell. I am a lifelong creative and multigenerational entrepreneur and musician. I think I am the first in my family to put it all together and go after a dream of working in the music business without getting in the booth. I went from singing on public access television to professional photography services for musicians to hosting a radio show, and finally to owning and operating Photobombshell.media. I’ve made my way into music consulting and artist development in the independent music space with a huge push from clients. I’ve been building to this state of the business for more than 20 years, collecting life and creative experience as I go. Coming from a musical family of recording artists has helped form the way I view the music industry and how I treat my clients. I think they’d also tell you, I do it different.

I help independent artists with professional writing services to supplement their visual presence, with biographies, press kits, press release preparation, and even songwriting consults. I offer free playlist submissions to my various playlists on Spotify, promotion through my website, SEO optimization of web platforms, social media optimization, artist interviews, and music reviews. I do strategic album release planning and give feedback on anything my clients need as it relates to the music. The services are varied but aim for a hole in the industry for independents; artist development and strategic planning. What sets me apart is a genuine desire to see talented musicians hit their goals and attain the success they aim for. I see scammers and money grabs every single day, with a market full of people who are interested in money more than music. Me? I am interested in the MUSIC. That’s what keeps me going and what drives me to build out everything I offer to artists.

I am always most proud when my clients and highlighted artists build off of what we put together and reach the goals they strive for. It warms my heart when an artist who has never been interviewed before gets time to bring their best package forward and can share insightful answers to thoughtfully prepared interviews. I also love kicking back and connecting with seasoned pros who know the game and can see that I am different because I’m not asking things that have been asked 100 times. I am genuinely interested in their art and their careers. I am excited for what comes next and I love coming back to an artist in a year or two to see how much they’ve grown and expanded their reach. I love to see independent artists winning, garnering the attention they deserve, and putting their best foot forward as they grow professionally.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

I have always worked “other jobs” as a creative. My professional background outside of my own businesses is in Higher Education and Google SEO. As a professional photographer, I also worked as an administrator in a college setting before going all in on myself. As a radio show host and initially when building Photobombshell.media, I funded much of what I was doing with my daytime job in podcasting, social media, and SEO specialization. I think as entrepreneurs, which all independent artists really are as well, we need to focus on the dream and get to it by any means necessary. Sometimes that means working twice (or three times) as hard as the other guys to get to a point where you are actually turning a profit. Yes, you have to invest in yourself to build the dream. I never doubted myself, so self-funding was an easy decision.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

During the pandemic, I was offered an opportunity to host a streaming radio show interviewing independent artists and showcasing their music, which is where many of my initial clients met me. While everything was shut down, I had plenty of time to produce and execute three live radio shows a week, but as time went on and things started going back to normal, I had less and less time to dedicate to my schedule and being consistent with the radio shows that I loved. Instead of scrapping the whole thing, I found a way to work with clients on a more flexible timeline, continuing to conduct interviews, just not live. My website was born out of this solution, offering a way to remain consistent in working with artists, showcasing their music in video and streaming formats, and building their digital footprints, which was always the goal. To keep my presence and brand voice alive, I continue to share artist development and marketing snippets on my social media accounts, particularly YouTube and Instagram, so everyone can still get that candid dose of Photobombshell they loved from my shows.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Photobombshell.media
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/photobombshellmedia/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/photobombshellmusic
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@photobombshell

Image Credits
Christopher Damien Photography Fab Gula Higgs Theories Content