Damian Keyes - F**k Plan B

We have a big old natter about:Growing up in SwanseaThe problem of doing what you want on your wedding day - when others want you to go with the flow (one week after this conversation Damian was getting married Vegas) Moving to New YorkThe problem of describing what he does; Musician v Builder of BusinessesThe creativity of building businesses When he gets bored it's time to move onBeing a five-star failerGood drummers = good videographersPlaying Wembley Arena & Hyde Park Meeting your heroesBeing paid to do what you loveFailing all his GCSE'sJoining a bandSigning a record deal and the anticipation of becoming a rock starThe 9 months of anticipation being followed by being dropped by the record label  Getting a job in the local shampoo factoryRealising that he didn't want to get used to a very boring jobWhy everyone should do a very boring jobReacting to rock-bottomBeing more scared of staying at the shampoo factory than he was scared of the unknownUnderstanding that failure isn't fatalFinding his 'lane' which is working very hard to overcome any lack of talent Competing with himself not others Why he doesn't want to look back on his life and wish he'd done something differentWhy life is like a computer game Money is like oxygen - you don't really care about it until it's goneOne holiday in his 20'sWhat are holidays?Having a Dad with no ambition whatsoever and reacting to thatTaking personal responsibility Contentment v AmbitionHis very supportive mumHaving a Stepdad who introduced fun and was a big influence on his lifeSliding doors momentsThe importance of the mentors in his life, particularly Bruce DickinsonWhen 'Why Not?' is the answerThe amazing Princes Trust Going to Rock SchoolThe different lenses through which we look at life and why alternative lenses are essential for growthThe importance of doubting that your stories are the only important stories When snow forced Damian to move from Rock School student to Rock School teacherWhen Damian became the Rock School's Sales & Marketing Manager Following/stalking his mentor Bruce and how they set up their own music college (BIMM)  Damian's focus on giving students the best music education possibleHow in the first 3 years students were involved in 24 Top 40 hits (including the Kooks)The importance of remembering students names (and at the height taking 3 weeks to remember 1,000 students names)How the scale of BIMM became a problemLeaving BIMM How becoming a millionaire was overshadowed by a sense of failureLosing confidenceThe 'what next?' moment  Feeling like Jason OrangeGoing back to the comfort of his bass guitarLearning to sing and having too much workStarting to manage bands and having to employ people to help outHow learning is a confidence builderHis Mum's words 'do it while you can'Unwittingly becoming the social media guyThe irony of being asked to write a book when the last book he'd read was Fantastic Mr FoxWriting 'Fuck Plan B' which became 'The rulebreakers guide to social media' Understanding that both success and failure are fleeting and just part of the game The importance of doubting the stories you tell yourself when the story is that you can't do somethingThe importance of creating meaningful experiences or 'legacy' Damian's next adventure and why it feels like he's burning the ships BIMMSupermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordonhttps://www.youtube.com/user/Damiankeyes