I have no clue where this idea came from.

Perhaps it was watching the credit roll on an old movie that used rock songs from my misspent youth as the background to everything from chase scenes to tender love scenes and everything in between.

The music of your career.

Consulting careers are usually sorted out into:

1. Start up
2. Growth
3. Established

When I first considered this way of looking at my past I was struck by the urgency of establishing my practice. As a foot ball fan, the Rolling Stones’ song “Start it Up” came to mind. But I couldn’t think of the words to the song just that powerful guitar riff and driving beat.

So I looked it up. The earworm I had of the musical opening to the song was accurate but the title wasn’t. It is actually “Start Me Up” which you don’t hear until about 15 seconds in. Of course, I watched this video. And then I checked out the lyrics that start with:

If you start me up
If you start me up I’ll never stop
You can start me up
You can start me up I’ll never stop

I’ve been running hot
You got me ticking going to blow my top
If you start me up
If you start me up I’ll never stop
Never stop, never stop, never stop

You make a grown man cry
You make a grown man cry
You make a grown man cry

Seems to me there’s a little sexual tension there and if you are really into consulting it has some of those connotations.

What about growth?

That little foray into sensuality got me wondering what the key melody was for all those years I was growing the practice. Nothing came immediately to mind until I started thinking about the years I spent as a journeyman in advertising. Then it came to me. Neil Diamond. Either you’re a fan or you’re not. He recorded a live album at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles called “Hot August Night.” One song in particular that night sort of tells it like it was for me: “Brother Loves Travelin’ Salvation Show”

I discovered that it was used in the movie, “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood,” I sleuthed out  a video where he explains how the song came about and then sings it. click here  Later versions of the song with an orchestra and a choir backing him are just gilding the lily of this powerful take on a piece of Americana. This may have been when I decided to become a speaker because like Brother Love I’ve always wanted to give back and to spread the word of what works in my world. Listen all the way through. You’ll understand.

Established?

That one came easy. You can’t grow up when I did without knowing about a little town called Detroit. Yes, it was famous as where American cars were manufactured. But it became Motown when music that would sweep the nation began to be recorded there. No, I’m not going to claim a connection to something from Barry Gordy’s bunch.

My guy was Bob Seiger. He and the Silver Bullet Band would tour for years but his songs were made famous by other artists that covered them. He is best known for “Night  Moves,” “Still the Same,” and “Against the Wind.”

But the song for this part of the journey is one he wrote while touring in 1973. Check out this video and remember these words: “Here I am, on the road again. There I am, up on the stage. Here I go, playin’ the star again. There I go, turn the page.”

And so it goes.

Jerry Fletcher is a sought-after International Speaker, a beBee ambassador, founder and CEO of Z-axis Marketing, Inc.

His consulting practice, founded in 1990, is known for on and off-line Trust-based Consultant Marketing advice that builds businesses, brands and lives of joy.

Consulting: www.JerryFletcher.com
Speaking: www.NetworkingNinja.com