Meet David Trahan

We were lucky to catch up with David Trahan recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi David, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
I have always thought that if I expect to make substantial headway in my chosen direction, I must live that quest. When I’m not physically engaged in networking, interviewing, writing, AV editing, or programming delegation for Neworleansmusicians.com, I am viewing the world around me through the lens of its possible application to the advancement of my quest. You’d be surprised how many seemingly irrelevant aspects of your life become opportunities when you do this. In Malcolm Gladwell’s book “Outliers”, he cites 10,000 hours as the minimum amount of time it takes to achieve a high level of success in any given practice. As an entrepreneur, I wear many different hats. Tasks in pursuit of my business’s furtherance are essentially bits of time deposited toward the 10,000 hours for each of those hats. In short, we are not born knowing how to do what is required of us to realize our vision. If you’re not in this for the long term, you will not achieve significant success. And my work ethic comes from my firm belief in these ideas.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I have always had a fascination with music. Being allured by its tributaries just came naturally. The more I learned about my local music scene, the more I realized how culturally rich and vibrant it was. This unending, unquestionable love became part of who I am. At some point, I began to realize just how hard it was for independent musicians to be heard. In an attempt to make things easier and more accessible to them, technology has actually served to amplify this problem. Consumers are inundated with music at an unfathomable rate, further diluting the voice of the truly talented. Streaming platforms arising out of this tech rush serve global markets and perpetuate this challenge. I set out to change this in my community by creating a network that focused solely on the market within the state of Louisiana. In support of this, I have implemented a blog, a Youtube channel, a podcast, and a line of merchandise. What has been exciting to me is the creative aspects of what I do. Through Neworleansmusicians.com, I am able to be a site designer, a programming director, a podcast host, an interviewer, a clothing designer, a video producer, and so many other things. With multiple outlets for my own expressions, my voice has translated into a reliable resource and a trusted brand. I look forward to consistently serving the music scene I love while constantly improving upon the ways I accomplish this.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

I would relegate this answer to “qualities” only. Elements with the most influence over my journey came to me well before the journey began. As a child, I was incapable of being dissuaded. What was viewed problematically as being “hard-headed” has become an asset over time. In my eyes, there isn’t a reason that exists why I am unable to do something. If there is a skill or area of knowledge I must possess to achieve my goal, I must either learn it or hire someone that has it. If I cannot do one, I must do the other. Another quality that has helped me along the way is believing that all things are attainable by those who are willing to dedicate themselves to that end. Books written about remarkable people are filled with the journeys that led those people to success. While the genesis for the book may have been the achievement itself, the pages are filled with their hardships, their mistakes, and the methods used to overcome. How someone attains victory is what makes them remarkable. The fact that a point was reached when the rest of the world chose to recognize it is immaterial. Lastly, I would point out a widely accepted saying, “perception is reality”. The way we view things is what they become. For me, this has been easier to decipher in hindsight. I can recall times when I was in the same position as another person and that person chose differently than I. Sometimes I came out on top. Sometimes the other person arrived at a more favorable outcome. But in every case, I learned something of value. While some may choose to see a mistake, I choose to perceive the underlying lesson.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?
I view every need as an opportunity. I am always interested in collaborating with those that are in areas of industry revolving around music, wherever they may be. I want these people to recognize Neworleansmusicians.com as a resource. So, I created a space on my site for vendors that provides them with a directory listing, and a business page with direct messaging. This includes A&R’s, charter co.’s, distributors, entertainment lawyers, equipment rental, managers, printing co.’s, publications, publicists, radio stations/ podcasts, record labels, recording studios, security co.’s, sound & light co.’s, venues, videographers & photographers, travel accommodations, audio producers, video producers, and promoters. This is available for vendors regardless of their proximity to Louisiana and it’s free. I am especially interested in collaborating with media outlets. My personal knowledge of the music scene in Louisiana, coupled with the host of media I have generated, makes Neworleansmusicians.com a definitive source for this undeniable keystone in the music industry. Amongst musicians, New Orleans and its surrounding areas are regarded as a cultural hearth. Yet the media at-large projects a minimal amount of coverage on it. The change has begun with myself, and I am happy to accommodate their needs. If anyone should need to contact me, they can do so via the “About NOM” footer link on my site, on Linked-In, or on social media.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Charles Dye Photography

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