“Don’t be afraid to have fun! Be you.”
Dierdre Le Blang of Primal Entertainment is described as a “Jill of all trades,” with a career across a variety of industries. Dierdre’s expertise are mainly centred around music. She helps venues create entertainment schedules and provides opportunities for dynamic artists to perform at well-paid events. She also helps engaged couples find and book the ultimate wedding entertainer, saving them time, energy, and money. Outside of the music industry, Dierdre has expertise in WP websites, video creation, corporate admin, and the fashion industry, making her far from one-dimensional!
In the last 21 years, Dierdre has carved a career in the music industry through her agency, Primal Entertainment. From managing the careers of Phil Emmanuel and other bands to helping young up and coming original songwriters navigate some of the difficulties of the Industry, Dierdre has loved every moment of it. She went on to create 2 ‘sister’ businesses: Music for My Wedding and the newest sister – Wedding Musician Directory. Each of the businesses have different functions, but they all focus on beautiful, talented musicians and the places in which they perform.
Dierdre feels most at home and happiest when she has space to mentally wander and create new opportunities. If she were to have her ideal business, Dierdre would own the #1 wedding musician directory in Australia, provide the greatest number of warm leads to wedding musicians for her members, and Primal Entertainment would be booking four shows per week. But for right now, Dierdre is looking forward to more live music events in 2021 and seeing the Industry recover so that we can all enjoy seeing these creative souls on stage again!
Who’s your favourite entrepreneur and why?
Richard Branson. He has fun in his business, and has a strong voice for what he believes in. He’s not afraid to take risks, and when things don’t go to plan, he dusts himself off and keeps going.
Why did you start your business and what gave you the idea?
I had participated in a development program, that encouraged us to create an event for a community in our lives.
At the time, I was working at a Software development company and had become great friends with one of the sales reps, who happened to be a beautiful sax player. Having owned a sax myself, and being an avid live music fan – we became great friends.
There was a local organisation helping young people overcome challenges in their lives, and it was by chance (or perhaps, meant to be) that I became good friends with the manager who was also in a band.
Before I knew it, a charity festival was born, to raise funds for the local organisation. I had Phil Emmanuel headlining, and a group of friends who were all passionate to help make a difference in the world. In our worlds, and that of the local kids.
I guess I had so much fun doing the festival (despite it being a financial flop), that I contacted an established agency and asked for a job. It just so happened, they were looking for someone at the same time. Coincidence? Likely not :)
What do you enjoy most about running your own business?
I love the freedom my business provides, especially when it comes to family and friends. I’m also offered some great opportunities that I know I wouldn’t have if I were employed. It’s also great only having to report to myself, although a good accountability buddy is a must.
What three pieces of advice do you wish you’d been given when you started?
- Know your numbers! Know exactly how much you need to earn to be profitable and how you’ll achieve that each week.
- Put systems in place first. Create all your systems before you start selling. Include setting up client onboarding, accounting systems and contracting etc so you’re not doing it on the fly.
- Don’t be afraid to have fun! Be you. Connect with your clients because they enjoy working with you and the way you do things. Relax into your role and have fun. Life’s too short not to.
What advice would YOU give someone thinking about starting a business?
Don’t let passion rule your head. Work out if the business you’re interested in creating is financially feasible and if there’s a market for it.
It’s great to have passion, but if it’s sending you backwards financially, all you’re creating is a charity.
What skills and knowledge areas would you recommend those starting out in business get acquainted with quickly?
Basic accounting: So you can speak more easily with your bookkeeper or accountant.
Marketing and promotion: Understand your position in the market and who your ideal client is so you can reach them more easily.
Support networks: Find a network that you can become part of, that will help you build a scalable business. Of course my favourite is HerBusiness Network, that’s a no-brainer ;)
What does your IDEAL business look like? Even if you’re not there yet, what would it look like if your business was ideal?
If my business were ideal, it would:
Own the #1 wedding musician directory in Australia.
Provide the greatest number of warm leads to wedding musicians members of the Music For My Wedding website.
And the agency would be booking 4 of my own shows per week.
What problem does being a Member of the HerBusiness Network solve for you and your business? And, how?
Being a part of the network calls me to step up and play the bigger game in order to rebuild the business after covid. It provides me with the opportunities to learn, and grow within a safe and nurturing environment. I wish I’d found it sooner!
