Are You Ready for Your Dream Job?

Here at iCadenza, this has been a big year for us. We have much—and many—to be grateful for. We feel like we have created a dream job.

Jennifer and I have both been extremely fortunate in that regard. We deeply believe in supporting artists and creative people everywhere to never settle, and instead to commit to finding that point where their passion and talents meet a market need.

But your dream job might come differently than it did for us. As we look back on this year, one story strikes me as an inspiring example that your dream job could appear in the most surprising way. You just have to be ready for it.

A Fateful Introduction

About a year and a half ago, Greg Kastelman, Director of Booking and Business Development at our sister company, Cadenza Artists, discovered an incredible Japanese dance performance troupe called enra.

He reached out to them and learned that they were planning to be showcasing in NYC. That’s where we had the privilege of seeing them perform live, and we were hooked!

After meeting with them in NYC (with the help of a Japanese translator), they agreed to let us serve as one of their agents in the US.

A Missing Piece of the Puzzle

Flash forward to this fall. Greg had booked a multi-city tour for enra! We were thrilled to be bringing enra to US audiences. But, we were missing one key piece of the puzzle—a tour manager.

If a touring project involves several performers and has an elaborate technical setup, a tour manager is essential to make sure each show is a success, especially given a tight touring schedule.

However, we could not hire just any tour manager.

We needed a tour manager who

— could speak fluent Japanese and English
— understood how to handle complex tech for a group that uses specialized projectors
— could work with dancers that had specific floor and other requirements
— knew enough about music to handle that aspect of the performance
— and was qualified to drive a large van

A tall order!

The bilingual requirement was non-negotiable and meant that we were essentially looking for a needle in a haystack. We needed a multitude of highly specialized skills, all in one person!

We spent months asking our colleagues in the performing arts sphere if they had recommendations, but we were still lacking a tour manager by the time August rolled around.

And then, something miraculous happened.

In a moment of desperation, Greg turned to good old-fashioned Google and searched for “tour manager fluent in Japanese.”

A Happy Surprise

As fate would have it, the first result that showed up was the linkedin profile of Alexander Michaelson, a friend of mine and Greg’s from our college days at Tufts!

As soon as Greg saw his name, a lightbulb went off. Of course Alex would be a great fit! He had a background in music, had studied Japanese in college, and had actually moved to Japan where he had worked at a number of music festivals.

We reached out to Alex about the tour manager gig. As it turned out, he had the complete skill set we needed and was super excited about the opportunity. He met with enra and their management team in Japan, Empire Entertainment, and everyone agreed that it was a good fit.

An Even Happier Ending

enra’s October tour in the US was logistically complicated given the very short travel windows between gigs.

Alex did a masterful job in making sure the group got from place to place and that each show went off without a hitch.

Alex and the dancers bonded over the course of the tour. In fact, at the end of the tour, the whole group woke up at 3am to see him off to the airport! Everyone agreed that Alex had done an exceptional job.

Isn’t that an awesome, feel-good story? But wait! There’s more!

enra’s management team in Japan was so impressed with Alex that they offered him a full-time job after the tour ended. We couldn’t be happier with how things worked out. Most of all, we are delighted that his incredible skill set has been so valued by a prestigious international management company.

Opportunities Are Everywhere. Be Ready for Your Dream Job.

Over the years, we have had the privilege of connecting so many people with their dream jobs just by making an introduction.

Seeing the results of those introductions has been one of the most rewarding parts of our experience.

But you need to be ready when the opportunity arises! Here are three ways to set yourself up for success:

#1 Stay open to surprises. Sometimes, we can try to control life so much that we suffocate any chance of magic happening. Try to release the outcome and allow life to work itself out.

#2 Shift your focus. If you have your eye on one particular endpoint but it just doesn’t seem to be happening, shift your focus to something else that brings you joy.

Hint: it doesn’t have to relate back to your dream job at all! You might start baking more, working out, or join a meditation group. You’ll be surprised by what evolves from your new focus.

#3 Be of service. When you meet someone new, be genuinely interested in that person’s life. Ask if there’s anything you can do to help. Providing value to others helps people see you as valuable. In turn, they will recommend you to others and want the best for you.

If you’re looking for a job or if you’re looking for a candidate to fill a job, definitely let us know and we’ll keep our eyes and ears open for you!

This holiday season, we wish you joy, lots of powerful music/art, and the inner strength to further your passions, with a continued curiosity about where they might lead you.

Happy Holidays, iCadenza friends!