Business- Taylor's Version

Written by Matt Clarke | April 7, 2025

It started out as a challenge to one of my favorite teammates and turned into one of the best presentations we have had. Every month, we have an all-company meeting designed to teach, train, encourage, and connect with our team. For years, a different speaker would present each month on a variety of topics. Some are business, some personal, some technical, and some not so much, but all are designed to feed our team in a well-rounded way.

When I asked Brandon Palma, a self-proclaimed and self-evident “Swifty”, if he could do a talk on the business lessons he’s learned from Taylor Swift, he immediately said yes. And he nailed it. One of the first lessons he taught wasn’t from Taylor at all. It was uniquely his. We all have something to give each other.

Whatever your gift is, be proud of it and use it to enrich the lives of those around you.

"So don't be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens." (James 1:16-17)

A gifted communicator, Brandon gave an extraordinary talk with practical lessons learned from one of the most successful artists of all time.

Relatability - Find your audience and know them deeply. If you spend time being interested in them, they will, over time, be interested in you. Bring your uniqueness into the marketplace.
Connection - Show up like no one else. Bring radical hospitality, authenticity, and generosity. People don't follow perfection; they follow vulnerability and connection.
Reinvention - You have to adapt to changes in the marketplace. Principles don't change, but methods do. Most people don't necessarily fear change but fear being uncomfortable. It's in being uncomfortable that growth occurs.
Expertise - Be the expert, not just in your job, but know all the jobs around you. If you learn how all of the parts work and fit together, it allows you to do your job better.
Power - Don't give away your power to anyone else, especially your critics. Stand firm in who you are and what you believe, and when criticism comes your way, use it for good, use it for fuel, and use it for growth.

I love the boldness that Brandon brought to his message and the applicability of his talk. Regardless of your music tastes, it's hard to argue with the lessons learned by studying a teenage songwriter with a dream and determination who took over the music world and created a $1.6 billion net worth... so far.

Here's a link to the talk. I encourage you to take the time to watch it. This is business, Brandon's Version:

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