J ELLIS A&R/ Rap-A-Lot Records
In today’s entertainment business industry, there are many business deals and negotiations that take place. Most of the time, these negotiations turned out to be more negative, than positive. However, a business professional has several tactics that separates them from becoming bad business negotiators. I conducted a phone interview with Mr. J Ellis, A&R of Rap-A-Lot Records in Houston, Texas. J Ellis, a former classmate at Tuskegee Institute and current colleague. I posed several questions to him regarding how he deals and handles negotiations within the entertainment industry. I used a question/ answer format to conduct the interview with Mr. Ellis.
How did you get started in this industry?
"I'm from Houston Texas and I started off as a rapper for 10 years before I got to my current position as an A&R for Rap-A-Lot Records. I went to school at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama and I’m getting a degree in business has allowed me to see that the business side was a little more important than the artistry. When I came back to Houston I hooked up with Anzel Jennings, the Director of A&R at Rap-A-Lot who suggested that I would do better on the business side than the music side. Therefore, I took his advice and I've been doing this A&R thing for about 3 years now.”
During negotiation, I separate the problem from people that were involved within the negotiation. In other words, I viewed the problems as they arrived and as their own entity, and not as a problem that comes from a particular person: whether, is a friend or co-worker in the decision making process. I saw the problem at hand and I made decisions based on the significance of the problem.
What role do you play in your business negotiations?
Although, I’m an executive of Rap-A-Lot Records as well as co-manager of Team Double Dose, I represent producers and my role in negotiation is usually as a mediator.
How would you use what is a BATNA in negotiation?
I would use BATNA by reviewing all alternatives with my clients and making decisions based on their best interests, as well as my company’s interests. Having the best available options and alternatives during a negotiation encourages you with the most confidence in order to reach a mutual agreement that will allow both my company and clients to walk away with the best outcome.
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What is BANTA?
ReplyDeleteBATNA means 'Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement'.
ReplyDelete