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From Burnout to Balance – a conversation with Connor Treacy, founder of Off Sunset image

From Burnout to Balance – a conversation with Connor Treacy, founder of Off Sunset

Rest and Recreation
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Connor Treacy has been a player in the entertainment industry since, aged 19, he hosted a party. Video of the party went viral and was covered by mainstream TV news channels.

He went on to become the man A-list celebrities asked to get them into the hottest clubs and organise the parties to launch their latest product or marketing collaboration,

Connor’s own star rose quickly in the nightlife and music industries. Pretty soon he was the person in the know about the people to know, and a great predicter of the next hot performers.

Eventually, Connor reached burnout and made radical changes to create his best life.

In this episode of the Abeceder work life balance podcast Rest and Recreation Connor Treacy explains to host Michael Millward how he defined his balance and what he did to achieve his personal balance.

Alongside stories of A-list encounters, you will hear Connor explain what he did to build a life based on his creativity.

This episode is launched to coincide with the launch of Connor’s latest music.

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Transcript

Introduction to the Podcast and Guest

00:00:05
Speaker
on zencaster Hello and welcome to Rest and Recreation, the work-life balance podcast from Abbasida. I am your host, Michael Millward, the Managing Director of Abbasida.

From Party Lifestyle to Education

00:00:19
Speaker
Today, Connor Tracy is going to tell me how he left behind an A-list party lifestyle to return to university so that he could build his best life.
00:00:30
Speaker
He'll be talking about how you can evolve from burnout to balance and how ambition and rest can coexist. As the jingle at the start of this podcast says, rest and recreation is made on Zencastr.
00:00:44
Speaker
Zencastr is the all-in-one podcasting platform that makes every stage of the podcast production process so easy. If you would like to try podcasting using Zencastr, visit Zencastr using the link in the description.
00:00:59
Speaker
It has a built-in discount. Now that I have told you how wonderful Zencastr is for making podcasts, we should make one. One that will be well worth listening to, liking, downloading and subscribing to.
00:01:13
Speaker
Very importantly, on Rest and Recreation, we don't tell you what to think, but we do hope to make you think.

Connor's Nightlife and Music Career

00:01:21
Speaker
Today, my guest is Connor Tracy.
00:01:24
Speaker
He is nightlife and music entrepreneur. He is also someone who is studying for an MBA at the University of Southern California. Connor is based in Los Angeles, California, USA.
00:01:37
Speaker
It is a place i have been, it is an extremely big place, so I have been to some very small parts of it, but very interesting parts. If I am ever lucky enough to visit again, I will be sure to make my travel arrangements at the Ultimate Travel Club, because that is where I get trade prices on flights, trains, hotels and holidays, as well as all sorts of other travel-related purchases.
00:02:02
Speaker
You can access those same trade prices on travel by using the link in the description, which has a built-in discount. Now that I've paid the rent, it is time to make an episode of Rest and Recreation and say, hello, Connor.
00:02:17
Speaker
What's up, Michael? How's it going? Everything is up. How is life in California? but The weather is nice. The sun always shines in California. ah You had an A-list lifestyle and a nighttime entrepreneur. But just to start off, could you just so summarize your career? as Well, eight or nine years that you spent at sort like the center of of nightlife in Los Angeles?
00:02:40
Speaker
I started throwing events right around when I turned 19. It started off pretty organically just as like house parties. And one of them one of them like blew up like pretty big. like i would say like the third or fourth party, it was like the same weekend that that movie Project X came out. And so...
00:02:59
Speaker
I like created this Facebook event page and like invited 100,000 people to it. And then it like it blew up in the sense that like news cameras were there. Someone from the actual movie was there, like turned into a like a thing. And so I have it on my YouTube page. Actually, was like, like close to a million views, but it was on like a lot of big news outlets and stuff like that. And that's kind of where like, i I guess started to get my name and got out there. Yeah. And then it kind of, you know, morphed into like me going on Google, booking artists, renting out venues, selling tickets on Facebook, mainly like 18 plus clubs. Cause I was, I was 19 at the time.
00:03:44
Speaker
And then, um, around the time, like right when I turned 21,
00:03:51
Speaker
hit up by a lot of the big nightlife companies that do 21 plus clubs.

Managing Celebrities and Talent Discovery

00:03:56
Speaker
I originally was doing like 500 to 1000 person parties on my own, and then in selling tickets. So it was like more of like a mass type thing. And then when I turned 21, the clubs would hire me to bring like celebrities or people or clients like it was more like curated, I had no intention of that even happened. I thought if anything, I was going to be like the next like EDC or like one of those big like festival I was like more on that route.
00:04:22
Speaker
I liked it better though, because when you do those big parties, I'm putting up all the money yourself and all that it's just risky. It's like sometimes the party can completely hit and then sometimes you know, you just don't hit bar minimums and this and that and it just lose money. And so I like the structure of the 20 plus club stuff because I was just getting paid like a flat fee plus like table commissions each night.
00:04:43
Speaker
You mentioned age groups there. And but just want to explain that the there's the 18 plus age and then the 21 plus age. What's what's significant about 21 when it comes to nighttime entertainment in in California? Yeah, so I'm pretty sure it's in all of America, but like you you can't drink alcohol if you're 21, right? Or you can't legally order alcohol. So with the 18 plus clubs, I think I think the way they do it is like you get a wristband and if you're 21 you're able to go with the wristband into the bar area and if not you're just someone that pays a ticket and you walk in and you can see the people perform but you can't drink right so that's just like a difference between the two all sounds very glamorous and exciting you're involved in the music industry glamorous and exciting when I was like 24 I got hired at Universal Music Group me as an A&R and a manager
00:05:34
Speaker
And so my job basically was to discover talent online, show them to the

Responsibilities at Off Sunset

00:05:40
Speaker
president. If they liked it, then we would sign it, develop it. also was in charge of like putting together songs for artists they already had signed. I also managed people. So I would like, I managed like a producer, for example, and get his songs placed on tracks.
00:05:58
Speaker
Did that for two years. You're in the nightlife and eventually you open your own club as well. Yeah. And then, yeah, I opened Off Sunset Nightclub when I was 28. And I did that up until last year. so I think I was like 31.
00:06:13
Speaker
Cool. So you really are in the center of the... you know, the global capital of entertainment, Los Angeles, and you're right in the center of it, you are facilitating the sorts of things that we're all listening to and watching. is there any names that you can mention? I feel weird mentioning, but it's just basically any A-list celebrity, for the most part that you can think of that has gone out, like I've probably brought them out. You can either Google off sunset or you can just Google my name and you'll see photos of one of my spots, most likely at least once.
00:06:43
Speaker
So you are like the gatekeeper? I guess. I mean, i don't. It's weird. I've like been doing it now for so long that I don't really like think about it that much. I mean, yeah, it's just it kind of like turns into like any other job.
00:06:57
Speaker
Yes, i mean I know. I know what you mean. But yeah you're from an ordinary, everyday type of family. Yeah. And then there you are. You're you're planning out night nighttime activities for A-list celebrities, for their social life, and also as part of their promotion of a movie or an album or television show so that they get in the right to media, on the right websites, in the right newspapers, on the right magazines, all these sorts of things. You are at the center of all of that.
00:07:30
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, definitely. Like, also, I guess with, guess the difference with Off Sunset compared to but before I was just like friends quote unquote friends with like a lot of them. So my job was to like hang out with them, go with them to things, bring them out, like if they wanted to go out at night. But yeah, definitely like at off sunset, it was more like I was setting up their birthdays or I was setting up their album release parties or if they did a collab with a big brand. and Like so it was definitely more hands on in that sense and making sure that
00:08:04
Speaker
it was crafted properly so that their branding was aligned and all of that. So yeah, I definitely got more of an experience on that end with Off Sunset.
00:08:16
Speaker
There'd be thousands of people saying, you know, Connor, I'd love to be doing what you're doing. What does it actually feel like to be doing that job?

Staying Relevant and Professionalism

00:08:24
Speaker
To give context, like I'm i'm from l LA, but I still feel like I had a super normal upbringing.
00:08:30
Speaker
Like I, you know, I i would say I had a normal childhood, like in the sense that like, you know, my parents both had normal jobs. Like my dad was an electrician. My mom was like a hairstylist.
00:08:41
Speaker
I grew up like in Venice Beach. From my lens, obviously, yeah, like when I first started being around it and seeing it, I was like, this is crazy. You know what i mean? Like I definitely, there was definitely like some celebrities,
00:08:53
Speaker
like I could give one name like because this wasn't in a club, but like I remember like the first time I met Kanye, like I was like, this is nuts. You know what I mean? I met him. What gets me is that you said the first time i met Kanye. i met him I met him a couple times.
00:09:08
Speaker
He never came to Off Sunset, though, or anything like that, and I definitely wasn't friends with him at all. yeah I think he's the only person I ever got introduced to. like outside I think it was like... i met him outside of one of his video shoots or something. So when I knew knew him, and i I like met him and I was younger, i was like 21 or 22. I told him I was a fan. I was like, I just need to tell you this. Like, I'm a huge fan.
00:09:30
Speaker
I didn't feel weird about it. You know what i mean? I felt like maybe he appreciated it. But that's like, just to give like context, like I was young, like hyped up kid for sure. Like when I first got into it, I was like super like tripped out on it.
00:09:42
Speaker
But I would say now like, I've been doing it for so long that I just try to be like a pro like The nasturteness of it has gone. Yeah, but I still, I guess, like look around sometimes and appreciate it where I'm like, oh, wow, this is sick that I like get to do this and I'm around like this level of like professionalism or high-level pro stuff. Does that make sense?
00:10:00
Speaker
Yes, it makes an awful lot of sense. It becomes normal to be in those types of environments and almost slightly detached. But I'm interested about the nature of the work that you do.
00:10:12
Speaker
Are you you or are you the job title, the gatekeeper, the person who's who's doing the job? Is that why you are in these environments or is it because you're you? I try to have the vibe or like level of trust with people where I want people to know, like if Connor is hitting me up about something, this is legit, you know? So like, I'm not going to try to hit up.
00:10:37
Speaker
some big name person that I do know, just to like make a quick buck if get I'm saying? Yes. Say there's like, you know, an Oscar award winning director, and they want to get in contact with one of my friends.
00:10:52
Speaker
Sometimes I don't even make money off of it, or I don't even get a credit. But I'm like, yo, like this, this person would really want to be involved in this, I think. And then I'll make that happen. And that's the kind of vibe that I try to have where like, if I really feel like it's something that someone would want to potentially be involved in, then sure, I'll make the link.
00:11:13
Speaker
I don't try to like have ego with it either. You know what Because I feel like you can be super hot at one point and then another point you're not hot. So yes, I i like have a great appreciation for being in and a respected position and I have a great appreciation for when things are hot and when you get I'm saying. So I try to like, I do. I try to just be chill.
00:11:37
Speaker
I feel like when you are hot, like you got to be like just extra nice too, because when things are on the down, then someone from your world will give you another opportunity and then you're back up, you know? So I try to just,
00:11:49
Speaker
yeah try just be level-headed nice make plays happen if they make sense i don't like think too deeply about like i'm like this like gatekeeper because it could really be anybody you know what i mean so like yeah that's more like the mindset that i try to have so how did you go from all of that to a situation where you're feeling as if you're reaching burnouts i guess I guess for me, like i I just came up through a bunch of like

Burnout in the Entertainment Industry

00:12:19
Speaker
institutions, kind of. right so
00:12:21
Speaker
you know like The main nightlife group that I kind of blew up through was One Oak when I was 21. They a huge they were like huge like United States like nightlife group.
00:12:33
Speaker
I don't really know if they're operating like that anymore. and I also worked for Tao Group. They're big. and Then, obviously, when I got hired at Universal Music Group and all of that, but I was still like an employee for all these people.
00:12:46
Speaker
And so I just I didn't like own any of it. And I felt like I had to keep bringing like more opportunities or plays or things to convince people to like keep me around.
00:12:59
Speaker
And I could get fired at any point. And I just felt like at one point, I was like, this just isn't sustainable. You know, that was like kind of the burnout moment that I got to. The pressure of constantly having to perform, not being able to have ah an off day or a bad day, not being able to upset anyone and led to the situation where you're feeling, I'm not i'm not coping with this very well.
00:13:21
Speaker
I guess for like people that like look at the Hollywood stuff from an outside lens, like it looks glamorous and stuff, but it's it's hard work. You know what I mean? Especially the entertainment stuff, it's tough. like You really got to keep...
00:13:34
Speaker
you got to keep doing things to stay relevant and stay in. don't honestly say the harder thing is lasting in it, not even breaking in necessarily, you know, because you can do one thing that's successful, but then, okay, so like, what are you going to do next year? And that like, it's very, that's more like the lens that I see it through. It's a cruel world where you're as good as your last project. And if your last project wasn't a success,
00:14:02
Speaker
then people who were your friend on the previous project probably aren't that interested in talking to you, which is why you're right when you sort of say to chill it and to treat people well whilst you're on your way up so that when you're on your way down, they remember how you treated them when you were on the way up so they'll treat you better when you're having those bad times.
00:14:23
Speaker
Yeah, that's, that's more the vibe. But I guess I mean, you could really compare it to even being a professional athlete or something, you could have one great season. But then if you perform perform, like poorly the next season, then you could get caught or your contract. So it's like just a very like performance based business.
00:14:42
Speaker
And yeah, I just felt like I was working for all these people, but I didn't own anything. And I felt replaceable. And it was just like a lot of things kind

Going Independent and Entrepreneurship

00:14:54
Speaker
of at once. And I felt like in order to get to the next level of it, I had to just unplug, I had to kind of quit all the people I was working for, i had to like, start doing my own things. And then I felt like also, i needed to like, go back and finish school.
00:15:09
Speaker
Because i just felt like I was just the person that knew people but that was like my worth. It wasn't anything else and necessarily. So at least having the credentials as well gave me a different kind of like legitimacy and gave me skills with like business and negotiations. And that was kind of where my head was at.
00:15:30
Speaker
Yeah, I think that's what I mean when I say you're a gatekeeper. You are known for and valued for your connections right by these organizations that were employing you.
00:15:42
Speaker
And the risk that you're describing is that there'll be someone who's coming up who's I haven't noticed and someone else has signed them. I've missed out on them and the constant pressure to always know what is happening without actually owning any part of what you are helping to create. You just payday salary.
00:16:03
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. It's a bit of that. And you know, like when you're working for these record labels, you know, you, in most cases at least, or you don't you don't really own it, right? So it's like, you know you could sign an artist and help blow them up, but then at the end of the day, they own it, right? or Your um concern is that you'll be the guy who turned down the Beatles.
00:16:25
Speaker
Yeah, it's like a bit of that. And then also like, you know, if you're the guy that's always known for being with the Beatles, what happens when the Beatles breaks out? You get what I'm saying? So I just felt like I needed to make myself the person rather than always being the person that's like with the person.
00:16:44
Speaker
Yeah. I get what you mean. It's more about being someone who is there and valued for you as an, as an individual, the contribution that you make rather than just being the gatekeeper to the person who is going to be the added value to the event.
00:16:59
Speaker
So was this something that sort like hit you like a light bulb moment hit you like a brick, or was it something that gradually sort of crept up on you as a realization? I guess it's like one of these things, right? Like, I'm sure it's like this in like any business. But yeah, I mean, I would notice it's like, I felt like I was really good at like spotting in the nightlife space or the music space. I was good at spotting like who was going to be next.
00:17:26
Speaker
And, you know, I didn't... I didn't necessarily always like sign the people but like there's been tons of people where i found like quote unquote found them or met them early on and then they like blew up and I felt like I was just so much younger than a lot of the higher up people that I was working with it then once they got to a point where they were big then they would try and swoop in and like buddy buddy them up or work with them and I was like so what am I just like kind of like a feeder person for like you know what I'm saying.
00:17:54
Speaker
Yes, I know exactly what you're saying is that you are a feeder person into the bigger machine, yeah but it can be difficult. And so you found it difficult to then be excluded from something that you had helped to get to that point. Right. or You go off and are supposed to do it again and again and again.
00:18:14
Speaker
Yeah. That's kind of when I realized i was like, okay, for one, Like, I definitely need if if I want to break through the next level and not just be the connector person, got to get the school credentials.
00:18:28
Speaker
That's one. Number two, this is going to be a tough pill to swallow, but I'm going to have to quit everything and do it do it on my own. I'm going have to do my own nightclub. I'm going have to do my own management company. I'm going to have to produce my own records because if I just keep taking these salaries and like putting together plays for other people, I'm never gonna like be in control of my own life.
00:18:51
Speaker
and And I was like, I don't know what's scarier pulling the plug now or getting fired when I'm like 40 with a wife and like two or three kids, you know, cause I saw that happen too. So like, that's kind of where I realized I was like, 27, um young. Like I could, I could bite the bullet.
00:19:08
Speaker
That's kind of like where, what I was thinking at the time. Yeah, it makes an awful lot of sense. yeah If you are of that entrepreneurial mind, you've done it for yourself at age 19, you then enter into big industry and realize that that isn't probably quite what it is that you're looking for, longer term, useful experience, but you want to then be in a situation where you can say I have the learning that is going to enable me to do more of more of the business side of things and do it for myself and the confidence that comes from, yeah, I have studied this. I know what I'm talking about.
00:19:48
Speaker
I have the experience, bring it all together and you can set up your own business. Right. When you say that you can evolve from burnout to balance, your burnout was the environment. It was the culture. It was the expectation of what the present was and what the future might be, which wasn't particularly appealing.
00:20:07
Speaker
and to get to a point of balance. How have you defined what balance actually means

Finding Balance and Recognition

00:20:12
Speaker
for you? Well, for one, for one the balance for me was just unplugging for one and like and just starting my own thing and building up my own credits.
00:20:25
Speaker
and building up my own name. So I wasn't reliant on these companies. I wasn't reliant on these like celebrities or artists or like, you know what i mean? Like where? yeah i it you Yeah, I still will work with these people, these entities, yada yada, but they're now hitting me up for what I do rather than for who I'm with or what you get what I'm saying.
00:20:50
Speaker
Yes. You want to do your own thing and you want to be known for what it is that you do right rather than your ability to open doors into other people. yeah And that's almost like the cause of the burnout, the sort like exhaustion with the being the opener of the doors to other people rather than being recognized for yourself, which is an important part of understanding burnout because burnout isn't just the fact that you're doing an awful lot of work, it can mean the result of doing the wrong type of work.
00:21:22
Speaker
So you're a square peg in a round hole because of where you are now. You are much happier because you're a square peg in a square hole because you've designed your own hole. Whereas when you're in someone else's hole and trying to be something that you're intrinsically not in order to please other people so that they will carry on paying your salary, you're going to reach that point of burnout.
00:21:45
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. And it's also like that saying, you know, like, work smarter, not harder. It's like, yes you know, i'll give you I'll give you an example. So it's like, you know, I have have a song coming out in two weeks where i worked on it with a producer. We got the vocalist on it and like she was on like Black Coffee's album that won a Grammy. Right. And so we we did the song, the three of us together. Right. And my name will be credited on as an artist. Whereas before i would have been at the record label and I would have put two art, two big artists together on a song and put it out.
00:22:26
Speaker
But I would have just gotten my salary and I wouldn't have gotten any credit. You know, and so when I leave the record label. No one really even knows I did it unless they like look on my Instagram and see a plaque. Whereas now the song I've come out in two weeks, my name is on it. Like you look it up on Spotify.
00:22:43
Speaker
And then from there, could I'll forever have that for the rest of my life. Like I could show that to record labels and get hired as a consultant. I could show it to other artists there. You get I'm saying? Yes. It's not so much about the money from what you're saying. yeah It's about being recognized for the work that you do.
00:22:58
Speaker
Yeah. And you, you grow with it. And I felt the same way with school. Like, you know, when I finish, no one can take that away. I can always be like, yeah, I went to USC and got my um MBA. And like, it's just a lot more sustainable. And it's, I mean, it's a lot of work still, but it's less in the sense that like, I don't have to keep recreating that that'll forever follow me for the rest of my life. Whereas a lot of the stuff I was doing before I was doing these crazy plays, but like,
00:23:23
Speaker
no one even knew i was really doing it or you know what I'm saying? Like that's kind of- Yes, you've identified, I suppose, and either consciously or subconsciously, what you're meaning by burnout is that you you're not doing as a salaried person the work that you really want to do in the way that you want to do it.
00:23:43
Speaker
And the way to remedy your burnout was to stop, like to literally just completely stop. And then you have put things into different priorities and identified the value that you will get from each thing that you are doing.
00:24:00
Speaker
and the credibility, the recognition, all those sort of things, you will be credited for the work that you do. But, you Conor, you haven't mentioned, know, I'm doing this to make lots of money.
00:24:12
Speaker
You're doing it for you. Right. It sounds as if what you're saying without saying it is that the money is is secondary to you doing your work your way. Right.
00:24:24
Speaker
and being recognized for your work by other artists other people across the industry and outside of the industry as well i definitely don't think money first when it comes to things but i'm also more the kind of vibe where i care more about like the credibility because i feel like long term the credibility holds a lot more weight i definitely don't think money first because if you think money first i think sometimes you'll make plays where sure you I could have probably done like parties that made a lot more money, but maybe they would have been cheesier. And then maybe like universal music group wouldn't have thought I was like, that could have a look for, you know what I'm saying? So I always, I'm more conscious about how everything looks and how it'll be perceived and kind of more like the cultural value of it.
00:25:13
Speaker
Yeah. You've been talking about your creativity right and how you manage your creativity. If you were thinking about, money first you'd probably be thinking well we did this this was really good we now need to do the sequel or the prequel because we know people like that and that's why you end up with the the franchises of films where yet this works so we'll repeat it you're talking about being creative and being creative as an individual or being creative as part of a team and the the lesson is that i am learning from what you are saying
00:25:46
Speaker
What you're making me think is that you know if you are burnout doesn't necessarily mean need to be that you are either physically exhausted or mentally

Misalignment and Burnout

00:25:57
Speaker
exhausted. it can be that you are doing the right job in the wrong environment because of the ways in which that job is structured or the way in which you're rewarded or the way in which you're recognized.
00:26:10
Speaker
If it's not satisfying your soul, and it's then it's not the right sort of work and and you're going to reach that point where it just simply doesn't work for you. And that's the point of burnout.
00:26:21
Speaker
Yeah, I just feel like the way that I try to go about it is I try to like make my life like a light jog where it's almost like I'm not even trying that hard. But a lot of the plays that I do, i try to make it whether it's a song or whether it's ah it ages well too. So people appreciate the work and it lasts longer rather than if it was like just a super commercial cheesy hit and it was really great for one year, but then the next 10 years it's like no one cares. So then you have to, it's just a lot more like heavy lifting.
00:26:50
Speaker
Yeah. That is why when you look back at the music that you were listening to when you were 19, some of it just doesn't work anymore. Yeah. Get exactly what you mean. And it's it's like you're about the credibility, the recognition for your imagination, creativity, with the work that you do, the way in which you do it.
00:27:09
Speaker
And being a salaried person wasn't right for you. And that's why you reach that point of like, yeah, we've got to stop. We've reached the point where it's actually going to start. doing me harm if we carry on and we need to move forward in a, in a new way that has been created by you and meets your needs. And I totally recognize that you've it's got salaries from various different jobs,
00:27:34
Speaker
to pack them all in is a big leap of faith yeah in yourself as much as anything else, but a big leap of faith that in your abilities and your talents and, and the things that you're going to you're planning to do. It was hard, it was hard because you're you're known to these people as like the person that works at Universal Music Group or the person that you know, and then you don't have that anymore.
00:27:59
Speaker
And so that's the hard part of building up your own name where then If someone sees your name in an email, without all that and they'll still respond, that that takesck that took me a couple of years. I mean, it took a minute. Yeah, but it's like you're saying you you've attached your personal identity to an organization.
00:28:17
Speaker
Yeah. And then part of your growing, part of your recovery from the burnout is that you have to stand as an individual because that is the right thing for you to do. It wouldn't be the right thing for everyone.
00:28:31
Speaker
There may be self-employed people at the moment who are thinking, actually, I need to do what Connor did in reverse and become the salaried man. Yeah. Because every person's journey is unique to them.
00:28:43
Speaker
The key thing is that you worked out what your journey should be and then worked out how to embark upon that journey. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. No, for sure. so By the way, i' I'm not hating on the salary thing. I mean, for some people, none no no yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:28:58
Speaker
Maybe that helps them avoid burnout more than if they were starting their own company. Cause that definitely has its own views too. Yes.

Future Goals and Concluding Thoughts

00:29:05
Speaker
But it's that, that is the, the sort of the, the The key point is whether you're salaried or self-employed is part of the solution for you as an individual. it's for you too But the key thing, the most important thing is that you have to make those decisions. You couldn't shouldn't um just accept life as is as it has been presented to you if it's not what is right for you.
00:29:30
Speaker
Yeah, no, for sure. Yeah. Yeah. So what does the future hold for Connor? You've got music coming out in a couple of weeks that will be available on the download sites and, yeah know, we'll put a link into the description so that people can have a listen.
00:29:44
Speaker
You're going to pass the course with flying colors. You're going to be the top of the class. Yeah. What's, what's the, what's the long-term vision for Connor? I think like a few things like, ah like it sometimes it sounds like I have a lot going on, but they all kind of like help each other. But I guess at the end of the day, you know, I'm an l LA based like entertainment entrepreneur.
00:30:03
Speaker
And so I think the producing music is going to be good because, um, I think that once this project comes out, um i already have two different artists on it that both were on like Grammy award winning albums. So I think that once this is out and I'm on it, um I'll then be able to then even get bigger and bigger people on. And i't I don't know if I'll necessarily become like a an A-list artist or something, but what I'm hoping is that it at least credibility wise.
00:30:34
Speaker
It's, I knew you were going to use that word. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. yeah I knew you were going to, the thing that is important to you is being credible, having credibility for the work that you do.
00:30:46
Speaker
So it's authentic and it's authentically yours. Yeah. I just knew you're going to use that word. Yeah. Yeah. Maybe I'm using it too much, No, no. If it's the word for you, if it's the word that that is important to you, yeah then it's the right word to use.
00:30:59
Speaker
yeah But it it it is an important word for you because being credible, authentic, having credibility, being honest in the work that you do is is an important part of you.
00:31:10
Speaker
Yeah. So I think on that end, I'm excited. i think that it'll be a great base and I'll be able to then work with bigger uh and bigger more and and continue working with the same people but also just expand who I'm working with as far as like producers and artists and um just building that out um am excited about the political events that I'm doing i think that Hopefully I could start doing more of those and bigger events as well.
00:31:44
Speaker
um I'm excited about that. I obviously am on the board for two different, one one is a democratic group. The other one's like a city group or whatever. I don't think they like. Yep.
00:31:55
Speaker
And then so hopefully, you know, i'll continue to grow on that end. I finished my MBA next year. So I think that that will add an extra layer to kind of my story and what I have to offer.
00:32:10
Speaker
And then i don't know, I feel like I feel like something hospitality related, it's going to come back around could be like a hotel group or a restaurant group, some someone I think will want to in l LA. So that's where I'm sitting at with everything.
00:32:24
Speaker
It sounds like exciting times have been had and even more exciting times are to come. But it's certainly been interest a very interesting conversation and I've learned a lot i have you've changed my perspective of this whole burnout and reigniting your ambition sort of scenario as well so connor thank you very much i've really enjoyed our conversation it's been great yeah yeah no thank you michael i appreciate it this was uh this was this was a good one thank you very much like i like a therapy session almost
00:32:58
Speaker
i should so I should charge for it then, shouldn't really? but there Yeah, yeah. No, your voice too, it's very like calming, you know? I feel like I just had like a really good one-on-one session. Oh, brilliant.
00:33:08
Speaker
but like Well, if you need a calming voice on any of your projects, then you know how to contact me. um I'll be there. I'll be there. It'd be cool. That'd be brilliant. That would. ah But anyway, thank you very much. I've learnt a lot, really have. Thank you.
00:33:23
Speaker
I am Michael Millward, the Managing Director of Abbasida, and in this episode of Rest and Recreation, I have been having a conversation with Connor Tracy, who's a man to watch for the future, I think.
00:33:35
Speaker
You can find out more information about both of us at abbasida.co.uk. There is a link in the description. You'll also find links to the music projects that Connor is involved with at the moment as well.
00:33:47
Speaker
I'm sure that you will have enjoyed this episode of Rest and Recreation as much as Connor and I have enjoyed making it. Please give it a like and download it so that you can listen anytime, anywhere.
00:33:58
Speaker
To make sure you don't miss out on future episodes, please subscribe. Remember, the aim of all the podcasts produced by Abbasida is not to tell you what to think, but we do hope to have made you think.
00:34:12
Speaker
Until the next episode of Rest and Recreation, thank you for listening and goodbye.