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Today’s podcast guest brings humor and personality that will keep you truly entertained as he illuminates his journey to success. As a “true renaissance man” Rupert Holmes’ list of accomplishments is endless. He is a mystery novelist, playwright, composer, arranger, screen writer, conductor, singer, song writer and as Anthony notes, a gifted leader.
Rupert Holmes is a man of many faculties and many stories.
With over 50 years in show business, Rupert explains how it took him 10 years to become an overnight success. Rupert’s journey started at age 17 when he wanted to become a song writer. He found a quote attributed to Calvin Coolidge and taped it to his daily appointment book. It read, “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not. Nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not. Unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not. The world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.” To this day, Rupert lives by those words. He explains that you cannot wait for success to come to you. You must apply yourself. It is your responsibility to find out who your audience is and what you have to say to them.
However, with great success also comes great feats that you must overcome. Rupert had the number one record in the US called “Escape”, which many refer to as the Pina Colada song. Three years after the song was number one, he found himself in a shopping mall in West Virginia singing his hit next to an escalator with a high school garage band that he had met minutes before the event. In that moment he thought about how low of a point it was in his career and how he did not want to make this his new life or his new normal. Rupert persisted and an opportunity arose when he was doing a comedic musical act in a nightclub and a guest in the audience happened to be the producer of A Chorus Line. After the show, the legendary producer went backstage and suggested that Rupert write for theater. For the next two years, Rupert spent his time writing his first play, The Mystery of Edwin Drood. The play became a hit, and Rupert explains that throughout his career most of his opportunities came from places he least expected them. He also suggests taking every opportunity you can. You never know which project you will be working on that will be ground breaking, so it is imperative to put all of your efforts into making the project the best you possibly can. It is also important to use, as Rupert calls it “the power of negative thinking.” Think about what you would do if something in the project does not go right and make a plan for every outcome.
As a wealth of knowledge and experience, Rupert is always pushing himself to learn and do more. Learning on the job is an important function that has helped him to become so successful. He also knows how important it is to learn from others. Rupert expands this statement by explaining that the work relationships that you form over time are also significant in your success. Never exploit your relationships and continue to form honest and sincere relationships where you want to help others. Never think of other people as stepping stones to boost you. Rupert wants other to know that you should also always maintain the relationships you have created even after you are done working on a particular project. Even though it is difficult to form relationships with everyone you work with, it is your responsibility to find the humanity in everyone. Rupert suggests honesty for those who may be difficult to work with that you feel has armor that cannot be broken. Do not be afraid to tell the truth, but do it kindly.
Rupert Holmes is a man of great wisdom and renowned success and enjoys sharing his secrets for how he got there. To learn more about Rupert and what is coming next, visit his website: www.rupertholmes.com.