Culminating	
  Experience	
  Reflection	
  
Trevy	
  Kiy	
  
	
  
The	
  Culminating	
  Experience	
  project	
  was	
  one	
  that	
  I	
  was	
  very	
  excited	
  about	
  
upon	
  arriving	
  to	
  Berklee	
  Valencia.	
  The	
  opportunity	
  to	
  engage	
  in	
  a	
  year-­‐long	
  
academic	
  project	
  that	
  allowed	
  me	
  to	
  choose	
  my	
  focus	
  based	
  upon	
  my	
  career	
  goals	
  
and	
  personal	
  interests	
  was	
  a	
  very	
  influential	
  factor	
  in	
  the	
  decision	
  to	
  attend	
  Berklee	
  
Valencia.	
  Throughout	
  the	
  course	
  of	
  the	
  project,	
  however,	
  the	
  format	
  and	
  overall	
  
completion	
  process	
  of	
  the	
  project	
  drastically	
  failed	
  to	
  meet	
  my	
  expectations,	
  leading	
  
to	
  a	
  frustrated	
  and	
  stifled	
  output.	
  
	
  

	
  

1.	
  Project	
  Summary	
  
For	
  what	
  became	
  the	
  final	
  incarnation	
  of	
  my	
  Culminating	
  Experience,	
  I	
  
drafted	
  the	
  business	
  plan	
  for	
  Hit	
  Brewery,	
  a	
  company	
  that	
  I	
  have	
  been	
  developing	
  on	
  
my	
  own	
  throughout	
  the	
  year.	
  Hit	
  Brewery	
  is	
  a	
  brewpub	
  and	
  recording	
  studio	
  that	
  is	
  
currently	
  growing	
  from	
  a	
  small,	
  homebrew	
  based,	
  nanobrewery	
  into	
  its	
  ideal	
  status	
  
as	
  a	
  competitive	
  local	
  brewpub	
  upon	
  returning	
  home	
  to	
  Southern	
  California	
  this	
  fall.	
  
The	
  brewpub	
  will	
  be	
  set	
  apart	
  from	
  its	
  competitors	
  by	
  featuring	
  an	
  attached	
  
recording	
  studio,	
  heavily	
  steeped	
  in	
  craft	
  beer	
  culture,	
  that	
  will	
  allow	
  me	
  to	
  connect	
  
with	
  a	
  target	
  market	
  that	
  I	
  know	
  extremely	
  well,	
  independent	
  musicians.	
  My	
  
business	
  plan	
  took	
  steps	
  to	
  define	
  the	
  business	
  idea	
  and	
  analyze	
  key	
  business	
  
factors,	
  such	
  as	
  the	
  company’s	
  market,	
  industry,	
  and	
  financial	
  aspects.	
  	
  
	
  
	
  

1	
  

2.	
  Results:	
  How	
  the	
  project	
  did	
  and	
  did	
  not	
  align	
  with	
  expectations	
  
	
  

Although	
  developing	
  the	
  business	
  plan	
  for	
  Hit	
  Brewery	
  allowed	
  me	
  to	
  work	
  

on	
  a	
  project	
  that	
  aids	
  in	
  the	
  development	
  of	
  my	
  company,	
  the	
  project	
  did	
  not	
  align	
  at	
  
all	
  with	
  my	
  goals	
  for	
  the	
  GEMB	
  master’s	
  program.	
  When	
  starting	
  the	
  program	
  this	
  
past	
  September,	
  I	
  had	
  the	
  goal	
  of	
  taking	
  my	
  previous	
  music	
  education	
  at	
  Berklee	
  
College	
  of	
  Music,	
  and	
  applying	
  it	
  to	
  my	
  music	
  business	
  curriculum	
  and	
  practical	
  
experience	
  in	
  order	
  to	
  leave	
  Berklee	
  Valencia	
  with	
  the	
  ability	
  to	
  enter	
  the	
  
independent	
  music	
  industry	
  as	
  a	
  solo	
  artist	
  and	
  entrepreneur.	
  	
  
The	
  key	
  aspect	
  of	
  this	
  goal	
  was	
  my	
  focus	
  on	
  independence.	
  I	
  will	
  never	
  work	
  
for	
  or	
  under	
  a	
  major	
  label	
  or	
  other	
  major	
  music	
  company,	
  like	
  LiveNation	
  or	
  AEG	
  
Live.	
  For	
  years,	
  I	
  have	
  said	
  that	
  I	
  would	
  much	
  rather	
  prefer	
  having	
  a	
  strong,	
  loyal	
  
local	
  fan	
  or	
  consumer	
  base	
  than	
  global	
  exposure	
  and	
  recognition.	
  With	
  that	
  said,	
  the	
  
GEMB	
  program	
  at	
  Berklee	
  Valencia,	
  and	
  in	
  turn,	
  my	
  Culminating	
  Experience	
  project,	
  
did	
  not	
  align	
  with	
  these	
  goals	
  at	
  all.	
  As	
  I	
  now	
  sit	
  mere	
  weeks	
  away	
  from	
  graduation,	
  I	
  
have	
  simply	
  received	
  an	
  education	
  that	
  is	
  a	
  mere	
  overview	
  of	
  the	
  many	
  possible	
  jobs	
  
within	
  the	
  major	
  music	
  industry.	
  I	
  know,	
  theoretically,	
  what	
  an	
  artist	
  manager	
  does,	
  
what	
  a	
  booking	
  agent	
  does,	
  and	
  what	
  a	
  publisher	
  does.	
  This	
  overview	
  of	
  information	
  
has	
  not	
  helped	
  me	
  meet	
  my	
  goal	
  of	
  possessing	
  the	
  skills	
  of	
  a	
  practical	
  independent,	
  
DIY	
  musician.	
  My	
  Culminating	
  Experience	
  project,	
  consisting	
  of	
  a	
  theoretical	
  Hit	
  
Brewery	
  business	
  plan	
  embodied	
  this	
  inability	
  to	
  meet	
  these	
  goals.	
  	
  
This	
  inability	
  is	
  not	
  a	
  product	
  of	
  a	
  lack	
  of	
  effort	
  or	
  ambition	
  on	
  my	
  part,	
  but	
  
rather,	
  a	
  persistent	
  discouragement	
  and	
  disrespect	
  of	
  my	
  goals	
  at	
  the	
  hands	
  of	
  my	
  
advisor.	
  My	
  initial	
  project	
  proposal,	
  which	
  was	
  repeatedly	
  denied,	
  is	
  one	
  that	
  I	
  feel	
  
	
  

2	
  

best	
  allowed	
  me	
  to	
  accomplish	
  my	
  personal	
  goals.	
  This	
  operational	
  project	
  entailed	
  
the	
  practical	
  development	
  and	
  execution	
  of	
  my	
  career	
  as	
  a	
  rapper	
  under	
  the	
  name	
  
Pappagiorgio.	
  The	
  bulk	
  of	
  my	
  career	
  goals	
  upon	
  graduation	
  currently	
  center	
  around	
  
my	
  musical	
  pursuits.	
  Having	
  never	
  taken	
  the	
  opportunity	
  in	
  the	
  past	
  to	
  truly	
  focus	
  
on	
  development	
  and	
  implementation	
  of	
  my	
  brand	
  and	
  product	
  as	
  a	
  rapper,	
  I	
  felt	
  that	
  
the	
  Culminating	
  Experience	
  embodied	
  the	
  perfect	
  opportunity	
  to	
  finally	
  do	
  so.	
  I	
  was	
  
further	
  encouraged	
  by	
  the	
  fact	
  that	
  the	
  initial	
  presentation	
  of	
  the	
  CE	
  project	
  
included	
  the	
  option	
  of	
  an	
  operational	
  project	
  consisting	
  of	
  the	
  recording	
  and	
  release	
  
of	
  an	
  EP.	
  My	
  original	
  idea	
  went	
  far	
  beyond	
  this	
  “approved”	
  option,	
  including	
  the	
  
following	
  practical	
  business	
  operations	
  of	
  an	
  independent	
  artist.	
  
	
  
1.	
  The	
  development	
  of	
  the	
  Pappagiorgio	
  brand,	
  including	
  logo,	
  website,	
  and	
  social	
  
media	
  management,	
  and	
  other	
  important	
  marketing	
  practices.	
  	
  
2.	
  The	
  development	
  of	
  tangible,	
  quality	
  product.	
  This	
  initially	
  was	
  to	
  include	
  3	
  
separate	
  musical	
  projects,	
  2	
  full-­‐length	
  albums	
  and	
  a	
  mixtape,	
  allowing	
  me	
  to	
  
release	
  enough	
  content	
  to	
  promote	
  and	
  perform	
  over	
  the	
  next	
  handful	
  of	
  years.	
  
3.	
  The	
  learning	
  of	
  music	
  video	
  production	
  and	
  the	
  development	
  of	
  substantial	
  video	
  
content.	
  
4.	
  The	
  planning	
  and	
  execution	
  of	
  a	
  tour	
  through	
  Europe	
  over	
  multiple	
  cities	
  and	
  
countries...an	
  opportunity	
  that	
  I	
  may	
  never	
  have	
  again.	
  	
  
5.	
  The	
  strategic	
  release	
  and	
  marketing	
  of	
  my	
  various	
  musical	
  releases.	
  	
  
	
  

	
  

3	
  

	
  

The	
  above	
  project	
  would	
  have	
  thoroughly	
  challenged	
  me	
  as	
  a	
  student	
  and	
  

developing	
  professional	
  within	
  the	
  independent	
  music	
  industry.	
  The	
  above	
  project	
  
would	
  have	
  also	
  perfectly	
  matched	
  my	
  goals	
  for	
  the	
  program.	
  However,	
  due	
  to	
  
reasons	
  that	
  I	
  still	
  do	
  not	
  understand,	
  this	
  project	
  was	
  met	
  with	
  significant	
  
negativity,	
  and	
  my	
  proposal	
  was	
  denied.	
  Looking	
  back	
  on	
  this	
  initial	
  proposal,	
  I	
  am	
  
left	
  with	
  the	
  overwhelming	
  feeling	
  that	
  this	
  project	
  was	
  viewed	
  by	
  my	
  advisor	
  as	
  me	
  
just	
  wanting	
  to	
  hang	
  out	
  in	
  the	
  studio	
  all	
  year	
  and	
  rap.	
  Quite	
  to	
  the	
  contrary,	
  this	
  
project	
  would	
  have	
  pushed	
  me	
  educationally,	
  creatively,	
  and	
  professionally	
  in	
  ways	
  
that	
  would	
  have	
  prepared	
  me	
  to	
  attempt	
  to	
  establish	
  a	
  career	
  as	
  a	
  hip	
  hop	
  artist.	
  The	
  
lack	
  of	
  support	
  that	
  I	
  received	
  from	
  my	
  advisor	
  on	
  this	
  project	
  left	
  me	
  with	
  the	
  
feeling	
  that	
  this	
  career	
  ambition	
  was	
  not	
  taken	
  seriously,	
  merely	
  viewed	
  as	
  a	
  hobby.	
  
Furthermore,	
  I	
  feel	
  that	
  not	
  enough	
  faith	
  and	
  trust	
  was	
  put	
  in	
  me	
  as	
  an	
  adult	
  
master’s	
  level	
  student,	
  to	
  independently	
  push	
  myself	
  to	
  ensure	
  that	
  a	
  project	
  
centered	
  around	
  my	
  operations	
  as	
  a	
  hip	
  hop	
  artist	
  would	
  be	
  of	
  a	
  high	
  academic	
  
calibur.	
  
As	
  I	
  attempted	
  to	
  comply	
  with	
  these	
  requests,	
  I	
  shifted	
  my	
  operational	
  
project	
  to	
  reflect	
  the	
  development	
  of	
  Hit	
  Brewery.	
  By	
  focusing	
  on	
  the	
  practical	
  
development	
  of	
  the	
  business	
  operations	
  of	
  Hit	
  Brewery,	
  the	
  project	
  would	
  have	
  
allowed	
  me	
  to	
  learn	
  as	
  much	
  as	
  possible	
  about	
  the	
  entrepreneurial	
  process,	
  start-­‐up	
  
operations,	
  while	
  still	
  allowing	
  me	
  to	
  incorporate	
  music	
  related	
  elements	
  from	
  the	
  
previous	
  project.	
  Once	
  again,	
  this	
  extremely	
  practical	
  operational	
  project	
  was	
  
denied	
  in	
  favor	
  of	
  a	
  business	
  plan.	
  	
  
	
  
	
  

4	
  

3.	
  Plan	
  of	
  action/process	
  
	
  

I	
  realize	
  that	
  the	
  development	
  of	
  a	
  business	
  plan	
  is	
  an	
  important	
  aspect	
  of	
  

starting	
  a	
  business	
  and	
  I	
  was	
  actually	
  already	
  beginning	
  to	
  draft	
  one	
  up	
  at	
  the	
  time	
  
of	
  determining	
  that	
  this	
  would	
  be	
  the	
  entirety	
  of	
  my	
  Culminating	
  Experience.	
  
Initially,	
  although	
  not	
  my	
  first	
  choice,	
  I	
  was	
  at	
  least	
  excited	
  about	
  the	
  fact	
  that	
  the	
  CE	
  
project	
  allowed	
  me	
  to	
  focus	
  on	
  Hit	
  Brewery.	
  However,	
  as	
  I	
  proceeded	
  to	
  work	
  and	
  
develop	
  my	
  business	
  plan,	
  the	
  project	
  became	
  very	
  100%	
  theoretical	
  and	
  
completely	
  abandoned	
  the	
  desire	
  for	
  my	
  project	
  to	
  be	
  operational,	
  not	
  providing	
  me	
  
with	
  any	
  opportunity	
  to	
  implement	
  my	
  goals	
  and	
  gain	
  practical	
  experience.	
  
	
  

The	
  problem	
  with	
  developing	
  the	
  business	
  plan	
  for	
  my	
  Culminating	
  

Experience	
  is	
  that	
  I	
  quickly	
  realized	
  that	
  I	
  was	
  unable	
  to	
  write	
  the	
  paper	
  on	
  my	
  own	
  
terms.	
  As	
  I	
  began	
  to	
  develop	
  the	
  business	
  plan,	
  I	
  was	
  paralleling	
  the	
  document’s	
  
development	
  with	
  the	
  progress	
  in	
  last	
  semester’s	
  Entrepreneurship	
  &	
  Innovation	
  
project.	
  As	
  the	
  curriculum	
  of	
  E&I	
  began	
  to	
  wrap	
  up,	
  I	
  realized	
  that	
  my	
  goals	
  as	
  an	
  
entrepreneur	
  were	
  not	
  aligned	
  with	
  GEMB’s	
  idea	
  of	
  a	
  business	
  owner.	
  For	
  the	
  
purposes	
  of	
  Hit	
  Brewery,	
  I	
  will	
  not	
  be	
  taking	
  the	
  typical	
  developmental	
  route	
  of	
  the	
  
trendy	
  Silicon	
  Valley	
  start-­‐up	
  that	
  is,	
  quite	
  frankly,	
  narrow-­‐mindedly	
  taught	
  at	
  
Berklee	
  Valencia.	
  Where	
  most	
  entrepreneurs	
  rely	
  heavily	
  on	
  a	
  business	
  plan	
  to	
  aid	
  
with	
  idea	
  development,	
  securing	
  investors,	
  and	
  practically	
  developing	
  the	
  company,	
  
I	
  will	
  not	
  be	
  following	
  such	
  a	
  path.	
  The	
  idea	
  for	
  the	
  business	
  has	
  already	
  been	
  
developed	
  after	
  multiple	
  trials	
  and	
  incarnations	
  and	
  I	
  will	
  never	
  pitch	
  the	
  idea	
  to	
  
investors.	
  I	
  currently	
  have	
  the	
  capital	
  required	
  to	
  start	
  Hit	
  Brewery	
  and	
  quickly	
  

	
  

5	
  

found	
  that	
  the	
  development	
  of	
  the	
  business	
  plan,	
  per	
  GEMB’s	
  standards,	
  did	
  not	
  fit	
  
with	
  the	
  way	
  that	
  I	
  intend	
  to	
  develop	
  and	
  execute	
  Hit	
  Brewery.	
  	
  
	
  

The	
  process	
  of	
  the	
  project	
  was	
  reflective	
  of	
  this	
  fact.	
  After	
  wasting	
  multiple	
  

months	
  proposing	
  project	
  ideas	
  that	
  were	
  subsequently	
  denied,	
  the	
  initial	
  months	
  of	
  
the	
  development	
  of	
  my	
  business	
  plan	
  included	
  many	
  pages	
  and	
  sections	
  that	
  I	
  
eventually	
  abandoned,	
  as	
  I	
  felt	
  they	
  did	
  not	
  reflect	
  the	
  most	
  pertinent	
  information	
  
for	
  the	
  way	
  in	
  which	
  I	
  am	
  developing	
  my	
  company.	
  As	
  the	
  project	
  went	
  on,	
  I	
  began	
  
to	
  realize	
  that	
  many	
  of	
  the	
  suggested	
  business	
  plan	
  topics	
  were	
  only	
  there	
  to	
  wow	
  
and	
  attract	
  investors,	
  a	
  process	
  that	
  I	
  will	
  not	
  be	
  engaging	
  in	
  for	
  Hit	
  Brewery.	
  	
  
	
  

All	
  in	
  all,	
  the	
  process	
  of	
  the	
  project	
  became	
  a	
  battle	
  of	
  how	
  I	
  wanted	
  to	
  

present	
  my	
  business	
  versus	
  the	
  way	
  that	
  the	
  GEMB	
  curriculum	
  wanted	
  me	
  to	
  
present	
  my	
  business.	
  I	
  became	
  very	
  disappointed	
  at	
  this	
  realization,	
  as	
  I	
  felt	
  that	
  the	
  
reality	
  of	
  the	
  project	
  development	
  process	
  drastically	
  did	
  not	
  meet	
  the	
  supposed	
  
goals	
  of	
  the	
  Culminating	
  Experience,	
  as	
  detailed	
  at	
  the	
  beginning	
  of	
  the	
  year.	
  	
  
	
  
4.	
  Next	
  Steps	
  
	
  

Although	
  the	
  development	
  of	
  Hit	
  Brewery	
  will	
  be	
  a	
  critical	
  part	
  of	
  my	
  future	
  

professional	
  endeavors,	
  this	
  particular	
  project	
  will	
  not	
  be	
  continued	
  beyond	
  this	
  
point.	
  The	
  Hit	
  Brewery	
  business	
  plan,	
  as	
  I	
  desire	
  it,	
  is	
  completed	
  and	
  I	
  will	
  continue	
  
to	
  store	
  it	
  on	
  my	
  hard	
  drive.	
  I	
  don’t,	
  however,	
  see	
  me	
  referencing	
  the	
  document	
  
much	
  as	
  I	
  implement	
  Hit	
  Brewery’s	
  practical	
  operations.	
  Unfortunately,	
  the	
  inability	
  
to	
  incorporate	
  practical	
  business	
  operations	
  into	
  my	
  Culminating	
  Experience	
  has	
  

	
  

6	
  

left	
  me	
  in	
  a	
  position	
  that	
  is	
  not	
  very	
  advantageous	
  in	
  the	
  development	
  of	
  my	
  
practical	
  goals	
  as	
  they	
  pertain	
  to	
  both	
  Hit	
  Brewery	
  and	
  Pappagiorgio.	
  	
  
	
  

Going	
  forward,	
  I	
  will	
  have	
  to	
  independently	
  do	
  those	
  initial	
  trial	
  and	
  error	
  

business	
  operations	
  that	
  I	
  attempted	
  to	
  accomplish	
  throughout	
  the	
  Culminating	
  
Experience	
  project.	
  The	
  development	
  of	
  my	
  brand	
  and	
  career	
  as	
  a	
  solo	
  artist,	
  which	
  
was	
  my	
  initial	
  proposed	
  Culminating	
  Experience,	
  will	
  be	
  especially	
  difficult	
  to	
  
implement	
  as	
  I	
  attempt	
  to	
  balance	
  that	
  along	
  with	
  a	
  day	
  job	
  and	
  the	
  development	
  of	
  
Hit	
  Brewery.	
  Looking	
  back,	
  the	
  opportunity	
  to	
  use	
  academic	
  time	
  to	
  focus	
  on	
  these	
  
operations	
  for	
  my	
  career	
  as	
  an	
  artist	
  would	
  have	
  put	
  me	
  in	
  a	
  much	
  more	
  
advantageous	
  position	
  going	
  forward.	
  	
  
	
  

Nevertheless,	
  I	
  will	
  be	
  moving	
  forward	
  with	
  the	
  development	
  of	
  both	
  my	
  solo	
  

career	
  and	
  Hit	
  Brewery.	
  I	
  have	
  a	
  developed	
  a	
  beer	
  production	
  schedule	
  that	
  will	
  
allow	
  me	
  to	
  begin	
  to	
  sell	
  beer	
  and	
  promote	
  the	
  Hit	
  Brewery	
  brand	
  in	
  Southern	
  
California.	
  In	
  the	
  coming	
  year,	
  I	
  will	
  be	
  developing	
  a	
  studio	
  and	
  beginning	
  to	
  work	
  
toward	
  the	
  development	
  of	
  Hit	
  Brewery’s	
  ideal	
  format	
  as	
  a	
  brewpub	
  and	
  recording	
  
studio	
  as	
  well	
  as	
  managing	
  my	
  own	
  career	
  as	
  an	
  artist.	
  I	
  just	
  wish	
  that	
  given	
  the	
  
significant	
  investment	
  made	
  in	
  my	
  education	
  at	
  Berklee	
  Valencia,	
  the	
  program	
  
would	
  have	
  left	
  me	
  in	
  a	
  better	
  professional	
  position	
  upon	
  graduation.	
  
	
  
5.	
  Contributions	
  to	
  the	
  discipline	
  /	
  profession	
  
	
  

When	
  reflecting	
  upon	
  my	
  Culminating	
  Experience,	
  the	
  project’s	
  contribution	
  

to	
  my	
  professional	
  goals	
  is	
  perhaps	
  the	
  most	
  disappointing	
  aspect	
  of	
  the	
  reality	
  of	
  
the	
  project.	
  I	
  was	
  initially	
  very	
  excited	
  to	
  take	
  the	
  opportunity	
  to	
  use	
  this	
  project	
  to	
  
	
  

7	
  

gain	
  as	
  many	
  professional	
  skills	
  as	
  possible,	
  as	
  the	
  project	
  was	
  supposedly	
  designed.	
  
In	
  reality,	
  however,	
  I	
  am	
  leaving	
  the	
  program	
  with	
  a	
  project	
  that	
  I	
  unfortunately	
  feel	
  
has	
  not	
  provided	
  me	
  with	
  many	
  practical	
  business	
  skills.	
  The	
  more	
  I	
  worked	
  toward	
  
completing	
  the	
  project,	
  the	
  more	
  I	
  realized	
  that	
  this	
  project	
  was	
  completely	
  
hypothetical.	
  I	
  spent	
  many	
  hours	
  researching	
  and	
  defining	
  theoretical	
  business	
  
aspects,	
  such	
  as	
  my	
  target	
  market,	
  industry,	
  and	
  financials.	
  I	
  became	
  increasingly	
  
frustrated	
  with	
  my	
  project	
  as	
  I	
  began	
  to	
  discover	
  that	
  opinions	
  regarding	
  the	
  writing	
  
and	
  use	
  of	
  business	
  plans	
  is	
  heavily	
  debated	
  my	
  business	
  scholars	
  and	
  successful	
  
entrepreneurs	
  alike.	
  One	
  such	
  negative	
  opinion	
  of	
  business	
  plans	
  is	
  displayed	
  in	
  this	
  
quote	
  by	
  respected	
  entrepreneur	
  and	
  author	
  Guy	
  Kawasaki.	
  	
  
	
  
“Organizations	
  are	
  successful	
  because	
  of	
  good	
  implementation,	
  not	
  good	
  
business	
  plans.”	
  –	
  Guy	
  Kawasaki1	
  
	
  

	
  

	
  

Research	
  outcomes	
  and	
  quotes	
  like	
  this	
  allowed	
  me	
  to	
  realize	
  that	
  I	
  have	
  not	
  

even	
  come	
  close	
  to	
  accomplishing	
  the	
  initial	
  goal	
  for	
  my	
  Culminating	
  Experience.	
  I	
  
am	
  leaving	
  Berklee	
  Valencia	
  with	
  a	
  completely	
  theoretical	
  document	
  that	
  will	
  in	
  no	
  
way	
  define	
  the	
  actual	
  success	
  of	
  Hit	
  Brewery.	
  	
  
	
  
6.	
  Impact	
  on	
  the	
  student	
  completing	
  the	
  project	
  
	
  

Ultimately,	
  I	
  have	
  not	
  been	
  allowed	
  to	
  utilize	
  my	
  Culminating	
  Experience	
  to	
  

develop	
  the	
  practical	
  skills	
  that	
  I	
  initially	
  looked	
  to	
  accumulate	
  throughout	
  the	
  
	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
1	
  http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/390028-­‐organizations-­‐are-­‐successful-­‐because-­‐of-­‐good-­‐
implementation-­‐not-­‐good-­‐business-­‐plans	
  
	
  

8	
  

course	
  of	
  this	
  year.	
  The	
  actual	
  result	
  of	
  my	
  Culminating	
  Experience	
  has	
  made	
  it	
  so	
  
that	
  I	
  have	
  a	
  high	
  learning	
  curve	
  and	
  barriers	
  to	
  success	
  upon	
  leaving	
  the	
  school	
  and	
  
moving	
  forward	
  with	
  my	
  business	
  and	
  artistic	
  ventures.	
  	
  
	
  

Although	
  I	
  was	
  ultimately	
  able	
  to	
  complete	
  a	
  CE	
  project	
  that	
  is	
  related	
  to	
  an	
  

actual	
  company	
  that	
  I	
  plan	
  to	
  develop	
  moving	
  forward,	
  the	
  fact	
  remains	
  that	
  this	
  
project	
  and	
  my	
  year	
  at	
  Berklee	
  Valencia	
  as	
  a	
  whole	
  could	
  have	
  been	
  really	
  great	
  for	
  
me.	
  Independently,	
  this	
  year	
  saw	
  my	
  strongest	
  creative	
  output	
  since	
  I	
  began	
  my	
  
work	
  in	
  music	
  over	
  10	
  years	
  ago,	
  yet	
  I	
  often	
  become	
  disappointed	
  when	
  I	
  realize	
  
that	
  if	
  my	
  CE	
  had	
  been	
  allowed	
  to	
  be	
  executed	
  as	
  I	
  originally	
  intended,	
  the	
  year	
  
would	
  have	
  been	
  extremely	
  more	
  productive	
  both	
  creatively	
  and	
  professionally.	
  As	
  
the	
  course	
  of	
  the	
  program	
  went	
  on,	
  the	
  CE	
  project	
  began	
  to	
  become	
  more	
  involved	
  
and	
  take	
  precedence	
  over	
  everything	
  else.	
  This	
  fact	
  would	
  have	
  allowed	
  me	
  much	
  
greater	
  academic	
  freedom	
  to	
  focus	
  on	
  the	
  business	
  elements	
  of	
  my	
  music	
  career,	
  
such	
  as	
  taking	
  time	
  to	
  perform	
  around	
  Europe	
  as	
  I	
  originally	
  intended.	
  Instead,	
  I	
  was	
  
forced	
  to	
  sacrifice	
  the	
  growth	
  of	
  my	
  music	
  career,	
  my	
  original	
  academic	
  goal	
  for	
  the	
  
year,	
  in	
  order	
  to	
  complete	
  a	
  project	
  that	
  increasingly	
  felt	
  manipulated	
  by	
  my	
  advisor	
  
as	
  the	
  year	
  went	
  on.	
  	
  	
  
	
  

It	
  is	
  disappointing	
  that	
  I	
  ultimately	
  reflect	
  negatively	
  on	
  the	
  Culminating	
  

Experience	
  project.	
  As	
  the	
  year	
  went	
  on	
  and	
  the	
  GEMB	
  curriculum	
  began	
  to	
  
drastically	
  disappoint,	
  I	
  looked	
  to	
  the	
  CE	
  as	
  a	
  positive	
  factor	
  that	
  I	
  could	
  put	
  most	
  of	
  
my	
  focus	
  on	
  academically.	
  Unfortunately,	
  this	
  wasn’t	
  the	
  case,	
  as	
  my	
  CE	
  became	
  a	
  
drudgery	
  that	
  significantly	
  decreased	
  my	
  morale	
  as	
  a	
  student.	
  At	
  this	
  point,	
  I	
  am	
  
simply	
  glad	
  to	
  have	
  the	
  project	
  completed	
  so	
  that	
  I	
  can	
  finally	
  return	
  home	
  and	
  
	
  

9	
  

move	
  forward.	
  Hopefully,	
  I	
  will	
  be	
  able	
  to	
  find	
  a	
  practical	
  use	
  for	
  my	
  business	
  plan	
  in	
  
the	
  future.	
  
	
  

	
  

	
  

10