What Are You Willing to Throw Your Life Away On?

Ep. 27: Talking Guitars! Mistakes, Taking Risks & Picks Again!

A simple setting… a guitar… and a DEEP message hidden inside it. From the quiet of the cabin, Andrew moves from talking guitars into something far more fundamental: the nature of mistakes, risk, creativity, and growth. He challenges the very idea that mistakes even exist — suggesting instead that what we call “errors” are often the doorway to discovery, expression, and advancement. Through music, recording, and life experience, he shows how growth requires risk, experimentation, and the willingness to surprise yourself. From the discipline of practice to the unpredictability of creation, this message points to a larger truth: Life rewards those who extend themselves… who push beyond repetition… and who have the courage to act on insight when it appears. A grounded, practical, and philosophical reflection on creativity, risk, and becoming something more. Chapter Markers (00:00) Opening philosophical frame of the series   (01:12) Morning reflections and the “garden of guitars”   (02:19) Are there really mistakes in life?   (03:25) Accidents, surprises, and creativity   (03:43) Risk and extending your potential   (05:43) Repetition vs growth in music and life   (07:05) Attitude as the lens of reality   (08:55) Playing beyond muscle memory   (09:41) Loss, rebuilding, and relationship to instruments   (11:11) Letting go of perfection and status   (13:35) Tools, instruments, and expression   (16:26) Creativity vs productivity in recording   (17:42) Space, time, and refinement in art   (24:45) First takes vs repetition and mastery   (26:05) Creativity, altered states, and breakthroughs   (29:03) The mind as a problem-solving system   (29:50) Insight, courage, and acting on ideas   (30:23) Risk, grit, and what life rewards   (30:56) Closing reflections on what’s worth your life Song: Twisted World - andrew reed & the liberation Album: As a Bird of the Air… (Trilogy I Album 1) Social Media Links www.mvi.life [https://www.mvi.life/] Official Website: www.AndrewReedMusic.com [http://www.andrewreedmusic.com/] Facebook: @andrewreedandtheliberation [https://www.facebook.com/andrewreedandtheliberation]  X: @AndrewReedMusic [https://twitter.com/AndrewReedMusic]  Instagram: @AndrewReedMusic [https://www.instagram.com/andrewreedmusic/?hl=en]  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2Lx7DnbB5qyt7uwV8yeHwE [https://open.spotify.com/artist/2Lx7DnbB5qyt7uwV8yeHwE] Youtube Channel: @andrewreedtheliberation [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDAcljgsZJzLkADGnQQtldg?view_as=subscriber] MVI Phone #: (828) 698-5885 Click here to view the episode transcript. [https://share.transistor.fm/s/bc980ed2/transcript] Watch out for the next message, every two weeks on Fridays @ 7:01am (EST)! “Each song demands a guitar that likes that song.”

Ep. 26: Compensation - The ONLY Way to World-Class

A DEEP and foundational message: Life itself is a system of COMPENSATION. In this episode, Andrew speaks plainly and directly to you from the Awakened Forest without any of the spectacle of a large public audience. He goes DEEP into the philosophical explanations of why Compensation IS your main System/Structure in creating a World-Class company. We live in a world of “Incentives and Disincentives”... and BOTH the Positive and Negative need to be used in a balanced system that will LAST!  Emerson sets the frame, Munger lands the punch (“Show me the Incentive, and I’ll show you the Result”), and Reed goes about as far as any business person or philosopher has gone on the topic. And he gets practical… REAL -REALITY- What IS! Humans seek Purpose & Meaning over Money, so this is paramount…and bad or poor cultures will drive away Top Talent no matter how much you pay them… Chapter Markers (00:00) Intro (02:18) Compensation as a profound life principle (04:28) Incentives, disincentives, and human motivation (06:50) Pain, accountability, and organizational reality (08:06) Structural systems vs people solutions (11:28) Compensation as a universal law of life (12:59) Meaning, purpose, and the limits of money (17:33) Financial pay vs psychic/job compensation (18:43) Cause-and-effect and the transactional nature of existence (24:54) The developmental value of pain and dissatisfaction (27:10) Risk, effort, and earning true success (30:11) Value perception and the psychology of reward (33:20) Wealth as the ability to luxuriate in life (35:42) Happiness, discipline, and earned satisfaction (38:24) Helping others succeed as the path to success (40:02) Compensation as a force that creates focus (43:10) Early compensation system success stories (44:30) Evolving compensation systems and people development (45:50) The ecosystem of mutual benefit Song: Twisted World - andrew reed & the liberation Album: As a Bird of the Air… (Trilogy I Album 1) Social Media Links www.mvi.life [https://www.mvi.life/] Official Website: www.AndrewReedMusic.com [http://www.andrewreedmusic.com/] Facebook: @andrewreedandtheliberation [https://www.facebook.com/andrewreedandtheliberation]  X: @AndrewReedMusic [https://twitter.com/AndrewReedMusic]  Instagram: @AndrewReedMusic [https://www.instagram.com/andrewreedmusic/?hl=en]  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2Lx7DnbB5qyt7uwV8yeHwE [https://open.spotify.com/artist/2Lx7DnbB5qyt7uwV8yeHwE] Youtube Channel: @andrewreedtheliberation [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDAcljgsZJzLkADGnQQtldg?view_as=subscriber] MVI Phone #: (828) 698-5885 Click here to view the episode transcript. [https://share.transistor.fm/s/7010224d/transcript] Watch out for the next message, every two weeks on Fridays @ 7:01am (EST)! “Show me the incentive, and I'll show you the result.”

Ep. 25: The Music Business... A Few Considered Opinions

In this interview episode, Andrew offers a clear-eyed look at the Music Business—not as mythology, but as lived reality. He explains why constraints (time, money, energy) often fuel creativity rather than restrict it, and why the most talented people are those who can take a small seed and make it grow! Andrew draws a sharp distinction between Art and Entertainment, stating that sometimes artists must eventually choose which path they’re willing to walk—and accept the consequences.   The conversation turns practical as Andrew discusses the role of the Music Manager, the danger of image over substance, and why results—not appearance—are the only honest measure of competence. The throughline is simple and uncompromising: creativity, integrity, and intelligence matter more than excess, hype, or unlimited resources. Chapter Markers (00:00) Intro (01:04) The Interview Context — Sedgwick Studios, art vs. entertainment (02:00) The Music Business Reality — “Flakes, fruitcakes, and vultures” (03:02) Art vs. Entertainment — Depth vs. pleasing the masses (04:12) The Trap of Success — Money, expectation, and creative risk (05:11) Authenticity — Creating beyond opinion and commercial appeal (06:16) What a Manager Actually Is — Allocation of assets, ROI (07:39) Image vs. Reality — Looking successful vs. being successful (09:08) Outliers & Integrity — Modeling the 90th percentile (10:56) Constraints as Fuel — Time, money, and the human experience (11:57) Half the Time Rule — Pressure that sharpens thinking (13:38) Sleep & the Brain — Letting problems sort themselves (15:08) Budget Balance — Enough time vs. too much (16:22) Talent Test — Who can grow a small seed (17:25) “If Only” Thinking — Why some people never grow (18:26) Close — Final thanks Song: Twisted World - andrew reed & the liberation Album: As a Bird of the Air… (Trilogy I Album 1) Social Media Links www.mvi.life [https://www.mvi.life/] Official Website: www.AndrewReedMusic.com [http://www.andrewreedmusic.com/] Facebook: @andrewreedandtheliberation [https://www.facebook.com/andrewreedandtheliberation]  X: @AndrewReedMusic [https://twitter.com/AndrewReedMusic]  Instagram: @AndrewReedMusic [https://www.instagram.com/andrewreedmusic/?hl=en]  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2Lx7DnbB5qyt7uwV8yeHwE [https://open.spotify.com/artist/2Lx7DnbB5qyt7uwV8yeHwE] Youtube Channel: @andrewreedtheliberation [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDAcljgsZJzLkADGnQQtldg?view_as=subscriber] MVI Phone #: (828) 698-5885 Click here to view the episode transcript. [https://share.transistor.fm/s/cd014a65/transcript] Watch out for the next message, every two weeks on Fridays @ 7:01am (EST)! “People can't give what they don't have.”

Ep. 24: Ditch the Pick! Guitar Technique and Insights!

Ditch the Pick!   Andrew walks through insights gained over many years of playing the guitar and making music. He discusses the fingers as natural extensions (modified with acrylics)  and the use of a “plectrum” (pick) as well as how a person’s playing, techniques and style change over time. He shares how one gains experience from “adapting around injuries”, with sometimes customizing instruments (often even shaving a Les Paul neck or any instrument) to get the feel right for you. Andrew has suffered loss of use of BOTH arms and hands, one from an accident and another from a physician's error! He worked like CRAZY to “rehabilitate” them back into top playing form… and he plays BETTER NOW, after the injuries, by developing a higher consciousness of his body and his instruments.   The theme: there’s no rule book—style emerges from your body, history of playing, and relationship with each guitar. Let your technique, instrument choices, and touch evolve—because no two notes (or players) are alike! Chapter Markers (00:00) Intro (02:10) Ditch the Pick — Nails as “natural extensions,” new possibilities (03:07) Adapt & Overcome — Injuries → rehab → evolving technique (03:47) Tools & Tradeoffs — Two fingers, plunkiness, pinches, flesh–string mix (05:29) Evolving Your Own Way — Style from body/history/feel (06:34) No Rule Book — No two people (or notes) are alike (08:40) “No Bad Notes” — Choose instruments that fit; customize necks (09:28) Instruments as Friends — Bonding with specific guitars (10:03) After the Fires — Treasuring instruments post-loss (12:01) Let It Flow — Play what emerges; “beyond command” (13:12) Close — Thanks and sign-off Song: Twisted World - andrew reed & the liberation Album: As a Bird of the Air… (Trilogy I Album 1) Social Media Links www.mvi.life [https://www.mvi.life/] Official Website: www.AndrewReedMusic.com [http://www.andrewreedmusic.com/] Facebook: @andrewreedandtheliberation [https://www.facebook.com/andrewreedandtheliberation]  X: @AndrewReedMusic [https://twitter.com/AndrewReedMusic]  Instagram: @AndrewReedMusic [https://www.instagram.com/andrewreedmusic/?hl=en]  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2Lx7DnbB5qyt7uwV8yeHwE [https://open.spotify.com/artist/2Lx7DnbB5qyt7uwV8yeHwE] Youtube Channel: @andrewreedtheliberation [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDAcljgsZJzLkADGnQQtldg?view_as=subscriber] MVI Phone #: (828) 698-5885 Click here to view the episode transcript. [https://share.transistor.fm/s/24938032/transcript] Watch out for the next message, every two weeks on Fridays @ 7:01am (EST)! “You evolve your own way. There’s no rule book… about how to make music or how to play an instrument.”

Ep. 23: Quality, Leadership, and Personal Growth Interviewed by Chris Comeaux

In close collaboration with Jeff Haffner, Chris Comeaux, and Teleios Studios Quality FIRST and ALWAYS! Stunning Economics follow. In a fast-moving crossover with Chris Comeaux and TCNTalks, Andrew, in his direct manner, affirm that Quality Comes from Within, separates Good from Bad Profits, and ties Margin to structure, intense training, and a complete COMMITMENT to Quality! They cover some of the basics of The Model (Perfect Phones, Perfect Visits + Perfect Documentation), System7, the utter importance of Benchmarking, and why great Leaders reconcile art + science. Stories range from Andrew recruiting Chris to Hendersonville to Green-Beret-influenced discipline from meetings at the Japan-House, with a simple refrain:  Our lives (and organizations) don’t just happen—they flow out of us. Chapter Markers (00:00) Why This Series  (03:10) Meet the Host & Guest — Chris Comeaux introduces Andrew; bio & backstory (12:39) Margin vs. Quality — Good profits vs. bad profits; intention over spend (15:15) Quality From Within — J-House, Special Forces influence, phones within three rings (17:26) Define Bad Profits — Slashed training, squeezed quality, sustainable standards (19:55) Beyond Budgets — Percent-based models that flex with volume and revenue (24:50) System7 & People Dev — Train to the system; art + science in care delivery (30:24) Model the Masters — Copy great teachers; humility to adapt practices (33:28) Teaching With Edge — “Perfect Visit” certification; standards with heart (41:20) Perfect Phones Matter — Two hours → big lift; win trust on first contact (46:28) Deming + Drucker — Systems and mission; both/and thinking (50:28) Final Counsel — Mirror, truth, and numbers as tools; close & bookmark TCNtalks Video Link https://youtu.be/CpHQWpPsdmc?si=XzeDED214--oezTq Anatomy Of Leadership Video Link https://youtu.be/k6RUs8QII94?si=m4aqTcG0LZwE4Xlx Song: Twisted World - andrew reed & the liberation Album: As a Bird of the Air… (Trilogy I Album 1) Social Media Links www.mvi.life [https://www.mvi.life/] Official Website: www.AndrewReedMusic.com [http://www.andrewreedmusic.com/] Facebook: @andrewreedandtheliberation [https://www.facebook.com/andrewreedandtheliberation]  X: @AndrewReedMusic [https://twitter.com/AndrewReedMusic]  Instagram: @AndrewReedMusic [https://www.instagram.com/andrewreedmusic/?hl=en]  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2Lx7DnbB5qyt7uwV8yeHwE [https://open.spotify.com/artist/2Lx7DnbB5qyt7uwV8yeHwE] Youtube Channel: @andrewreedtheliberation [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDAcljgsZJzLkADGnQQtldg?view_as=subscriber] MVI Phone #: (828) 698-5885 Click here to view the episode transcript. [https://share.transistor.fm/s/5aef5f97/transcript] Watch out for the next message, every two weeks on Fridays @ 7:01am (EST)! “Quality comes from within. Our lives don’t just happen. They flow out of us.”