Master Studies Journal
Learning the Basics, in a different way
GEB6508 - Entertainment Business
Master of Science Degree Plan Journal, 2026 - 2027
Classes
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Mastery: Personal Development and Leadership -
Executive Leadership -
Storytelling and Brand Development -
Product and Artist Management -
Entertainment Business Finance -
Digital Marketing
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Negotiation and Deal-Making -
Advanced Entertainment Law -
Media Publishing and Distribution -
Project and Team Management -
Business Plan Development -
Final Project
"Nothing kills you faster than your own mind:
Don't stress over things that are out of your control"
February 2026
Why am I journaling?
It took years of restarts, but I finally managed to get my Bachelor of Science degree June, 2024. Ever since, I've been wondering exactly how my new degree would further my career. I'm already an analog sound engineer in the strange little niche world of Media Preservation. I chose to go into Audio Production to update my skills and learn modern DAW and digital theory. Along the way, I picked up sound design, ADR and Foley skills.
My gamble paid off, and I've been focused primarily on sound preservation and enhancement for the past couple years. Our heritage production house was doing well, we had projects with museums, heritage organizations Radio and Broadcast libraries planned through the end of 2026.
Then all the projects were defunded by Doge and Executive orders.
The last year has been horrendous for my field. To make things worse (for me), sound has become conflated with video preservation, and restoration/preservation work in general is such a specialized field there are very few schools that teach it. Preservation isn't considered to be a trending career, despite the fact that the need for qualified technicians has never been greater.
Because of the cuts and resulting mad chaos in the Arts and Cultural Heritage world right now, jobs are rare as hen's teeth -- epecially in the Northwest. My employer IS the go-to place in Alaska for this sort of large project preservation work, and our whole team has been laid off indefinitely.
So while I wait, and hunt, I've decided to go for a master's degree in Entertainment Business. It makes more sense than getting an MLIS, which is specifically for archivists and collections conservators. I'm not a librarian, I'm a technician. This degree (fingers crossed) will help me stablize my position as an independent professional in an increasingly unstable economy. The next goal will be to expand my preservation work to include individuals and families; working with them to record, organize and celebrate their histories and creative works.
If I want to succeed in this quest, I need a place to think, assess, and keep notes. For the next 12 months, the intention is to keep a running record of what I'm learning, how I feel about it, and log any ideas that come out of the process.
This is going to be an interesting year.
February 2026
MDL501-O: Mastery & Personal Development
2026.02.11
I'm in the middle of my second week of my first class for my Master's Degree. WOW. It has been intense. As luck would have it, the exact same time I started school, my old boss secured a grant, so we all got to come back to work after a 7 MONTH layoff. OMG. Alaska's unemployment is trash. They don't offer even a 1/3 of normal compensation, and Food Stamps and Medicaid are hopelessly backed up.
I'm so glad we're back to work, even if it's only half time, because I've been beyond broke: financially, and in spirit. I haven't just been sitting around, sending out resumes, though. My volunteer radio gig is going strong. I've gone from being just a host to learning how to run the station. Our non-profit board went feral during Covid, unfortunately, so those of us in management are struggling. It's an opportunity to learn non-profit work though, so someday, it'll pay off.
In addition, a band project I've been waiting on for the better part of a year also came together the weekend before classes started up. So that's another thing.
It's all wonderful. It's just a LOT to handle all at once. I'm perpetually exhausted right now.
The assigned reading though....FANTASTIC. So encouraging, and it's exactly the stuff I've been needing to hear. My biggest take-away so far: All that grim determination and focus to stay in music and sound throughout my life is actually leading somewhere. I'm not there yet, but I know more than I think I know. I'll be ok, as long as I focus and don't slack. That way lies Madness. My other takeaway: I'm DEFINITELY a person who needs a purpose and project to remain stable and healthy. Without them, I quickly sink into a depressed puddle of hopelessness and everything falls apart. This tells me I should never retire. Instead, I should periodically adjust and tailor my work to my stamina and physical state. Shoot. I'm already doing that. I think I'm going to be ok.
2026.02.21
Third week. We've been studying networks and life calling.
I'm coalescing around the idea of committing to Media Conservator as my primary focus. Committing is difficult, as my interests range widely and I can do so many creative things that others find difficult. From my reading, though, it's clear that I need to pick a lane. Historical conservation is a great lane. I don't mind, except that I never imagined myself doing something like this.
But really, at 62, with my roundabout education, where else am I going to go? Where I can use my collective skills and hope to make a real impact? I'm not competitive enough to be an entrepreneur on my own behalf, nor do I want to be one. I like the security of working with an established entity. I like performing well enough, but I don't hunger for it.
I grew up performing; it's been more of a duty than a calling, and while I have the talent, I don't have the level of zeal it takes to succeed as more than a local entertainer. Let the kids pour their hearts into it. I'd much rather spend my time preserving their legacy. My son (who is a full-time performing artist) doesn't understand why I'd give it all up, especially after years of putting my career on hold to raise him and his brothers. Sometimes I wonder myself. I mean, I still perform on the radio. I'm still playing music with other musicians.
Why wouldn't I want to go for it? Mostly because I don't like the odds.
Were I in my 20's or 30's, even 40's? I could maaaaybe see putting my everything in one basket and going for it. But not at my age. Greene's deadly reality, "conformism" is such a barrier in the music business that there is simply no point. I'm coming to the same conclusion about mainstream sound production work now, too. A lot of the work appears to be for game design. I looked seriously into it, because I really enjoy doing Foley and A/R work. But when I started researching companies, I realized I was going to be working (and in direct competition) with 20 year olds who have lived and breathed gaming their entire lives (I stopped gaming the minute they went from 2-D to 360-view, back in 2000). I'd have valuable insight to contribute, but being the oldest newbie in a room of young gamers? I don't feel I'd get the chance. That attitude may be self-defeating, but I don't think it unrealistic.
Anyway. I have other avenues to explore: performance, sound design, music writing, etc.
I don't necessarily need to make money to justify doing those things. I DO need to make a living wage, though, and the deeper I get into conservation work, the more excitement I feel.
I like being a technician. Fixing and preserving things makes me happy. I'm learning more about the archival side of things now, and that opens a whole new area to explore. And NONE of this work will require me to physically exhaust myself, drain my social batteries, or require me to personally put up with the kind of attitude or disrespect I've dealt with in other work environments, because there are just too few of us around. (This last may be colored by my general disenchantment with public discourse manners in this country. But it does seem that the fewer people in one's knowledge circle, the more likely people are to be polite)
To reflect this new direction, I'm currently in the process of updating my linkedIn page: www.linkedin.com/in/owensthorndyke and renewed my membership with https://arsc-audio.org/ . I'm going to try to go to the conference this May, if I can afford it. I'll be signing up with https://aes.org/ just as soon as I finish the paperwork. They're the biggest association for sound engineers, and it looks like a good place to meet and greet others in my field. I'm developing a running list of network people. After an evening of scavenging, I'm reminded how very rarified my field is, and how much of it is devoted to furniture, buildings and paper.
It's cool being a pioneer and all, but it would be nice to find more people like myself.
March 2026
MAN630-O : Executive Leadership
An analysis of my leadership style:
I've been considering what sort of leader I am. My entire life, I've been surrounded by the artistic: the big thinkers and poets, musicians and madmen; all of whom wished for nothing more than to set sail on a great adventure... as long as they could find someone else to do the structural, non-fun parts.
Being a single mom, that responsible adult part usually fell to me. I was a classic Maxwell-style leader: a problem solver (ch.5), an advocate, an upbeat (ch.6), servant-leader (ch.7) who encourages by teaching what I know. Basic Mom stuff. I'm still all that, but as I've grown (and my kids are now adults), they've been teaching me better ways to communicate and lead. I'm using absence to increase respect and honor (law 16). It's disconcerting, but I'm learning to step back and let others have a turn to run the show.
I don't need to always be the one leading the charge. I do need to create space for other ideas and other voices.
I'm constantly asking myself, “What can I work on that will help me serve people better? (ch.7) If I'm honest, I don't WANT to be the primary decision maker. I'm just used to being the only one to speak up.
That's a function of survival, plus the fact that I'm a good 20 years older than my co-workers. It makes me comfortable with a certain level of risk, sanguine about the fact that mistakes happen, and confident that most situations have an answer eventually. My attitude (ch.6) is great in that regard. Where I need to improve is that I need to let someone else do the heavy lifting, so they can learn how to do it.
Being a good leader takes self-discipline, which, for me, sometimes means letting others fail (ch.9). Working with my adult kids, and now, with co-workers who are the same age as my kids, has helped my personal growth (ch.10). By letting team management be a team effort, I can control the options and get others to play with the cards I deal (law 31).
I develop the overview, then give them the bullet points to approve or not. This allows me more time to work on my own tasks and lets the rest of the team feel like they have more autonomy. It has allowed me to focus on my specific skills and communication style, so that when I am project lead, I can lead effectively.
After this analysis, I'd say I'm 90% Maxwell, 10% Green. On Maxwell's 5 Levels of Leadership pyramid, I'll conservatively say I'm at level 3 (production). People want to follow me because I'm knowledgeable, my advice is reliable and I'm someone they enjoy working with. For some, I'm at a 4 or 5. I am who I say, and I'm consistent in that presentation. This encourages confidence. I'm eager to help others succeed and look for opportunities to learn from my contemporaries. This allows all of us to develop and improve our skills and expertise.
References:
Maxwell, John C. Developing the Leader Within You 2.0 (Developing the Leader Series) Kindle Edition. Greene, Robert. The 48 Laws of Power Kindle Edition
April 2026
C202604 Business Storytelling & Brand Development
Well that didn't last long. The band project is dying on the vine (which is a pity, but ok because I've veen too busy to practice. The progress at the radio station has stalled for the usual reason: The people in charge neither delegate nor train. We did manage an employee meeting though. We all agreed something must be done, and that was the end of it.
The hardest news is, I'm back on the dole, again. The project we were brought back to complete pulled out because their funding was withheld --AGAIN-- despite the fact that what the government is doing is illegal.
I do not know what I'm going to do. I've been out of medication for almost a month because the new federal rules have cut medicaid funding.
Oh! and my son -- the other wage earner in the household -- just got news that he'll be laid off for June and July, because he works for the school district. Summer Vacation, you know.
I'm glad I've got school to distract me. I'm TOTALLY feeling sorry for myself, but acing. this class.
As for what I've done this month? I'm not even sure... Oh. I analyzed NPR as a brand, worked on developing a brand identity of my own.
Watch phrases:
"People don't buy what you do; they buy why you do it."
~ Simon Sinek
I do what I do to remind people they have a history, it matters, and so do they. I do it to spark joy and wonder when they discover (or rediscover) something interesting and cool about their heritage.
May 2026
EBM591-O. Product and Artist Management
2026.05.30
I'll be blunt. I'm unlikely to be an artist manager except in the most peripheral sense. The perks of being an artist manager just aren't for me: I'm not inspired by celebrity, I'm deeply suspicious of power connected to money or influence, and I'd far rather be respected and financially stable than wealthy and famous.
I grew up meeting famous and influential people. I still do, here in Anchorage. I've observed their lives and responsibilities, and every once in a while, I helped out. But I have zero interest in making a career of it.
It's fun when you're young and think there'll be a place for you down the road. Not so fun when you realize you've largely aged out of that potential and you are TIRED of carrying the weight so someone else can have a career.
Were I younger? Maybe. But at 62...sure, could do it, and I'd probably be quite good (especially after having taken this course). But I don't believe I'll be given a place at the table. I'm not criticizing anyone who is inspired by the power and proximity of being around major players; I'm just not one of them.
I like helping people reach their dreams, but I'm done being a mother to every up-and-coming artist who doesn't like doing the hard parts. Clearly, I have a bias. I'm not going to judge myself for it, but I do recognize that it makes me a poor candidate for the position, regardless of whether I'm capable.
Now, Product Management? I can see that. I'm constantly thinking of new ways to manage ideas and events and merch anyway. This class has helped me sort through some of the mud. It's also allowed me to study different aspects of management more closely. I appreciate that.
June 2026
GEB6508 Business Finance Planning
This class has been exceptionally difficult, but I may have just managed to master enough to pass. I learned a huge amount, and am excited to see what I can do with my newfound skills.
So much has changed since January: I have a much clearer idea of the shape this business is taking, where I'll most likely be running it (hint: not just Alaska), and the kind of services I'll be offering. I'm nervous because I can really see how it might succeed, but it still feels strange to expect to be paid a living wage. I'm learning I can't expect to run a business at a discount. I know the value of my services, but translating that to reality still seems so strange....
In this month's class, the focus was on developing the tools needed to develop the financial side of business development. I learned far too many things to detail here, mostly involving the time value of money, assets and deficits, and why your car depreciates the minute you drive off the lot.
I also spent a lot of time developing my own business plan. In the process, my original concept changed. I am not just a digitizer of old media; it's closer to say I'm a bespoke collections consultant and conservator for hire.
In the process, I revised my business model canvas (below) and developed a Pro Forma document. Think everything you need to show you know what you're doing, what you have, how you'll use it, and most of all, how you're going to make the business profitable.
I learned a lot. I feel more confident that Spectral Decay Studio will be ready to rock come 2027. In the mean time, if you need help with your collection of old media and photos
MAR681-O Digital Marketing
2026.07.24
I have been incredibly busy! Each month, I think, I've got this, then by the middle, I'm scrambling to keep up. But it's all good work. I can feel my brain expanding with everything I'm learning, and I love it.
We're about at the halfway point, and this month's task is to understand digital marketing. I really didn't know what to expect. I had a vague idea of SEO, a passing experience setting up Facebook ads, and I've played with Instagram for years, just for fun. But I've never really studied anything about marketing.
This class has allowed me to face what intimidates me. Did I have an original goal for this course? I went all the way back to my Mastery PDL Timeline to see. I didn't mention this class there, but I did in my SWOT analysis. Quote: "I know a fair amount about Digital Marketing already, but a review wouldn't hurt".
Oof. The audacity! I did not know what I didn't know. Well I do now. My original goal for this course was to review what I knew and pick up a few more tips. I did not expect to develop an entire professional-level marketing plan and branding strategy. I did not expect to work this hard, and more telling, I did not guess that I would enjoy it as much as I have, or feel this empowered by what I've been learning.
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I'm learning how to track analytics properly, and how to interpret what I'm tracking.
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I'm beginning to understand how creator content drives to engage, and invest in brands.
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I've remembered how much fun creating short video is, how storyboarding and laying out ideas feeds my need for creativity, and how good it feels to look at a finished product and know the work is good.
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I've learned that change is inevitable, and that AI, along with digital native populations, has permanently altered the landscape. That marketing is no longer about shouting, status or repetition, it's about personal engagement, belonging and identification with a cause worth joining.
As someone whose business philosophy is rooted in "Build relationships, not transactions" this new way of relating to customers fits what I intend to accomplish. I value everything I'm learning in this class and will continue to use these skills in the future.
July 2026
August 2026
Professional Development
As I move into the second half of my master's program, my focus is shifting to integration.
My professional background—all 40 years of it—has been dictated as much by job availability as by my own aspirations. Still, a single thread runs through all my work: capturing wonder and saving what matters through time. I don't just want to create or restore. I want to share the stories that give those things meaning.
My goal for the next several months is to continue developing a business—and a professional presence—that represents both the creative and technical sides of my work. I'll also focus on building the projects and resources that will support the next stage of my career.
Revised Timeline
August–October 2026 — Portfolio Integration and Marketing Preparation
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Update my personal portfolio site to better represent my combined experience.
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Add selected work samples and projects where appropriate.
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Keep résumé, LinkedIn, portfolio, and professional branding consistent.
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Continue developing oral history test projects to refine that service.
November 2026–January 2027 — Spectral Decay Studio Development
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Focus on the Spectral Decay Studio business plan, as outlined in my program graduation requirements.
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Refine public-facing descriptions of services and areas of expertise.
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Develop examples of preservation, oral history, media, and collections work that can be shared publicly.
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Complete legal and LLC preparation.
February–May 2027 — Content and Business Development
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Continue developing alternate employment and income opportunities, including education, academic writing, restoration and archival work, and auction houses.
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Explore audio, video, blogging, podcasts, and presentations as ways to share what I've learned.
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Use completed projects or case studies as portfolio examples when appropriate.
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Establish a reliable travel setup that will allow me to complete planned restoration and collections projects.
Ongoing — Professional Presence
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Keep the portfolio current as new work is completed.
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Continue building professional relationships within media, preservation, collections, and related fields through professional and local organizations.
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Adjust portfolio goals as my career and business direction develop.
September 2026
Professional Development
I'm studying Advanced Entertainment Law this month. The assignments are giving me the opportunity to develop new content and income streams for my proposed business, while also examining pertinent legal liabilities I might face.
Below is a recent class presentation, along with an outline for a new podcast, I Hate This Timeline.
In between this podcast and the project proposal, the name changed from Missed Opportunities to I Hate This Timeline
I Hate This Timeline — A Podcast Proposal
This audio podcast explores moments when something important—an idea, person, movement, or possibility—could have changed the course of history. Not because it succeeded, but because it was buried, overlooked, appropriated, mistimed, or simply lost.
The Format:
Each 1/2 hour to one hour episode will combine research, commentary, archival materials, and conversations with guests or subject experts, who will describe what happened. Then, they, and the show host will discuss why that outcome prevailed, what might—or should—have happened instead, and how things might be different if another path had been taken.
The Material:
Potential subjects range from patent disputes and competing media formats to overlooked cultural contributions, political turning points, and music or films that arrived before the world was ready for them.
The goal is to develop an original media property for Spectral Decay Studio, extending the studio's focus beyond physical preservation to encouraging real conversation about the role of history and providing context to the stories that give history meaning.
In addition to supporting the studio's public presence, I Hate This Timeline has the potential to create additional income through sponsorship, advertising, and related merchandise.
Potential Logo and Merch Designs:
Now that the format has solidified, the next step is finding guest hosts, developing episode topics and beginning production.
October 2026
MMC6257-O Media Publishing and Distribution
I've decided to use one of my own compositions, Atlantis Beach Party, as the basis for this month's assignments.
The piece is a three-minute instrumental I originally composed for a hypothetical Bahamas beach-resort advertising campaign. It's an example of the kind of work I'd like to do more of: creating music and sound for practical commercial applications.
What I've Discovered:
What I'm discovering is that creating the music is only part of the job. Getting it into the hands of people who might actually use it involves a whole different set of skills.
Media publishing involves the study of music publishing, agents, licensing agreements, aggregators, and distribution. I'm interested in synchronization licensing, which allows original music to be used in film, television, advertising, and other media.
Unlike traditional music distribution, sync licensing doesn't necessarily depend on building a fanbase or selling albums. It depends on having useful, professionally produced material, clear ownership, and the ability to make that material available to the right people.
Part of the work I've done this month is that I've developed a synchronization licensing press kit, did more work and updating of my portfolio site, and I've been examining what I'd want from an agent or publisher.
After studying the contractual relationships involved, I'm more convinced than ever that creative professionals need to understand the business behind their work before handing control of it to someone else.
As my portfolio organization continues, I'm further defining the different boxes my creative work exists in and learning how best to present them to a wider public.
Which brings me to the larger lesson for the month: professional presentation is part of the product. It doesn't matter how good a recording is if nobody can find it, understand what it's for, or determine whether they can legally use it.
I'm still learning how to make all those pieces work together, but the direction is becoming clearer.
Next Steps
Longer term, I want to develop a professional presence that supports both paid audiovisual production work and my own creative ventures, without losing the individuality that makes those projects worth pursuing in the first place. In the short term, I'll continue refining my portfolio and music press kit. I'll also be moving into the final stages of my Spectral Decay Studio business plan, which remains the primary business project for my master's program.