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What Taylor Swift Can Teach The Entrepreneur About Building A Successful Business

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Written by John Madrid, Managing Broker & Relocation Specialist, RSIR

Last month my family and I were fortunate enough to attend the Taylor Swift concert at Century Link Field in Seattle. The tickets were a holiday present we gave to our kids and we were excited to experience their first real concert together. As we arrived at the venue, the air was filled with rays of sunshine and an electric buzz—and we knew it would be an unforgettable evening.

While I certainly wouldn’t call myself a fan of Tay Tay/T-Swift/Swifty in the fanatic sense, I was surprised by the number of songs I knew given my limited knowledge of any pop music created since 1989 (coincidentally the year Taylor Swift was born and the title of her most popular album). As we were walking back to our car, kids bouncing from the excitement of the show, I began to think about what made an impression upon me and why it felt completely different from many of the concerts I’ve been to since my first concert, which, fun fact, was The Police’s Synchronicity Tour in 1983. As I put down my concrete thoughts following the event, I realized she has a lot to teach any business entrepreneur.

Six Ways to Apply Taylor Swift’s Strategies to Building a Better Business

1. Innovate or Perish

Taylor Swift has been in the spotlight for two decades not only because she is a talented singer, songwriter and performer, but because she isn’t afraid to change and evolve. The artist we know now is a far cry from the teenager that crooned country tunes in the early 2000s. In the face of ever-evolving technology and shifting industries, the same can be said for any business owner.

2. The End-to-End Consumer Experience

Rather than just a concert, the stadium transformed into a complete experience that made fans feel like they were an important part of the show, effectively shifting the concert experience from “come listen to my songs” to “come to my party and be my friend.” A welcome video greeted concertgoers as we entered the stadium and everyone loved waving their hands around with the synchronized wristbands set to the music. And from what I hear, VIP ticket holders were even mailed a boxed package prior to the event.

3. Perfect and Protect Your Brand

Over the years, Taylor has established a trusted brand that begins at her music and flows outward into a variety of products, offerings and experiences. She has meticulously tailored her brand to ensure that it continues to align with her fans while also providing them with excitement about where she’s headed.

4. Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

Together, the choreographers, dancers, musicians, opening acts, set designers, business managers and tour managers all pulled off a flawless performance. Even the merchandise salespeople were friendly. In the moment, I was reminded for a Disneyland-esque approach in which everyone knows their job, does it to the best of their ability and makes each guest feel special.

5. Leave Them Wanting More

In the age of Instagram and Snapchat, fans feel as though pop stars are as real as the friends they see on a day-to-day basis. Though my kids feel like they know Taylor (and her cats Olivia and Meredith) she also does a lot to keep her life mysterious. And as each new album comes out, fans can’t wait to see what she does next.

6. Honesty is Rewarded

Swifty fans love that she is open and honest enough to tell them about the good and the bad through her song lyrics. She isn’t afraid to open up about friendships, breakups and conflict both in her music and at her concerts, which gives her fan base a connection to her authentic self.

Unless I bring my kids again in the future, this may have been my last Taylor Swift concert, but it’s definitely something I recommend anyone try to attend if they have the opportunity. She is great at leaving her fans wanting more—and her fans recommend her time and time again to their friends because of it. And when you boil it all down, isn’t that really what building a successful business is all about?

This article originally appeared on LinkedIn Pulse.