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My story is a little long, but one everyone should read, if you don't want this to happen to you.
My husband purchased a boat in December of 2009, and it needed some repairs done to the engines. We took the boat to Aquamarina Twin Rivers in Crystal River, Florida. He was given a written estimate of 20hrs. per engine (we have 2 engines = 40 total labor hrs.) @ $85.00 an hr. = $3,400.00 plus the cost of 2 long block engines which were $4,790.00 for both. Which equals a grand total of $8,190.00.
We do not have a problem paying this amount, and realize it was a estimate, give or take a couple hundred dollars would be reasonable. My husband made many trips to the marina as the boat was being repaired to make sure everything was ok, and they were still running within the estimate and every time he went (which was not an easy task for him, because in the middle of all this he is fighting stage 3 kidney cancer) he was assured by their mechanic (which we found out later is not even a certified mechanic) that everything was fine. Thru the process of the boat repairs (per their request) we made a few payments to them for a total of $8,000.00, so we were looking at owing them just a few hundred more when they were finished............NOW imagine our surprise when my husband received a phone call just 3-weeks after having major surgery, ( he had to have his Kidney remove, because of cancer) from the Manager (Bob) at the marina on June 2, 2010 to tell us the boat was ready and the balance due was $21,246.79 for a grand total of $29,246.79.
I know what your thinking, this is incredible, how can a business give a written estimate of $8,200.00 then turn around and try to extort more than 3 times what the estimate was for. I got right on the phone and called their corporate office Aquamarina Partners, LLC in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and explained my problem to a man by the name of Gary Jefferson, and was told he would have their COO Steven Kinderman call me. Mr. Kinderman did call me back that day and assured me all the charges were legitimate and he would email me an itemized invoice, which he did.
Now, here's where the fight begins..........On the invoice they were charging us for 215.75 hrs of labor (not the 40 hrs quoted on their estimate), plus parts we didn't know anything about. I emailed Mr. Kinderman to try and have a reasonable discussion with him and he either flat out lies or is just plain nasty..........At this point they are holding are boat hostage unless we give them $21,246.79. I called many different state and governmental agencies to try and get help with this, I did file a complaint with the BBB and the Division of consumer services. (which I later had to drop in order to get our boat back.) Mr. Kinderman and I emailed back and forth for a week trying to come to some kind of compromise, and the only way we could get our boat back was to agree to the terms he set forth in an agreement he drew up. Which was totally unfair to us, but our hands were tied at this point.
We gave the Marina another $5,000.00 for a total of $13,000.00 to get our boat back, we moved the boat to another marina. My husband and our son went out in the boat for the first time since getting it back from Aquamarina Twin Rivers on Tuesday June 29th, they were going to take our 5 year old grandson with them, and thank God they didn't, because the boat has a gas, oil and water leak in one of the engines. ( which is extremely dangerous, and could catch fire very easily) My husband called Mr. Kinderman the next day to tell him what happened and he could care less, and now he has a lawyer threatening to sue us if we say anything bad about the company or the owner of the company Mr. Andrew Sturner.
So let me sum this up..........We paid $13,000.00 for repairs on a boat that is in worst shape now then before we brought it to Aquamarina Twin Rivers, the boat is leaking gas and oil, which could possibly cause a fire, and we are being threatened by their attorney if we don't keep our mouths shut.
Where's the justice!!!!!!!!!
http://www.ilovemymarina.com/
Tags: Aqua Marine Partners Andrew Sturner Steve Kinderman
Sturner, Kinderman and their attorney (Richard Baron) pulled in right beside my wife and I right after I parked. This was the first time I got a look at the boys. After sizing them up (even in my condition) I would have loved to just take them on in the parking lot and be done with it. But can't do that, ya know.
My attorney stated, we are not to concerned about the injunction and are fine to let it stand for now. And he spoke briefly about them stepping on my 1st amendment rights.
Let me paste them here because I don't think Andy knows them.
Speech:
The First Amendment says that people have the right to speak freely without government interference.
Press:
The First Amendment gives the press the right to publish news, information and opinions without government interference. This also means people have the right to publish their own newspapers, newsletters, magazines, etc.
Religion:
The First Amendment prohibits government from establishing a religion and protects each person's right to practice (or not practice) any faith without government interference.
Petition:
The First Amendment says that people have the right to appeal to government in favor of or against policies that affect them or that they feel strongly about. This freedom includes the right to gather signatures in support of a cause and to lobby legislative bodies for or against legislation.
Assembly:
The First Amendment says that people have the right to gather in public to march, protest, demonstrate, carry signs and otherwise express their views in a nonviolent way. It also means people can join and associate with groups and organizations without interference.
I don't think I should blog too much about what happens in court but it was funny to see their attorney start shuffling through papers as soon as he found out I purchased three of the four domain names in question way back in February. You see, the truth is my intentions was to blog in a positive manner about Aquamarina (AMP). But things went south when they started trying screw me out of money and with my boat being all screwed up on top of it I'm just a pissed off customer. What is really amazing to me is these assholes really think they should be able to screw their customers like this and should have the right to keep them from speaking out to others about it.
I feel real good about my attorney:
Thomas L. Edwards
http://www.lawfl.net/Bio/ThomasEdwards.asp
It is a dam shame, I need a attorney just to have the right to speak. I'm just getting started Sturner!
http://aquamarinepartners.com/
Tags: Aquamarina Twin Rivers Aqua Marine Partners Andrew Sturner Steve Kinderman
Promoting your band’s live shows is easier than most people think. Being organized and professional can increase the audience size and your chances of playing the venue again. So your band has snagged a live performance. Now what? Do you sit back and relax, having already accomplished the “hard part?” No! You have to promote the heck out of it. The music business is just that, a business, and you can’t assume someone will do your job for you. Soon you may discover that the venue/promoter put zero effort into advertising your show, or worse, that they have advertised you in a way that you fell is detrimental to your image. Even though you are musicians and not PR reps there are many simple ways to advertise shows.
The first, and most basic, is word of mouth promotion. It is absolutely free and besides if you don’t hype up your performance who will? Avoid being overbearing but make sure that everyone you have regular contact with knows about the show. If you have an answering machine be sure to include information about your next gig in your greeting so all callers will also know about it. Try to maintain a mailing list of friends, music business contacts, and any fans you may have. Put a postcard in the mail telling them about the upcoming performance or better yet make a flyer that is mailable and easy to distribute by hand.
Quite often the flyer is the public’s only notification or reminder of an upcoming performance, and since flyers are both easy and affordable it may be the most important step in the promotion process. It is therefore shocking that much of the time people leave out vital information. The essentials include the following:
1. Your name. It is also helpful to include the names of the other artists who will be opening/headlining because they may have a separate fan base that will see the flyer and attend the show.
2. The name of the venue. People can only attend a show if they know where it will be! Equally important is any peripheral information about the venue--the address, directions, the venue phone number, and age requirements for patrons.
3. When the show will occur. The date of the performance is a must, and the time the performance will begin is helpful, as well as the “door time” (when the venue will allow people in).
4. The cost. Is it a free performance or is there a door charge? If so what is it? Are tickets available in advance? Are there any discounts?
5. Benefits of attendance. This can include product giveaways (see below), free parking, easy access to public transportation, an open kitchen during the performance, and drink specials. Ask your contact at the venue about these perks, they will be glad to do anything to help pack the house.
The design should also be considered. If you have the time make the flyer as interesting as your songs, but if you are in a rush just stick to being informative. And under no circumstances should you sacrifice the info or the legibility of the flyer for creative purposes. To be cost effective it works best to fit four flyers on a page (nobody can tell you cut and paste after it’s photocopied) and cut them down. This smaller size also makes them easier to hand out as well as easier for people to take with them.
The ideal place for distributing flyers is at a venue during a similar musical performance with the venue’s permission. Leave flyers at places where members of your target audience hang out, again with the permission of the owners if it is a place of business. Also make sure that the venue you are performing at receives some copies to distribute. They are often too busy promoting all of their shows to devote an entire flyer just to yours alone and it also shows them you are putting some effort into getting a crowd (which they may remember when it is time to pay you).
One way to attract a crowd is to arrange for “freebies” to be given away at your performance. This can be anything from products donated by a sponsor down to your band’s posters or bumper stickers. The CD release party always does well because many times audience members can get free or discounted recordings but this only works if you have a new album out. If you don’t have any merchandise to give away or need more you may approach other local bands or local record companies to see if they are interested in contributing. Many times they will be willing to pitch in if they can spread their name while you do all of the work. In the meantime you get the benefit of having their name attached to your advertisements.
When it comes to advertising there are many approaches you can take besides flyers. If you have already designed flyers you may look into getting posters made. All of the general rules for flyers apply to posters but you have more physical room to work with so you may include band photos, album covers, etc. Before plastering them all over town you will want to check local ordinances about posting bills. Next you can look into store displays which range from simple counter-top flyer holders to posters and even large window displays. Arrange to talk with the store manager--you will find they are approachable and cooperative if you call ahead and are professional about it. Newspapers are also a good place to advertise, particularly student papers and any publications covering local music happenings. Aside from buying ad space you can often get a write up by sending in a promo kit with a statement covering all the pertinent details of the gig. You may even get a review or interview, both of which are great publicity for a show. Also try find local radio stations with programming similar to your style and ask about commercial rates. Even in major markets spots can cost as little as $25 during off hours, and in the off seasons the better slots will be discounted.
While you are at it check with the station about potential sponsorship. You may be able to purchase sponsorship of a certain segment or show which would include the DJs saying “brought to you by [insert your name here]” with mention of the upcoming performance. Alternately they may be interested in sponsoring you which would give you stronger advertising by having the station’s name attached. If performing in a college town you can seek sponsorship from the college through the National Association For Campus Activities. Local record companies may also be interested in sponsoring an event but most likely they will want one of their artists to perform at the show as well. Possibly the most difficult endorsement to attain but also potentially the most beneficial is the corporate sponsorship. Having a name brand attached to your show can do wonders for crowd attendance. Combining any of these may be more likely to succeed as many companies are more willing to opt for “co-sponsorship” with another company.
Whether you are new or established, whether you have no time to promote or all the time in the world, just incorporating a few of these publicity techniques into your band’s efforts will increase public awareness of the the upcoming event. Even if it does not pay off the first time people will remember your name the next time around and the cumulative effects of your efforts will pay off. Always remember that the important thing is to creatively pursue all forms of publicity for your performance with a professional attitude. This means organizing a plan as soon as you have secured the gig and carrying out that plan--even up to the day of the show. The last few days can be the most important.
Finding a Record Label for Your Band
OK, by now you should have read and taken the appropriate steps for How to Get Signed. Your band is prepped and ready to go. Now you just need to connect your unsigned band with the label and A&R Rep ready to sign you. How do you find this mysterious A&R Rep and perfect label?
1. Send a Press Kit
Search the web for appropriate labels and use contact directories such as CMJ Directory, The Musician's Atlas, or the Musicians' Guide To Touring and Promoting The directories contain lists of record labels, clubs, radio stations, and press outlets for you to send your band's press kit. But before you start sending your demo package (press kit) to every contact you see, you have to answer 2 big questions first:
Does my band's music fit with this label's style of bands?
Assuming that you like your band's music, if you like the bands on the label then chances are the music is similar enough. Yes, labels are looking for bands that are different than what they already have, but not radically different. If you've never heard of the label, make sure you listen to some songs of the bands on the label first. You don't have to take too much time on this, but enough to know if you're a good fit or not.
Is this label accepting unsolicited demo packages and press kits?
If the answer is yes, then call to confirm. Simply tell them you're sending a press kit and ask who you should put it attention to. (You don't want half your press kits trashed because the directory or website you got your initial information from is now outdated.) If the answer is no, then try another label. Or try and make a face-to-face connection with a rep on the label. Even if your band isn't playing, festivals (and other music industry events) are still a good place to make some contacts. Ideally you'll find one or two reps that you can get the go ahead to send a kit directly to their attention.
2. Play Showcases
The big music festivals such as South By Southwest (SXSW), North By Northeast (NXNE), CMJ, etc.are a great way to show off your band and talk to a lot of people. And you need to do quite a bit of meeting and greeting. You want to try and get as many people as possible interested in your band before you play. That way you aren't just hoping they happen to see you when you're on stage. Of course, don't go overboard. Don't be obnoxious. Be professional, but market your band before, during, and after your set. Know ahead of time what results you want, and then do everything you can to make that happen. Your chances of success will be substantially greater.
3. Follow up
If you haven't heard anything yet, call back the people and labels you sent press kits to and ask if they had a chance to review your material (wait 4-8 weeks after you send your kit before calling). If they say 'Yes, we want to sign you' then start celebrating. If they say 'No, we haven't reviewed it yet' then ask when would be a good time to call back. And if they say 'Yes we reviewed it, we're not interested' then ask them the hard question. Ask if they can give a little more specific feedback. You can't get better results if you don't know what to improve upon. If several people are telling you the same thing, then you'll know what you need to fix, change, or approach differently.
Play Open Mics
Great for experience, plus you'll have an instant audience. And the audience part is important. If you book a show and all the promotion is up to you and nobody knows your band yet.... well, let's just say you're setting yourself up for an audience in the single digits (Yes, that can and does happen). You'll get lots of feedback and promotion, and be on your way to building a fan base.
Open for other Bands
Get in touch with other local bands that are more established. Offer/ask to open for them (for free, at least at first). You'll get a built in audience and promotion is what it's all about at this point. But make sure you pick a band with fans and music similar to yours or you'll be falling on deaf ears. Plus, it's a great way to learn the ropes from the established local indie bands.
Festivals, Battle of the Bands
Big audiences, which is both good and bad. If this is your first show and some people in your band are a little sketchy on where the changes are in a few songs... well, you don't want to let several hundred or thousand people know that you're just starting out. Practice a lot, make sure you're tight on every song, and have your set list ready. And put on a good show. Be fun to watch on stage (practice this part, too). Yeah, your music might be great, but if your lead singer just stands there and you don't make a huge impression, then you've wasted a great opportunity. And again, don't play festivals with a crowd that's wrong for your band. Pick shows that make sense, not just the first thing that's available.
Play for Free
If you're in this to make money right away, start playing weddings (seriously). Otherwise, realize that clubs and bars have no idea who you are, and assume that you can't draw anyone to your shows (which is probably true). If the club or bar owner is trying to make a profit, they want people to come pay a cover charge and drink/eat. With no draw, just booking you is a risk. Are they really going to want to pay you to play as well? Most will give you a percentage of the cover (if there's a cover). But once you do start drawing people make sure to mention this to the club/bar owners. Then you have some room to negotiate (and if you're drawing, most likely they've heard of you by now). Be honest. Don't say you normally draw 50 when your best draw was 40 and all the rest were 10. You might get that first show, but you won't get any more.
Booking Agent / Band Managers
If you live in a larger city you can consider getting a booking agent. Of course they will take a percentage, but that's the good part. More money for them by getting more shows for you. If you live in a smaller town be wary. Your choice of agents (if you can locate any) will be pretty slim and their credentials may be non-existant. Judge based on their past results and make a detailed timeline of expected results over the next month, six months, and year. Without letting your agent know your goals, you won't get the outcome or the agent you want. Re-evaluate your agent periodically. Are you currently playing as many shows and are you as well known as you want to be? Does this match what the agent said 6 months ago?
Get a Website
Make sure your domain name is easy to remember. If it has more than one slash (/) in it, it's too complicated. Include a list of your upcoming shows, and update this part regularly. How can you expect fans to show up if they don't know when you're playing next. And include details (the location of the show, directions if it's hard to find, time your band is expected to go on stage - especially useful if it's an all day festival). Check your e-mail and answer it. The last thing you want is to send out a buch of presskits and not respond to an e-mail from a label until 2 weeks later. Or get a last minute offer to play a big show and miss out because you didn't read your e-mail. And don't forget blogging, which is a great way to get feedback from fans. (Check out .mac for easy website design and blogging setup). Don't overcomplicate your site. If you know you don't have time to update the site every day, don't make a daily news section.
Get Promo Merchandise
Mention your website at your shows and have promo material with your web address on it. Stickers are a great tool - they're cheap and a great giveaway at shows. Yes, give them away. Would you rather charge $1 or $2 to try and make up the cost of the stickers, or would you rather have hundreds of people visiting your site and advertising your band on the back of their car, bookbag, etc.? T-shirts are a great way to promote your band and website, too. For these you do want to charge, so make sure you get a good graphic designer to come up with an awesome design. Be objective. If you wouldn't pay $15 for your shirt, why should someone else? Because they like you? You're not that famous, yet. Charge enough to cover the cost of the shirt with maybe a small profit. And always give away a few shirts to some lucky fans in the crowd. Makes the crowd like you plus it lets you promote the fact that you have merchandise for sale.
Whether you're ready to promote your band, book shows, or get signed, you're going to need to have a presskit ready to go. Every band's press kit has three things you must include:
1. Cover Letter
Describe your unique position in a paragraph or two. Use the cover letter like a conversation. If you were in the elevator with the A&R Rep, what would you say to get them interested in just a few seconds. More than a few paragraphs and you're uniqueness is too hard to describe, which means it's too hard for the A&R Rep to promote.
2. Demo CD
Put your best songs first, or better yet put a sticky note saying which two tracks to listen to first (and no, all of your songs aren't equally great). If you don't know, take a poll and have other people decide for you.
3. Band Photo
No, you don't need a press shoot. Just a good picture (8x10 black/white or color) that shows every person in the band, with the lead singer in front. Not too far away - the Rep needs to see your faces. And not too close - from the knees up is usually a good rule of thumb. And nothing out of sync. Don't take a picture at a sports bar just because it looks cool when you're a country-western band.
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