“Thank you, Taylor Swift”
– a mom
By Vicki Bohlsen (a mom), Host of Taking Care in Business and President of Bohlsen Group
Taylor Swift is viewed as successful because of her obvious talent, plus the fact that she is beautiful inside and out. She goes so much deeper than that, though. She is a sincere, smart and savvy businesswoman who should be revered as a leader of the pack.
You can google “traits of a leader” and so many of them will describe Taylor Swift, but there are a few things she has done that stand out.
- Paved her own path. I mean, how about the fact that she bucked the music distribution model of Apple Music and Spotify and paved her own way by making her music only available for purchase? This took a lot of guts, but she had the confidence to do it.
- Created an amazing brand. “Taylor Swift” is a spectacular communicator who makes people feel special. From her vulnerable social media presence and uber-personal media interviews to music that touches everyone, she truly connects with her audience.
- Target audience. She is so in touch with what people need and, better yet, what her fans want. Plus, she’s confident enough to make some unexpected choices – like, changing up her music because it would make her own mark on the industry. I remember going out to buy that Reputation album! She knew her album would be purchased because she is confident in her abilities and her fanbase.
- Loyal to her fans, and in return, they are loyal to her. I have read so many stories about the awesome things she has done for fans to make them feel special and appreciated – inviting some to private concerts, writing them thank you notes and sending gift baskets. Taking the time to do these things, shows that she is truly considerate of and thankful for her dedicated fan base.
- Relatable and personable. This vulnerability shines through in her personal life and her music, and it creates a bond that is hard to break with her fans.
As a mom of three, I am glad that they have chosen Taylor Swift as a role model.
My oldest (23) and I just listened to Taylor Swift on repeat while moving her cross country from Indiana to Oregon this past week. Grace knew every single lyric to every single song. She shared stories with me about what some of the songs meant to her — stories that helped her mourn, heal and/or celebrate!
My middle child (21), Abe, has told me several times that Taylor Swift is “a genius;”Abe is studying business, so this is a pretty big compliment. We laugh all the time about one of his best friends who, in middle school, chose to watch the 1989 World Tour Live documentary with me instead of playing Xbox with him.
And my youngest, a 17-year-old high school junior named Rose, is probably the biggest Taylor Swift fan in our family. Rose has performed Taylor Swift songs in talent show reviews, as part of high school show choir sets, and has taught herself some of her songs on guitar.
I can say with certainty that my kids will be listening to Taylor Swift songs at reunions and weddings for many years to come. But, I also think that they will be better people because they look up to her leadership, life experiences, compassionate heart and contributions to the world.
I will continue to learn from her as well.
“Thank you, Taylor Swift” – Vicki Bohlsen (a mom)