Negotiation — in life and ESPECIALLY in business — is often treated like a net-zero sum game, with a winner and a loser. On the contrary, the best deals are never rooted in beating your adversary. They ensure that both parties feel Net Positive — and more importantly, that we want to (and CAN) work together after the actual "close" of the deal.
An Agreement is meant to be exactly that; the foundation to a meaningful, agreeable, and productive relationship. If one side walks away feeling duped, the relationship is, in short, doomed. And in the entertainment industry, where creativity and commerce collide, negotiation is especially complex.
[Fun Fact: My sister happens to be a music/tv/film/entertainment/marketing attorney who's worked at some of the most major corporations in the biz. So yes, hard evidence of its exceptional hard-ness. Also — "you catch more flies with Honey than Vinegar!")
On top of that — I, myself, over the past decade, have also been on every side of the artist/creative table. And regardless of my position, there's a singular resounding TRUTH:
Longevity of success isn’t about getting the best terms — it’s about making sure the deal WORKS.
Negotiation ≠ Winning // Negotiation = Alignment
For better or worse, the Entertainment "infrastructure" — whether lawyers, managers, agents, executives etc. etc. — approach deals inherently on the defensive. The focus is on what CAN and "PROBABLY WILL" go wrong. So the focus becomes how to maximize leverage to minimize risk. Nobody is saying these are not important factors. But crippling caution can kill opportunity before it starts. The best negotiators understand that they're on the same side of the table — and that risk and reward are more like sussy cousins than diametrical antagonists.
The Deal Is Actually The Beginning
Finally and emphatically — a fully executed contract is not the finish line. It's the nascence of a real working relationship. The best deals invigorate both sides with excitement for working together.
That means thinking beyond just the legal and financial terms. Will this deal actually work in practice? Does it give both sides what they need to be successful? Are there clear paths to resolve issues if they come up? These are the questions that matter because they determine whether a deal leads to long-term growth or long-term headaches.
Plus — "Ant-F*cking" for the sake of redlines got no-one no-where, fast. [Even the attorneys know that — thanks, sister, for that insightful wisdom early on].
Negotiating a deal that never happens isn’t a good deal…for anyone.
— Donna Budica