Matthew Cruz Matthew Cruz

Where to Begin When Formulating a New Mission Statement

I don’t even know where to begin when formulating a new mission statement. I do recall where I was choosing three words that personify my core values, I spent hours in a Starbucks cafe contemplating that. Over time, a scripture from the bible helped me decide and affirm—assert strongly and publicly—the three words I live by: CRAFTSMANSHIP, SYMMETRY, and COMMUNITY. Every jobsite and project I’ve worked, I lived by those ethos. And over time those principle values helped me develop into a more focused and healthier human being. 

So, between a mission statement and core values, what is the difference? To the best of my knowledge, a mission statement grants a business purpose while core values define an individuals’ ethical existence. A mission statement changes, fluctuates over the seasons while principles withstand the test of time. A mission statement bends towards a guaranteed survival of the company, yet core values preserve the individual’s moral identity—not open to appeasement. So thinking about my core values was a little more complicated than the latter.

My business is an art, revolving around art—this very moment—chaotic. A ton of consolidating, trying to merge ideas into a solid plan. I feel, being aspired to forge this mission statement, publicly glamorizing a combination of a goal and purpose, is somewhat pretentious. But it is a start.

Good news on this process, I’ll feature my core values in my mission statement. Bad news, I must foresee the direction my business will fly or maybe where it will fall but with style (Toy Story reference). A mission statement involves action. Premeditated action. Though, before the action is in motion, there must be a purpose behind it. So, let’s start with that, what is the purpose of mericanDREAM? Am I trying to spread awareness of something, or am I trying to inspire change? I’ve determined my audience are art lovers and I strive on the idea that they grow and develop from our indirect and digital encounter. Still, saying all that is super ambiguous. The purpose of mericanDREAM needs to be down to earth. It needs to be practical rather than fanatic. Its purpose needs to serve its existence just as its survival needs to serve into its purpose.

When I produced an album, that was my M.O. (modus operandi), my reason why when I woke up and went to work. Writing a story and putting it into music, then digitally posting it for the world to see. Personally I love storytelling. And I feel everyone’s life decisions were influenced by stories, whether it be the empirical experience they’ve interpreted or from a damn good movie that was moving. And so yes, I want mericanDREAM to be a business of good storytelling.

Patriotically speaking, every American has a story. Maybe I’ll include this in my mission statement. 

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Matthew Cruz Matthew Cruz

From Our Indirect and Digital Encounter

The first question I must ask is, who is my audience? To whom does my product appeal to? Is my product the catalog of music I’ve engineered and arranged over the years? Would it serve a purpose such as getting the listener excited while they listen to my bars? Why listen to my music when there’s millions upon millions of talent out there? Is my music the only product I can offer to an audience? For my audience, who’s money and attention do I need circulating in my business? It seems, generating potential new business requires a precise formula. However, before there is a business, there must be community. 

Yes, naturally I’ve kept very small circles within my social media communities. And the common similarity—people who follow my brand have—is they are art lovers. Though art is as broad and abstract as an open and clear sky, my music can be interpreted that way. Art is everywhere, it is not a scarce resource—a definitely more saturated market. So what am I offering? Well, speaking in a positive manner, those who enjoy my work, whether through a glimpse or a study, I strive on the idea that they grow and develop from our indirect and digital encounter. Just as the physical communities I’ve been a part of over the years—yes, there’s been conflict—but for the most part my contributions left these places in a purified conscious state. Do the right thing. Treat people fairly. Narrowing down art with ethics. And even from my medium, I’ve always revealed my struggle on just being human, every main character I rapped about being on a hero’s journey—there’s a lesson to be learned. That lesson leads the character to change.

mericanDREAM is going to change, evolve, even mystify into something else. Hopefully into something better. 

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Matthew Cruz Matthew Cruz

ROTATING THE DIRECTION OF THE BRAND

The name mericanDREAM came to me around 2015. From there I wrote poetry and lyrics, I produced and arranged musical compositions and instrumentals primarily using FL Studios—but using Pro Tools Logic Pro and GarageBand from my phone—I drew and photoshopped concept art, and filmed and edited videos. All of that to promote my own personal brand. However during those 7 to 8 years, I worked numerous odd jobs from being a parts clerk at a trucking company, to working in retail. I was a lift operator in a ski resort. I was a dry press operator in a factory. I worked overnights as a gas attendant. I even whipped up delicious milkshakes in a little ice cream shop for a second job. Yet, even during all that, I always kept my brand in mind.

To be honest, I’ve been really unorganized with my product—if anything it’s convoluted—the message I’ve been trying to convey. It serves no direct purpose for the betterment of society, other than being a personal outlet for me—venting—so to speak. And I love making music, in various ways, however the practicality of it hasn’t been beneficial—financially, or academically. My music doesn’t lasso an audience where they can relate to it and share it. Maybe I’ve also been poor at marketing my craft, not engaging with others who share my passion. 

I want to rotate the direction my brand is going. Change how I operate and promote my business, and craft colorful stories where there’s an audience for each and every one of those stories. As I was explaining the jobs I’ve worked, the places I’ve traveled and lived, I’ve met so many colorful personalities. The stories and experiences they shared with me—I want my product to reflect that. Its been fun telling my story and my lovelife, but now I want to share my narrative on the characters I met—their joy and energy. Their struggles and accomplishments. It is what the American Dream is all about.

I’ve posted a lot of content on my YouTube channel and my instagram—not frequently though. I want to learn and deploy new marketing schemes for my YouTube, instagram, and my FaceBook page. I also want to post my singles and EPs at least monthly for my Spotify, iTunes, and SoundCloud—while also learning other trending platforms. I need to create an engagement with an audience where soon there will be business blooming from it. Maybe there’ll be a need for my skills such as sound engineering or photography, vice versa. From there, hopefully it creates a solid connection with other local artists who share the same passion as I—I am representing Denver, Colorado.

My mom has been my biggest fan since the beginning. She’s been my support and reason on why I’ve been continuing on my music and mixtape/album projects. I mean, I was on the fourth floor in the Main Branch, Denver Public Library just cranking out songs for my first album, IINDEPENDENCE, I was hella excited to have my mom hear my music. My second album Wolves Are Very Emotional was a taste in lyrical essence and soundwaves of the Rocky Mountains—and my mom understood that. I’ve been working on songs, EPs, and albums since I was a teenager. However, once I chose to have the artist name of mericanDREAM, there came album after album—my attempts in storytelling—my mom listened to these stories and loved them. Though I want to change the direction of my storytelling, I will continue the legacy my mom and I have invested so much time in.

I’m going to add and post more features on how I do my storytelling—that’ll be the introduction on product placement by mericanDREAM. For example, maybe I want to share a specific accessory I use to produce a song like an AKAI Professional brand, MPD218 Pad. Or I’ll share an app I use to do film editing. Give a little more insight on how production is done. Who knows, maybe someone will need to learn from what I post, for their own development or maybe, someone will comment on a more efficient way for me to do something. Again, engaging with an audience will be healthy for business.

It’s time to put my skills I’ve obtained over the years to good use. My vision for my brand and as an artist, mericanDREAM, is to add to and enhance the Colorado music and filming scene. And I’ve got a lot of work to do…

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Matthew A Cruz

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