Richard Priest spent 27 years in the music business working as an artist manager, tour manager, and record label head. Traveling internationally for decades, producing shows and tours, he has lived in London, New York, Beijing, and Los Angeles. His career took him around the globe dozens of times and saw him hone his skills in bringing creative ideas to fruition. As an artist manager, he most valued the pastoral care aspect of the work, helping people to identify and articulate their ambitions, working closely with them to develop a show, a tour, a video — any number of fully realized visions; helping creatives find winning strategies and sharpen their focus in order to reach their potential.
“It’s quite something to start with a list of cities and six months later be standing side-stage while 90,000 people enjoy the show you put together,” he says. “It’s what I loved most about it: the realization of a dream. The alchemy of turning ideas into reality.” This relies on an ability to zoom in for the fine detail, and out for the overview, the grand plan. “That ability to work at any range of focus is essential to all creative visions and it’s something I’ve spent my entire adult life developing.”
Whether being at the helm of a global touring organization or leading in a small office environment, Richard found himself frequently approached for career and life advice. With a lifetime of personal experience that goes beyond the professional — family tragedy, sobriety, divorce, step-parenting, serious illness — the challenges he’s faced have given him a rich perspective and broad palette of resources to draw from. His calm and encouraging demeanor meant that friends, colleagues, and employees, as well as his own roster of musical talent, frequently sought his counsel. This gift for listening and empathizing led him to a change in career path. Currently working toward a Master’s in Psychology, Richard has a deep interest in Jungian and Humanistic Psychology. He finds inspiration in those disciplines to explore human potential, to shine a light on people's inner resources and reflect back to them who they already are. This interest led him to train as a professional Co-Active Life Coach and certified Ericksonian Hypnotist.
Coaching allows Richard to utilize his wealth of life experience and share his decades of skill, helping people develop the tools to meet future challenges and discover their own inner resourcefulness.“It’s endlessly rewarding to help people self-actualize,” he says. “In coaching I get to lean into my skill of working one-on-one with people, just as I did shepherding artists through their careers. It’s deeply satisfying when someone realizes what they’re capable of and, with coaching, we get to see that happen. It’s inspiring to help someone recognize a path forward, and a joy to be able to dedicate my time to support people as they realize their full potential.”
After decades of global travel he is happy to now be based full time in Los Angeles — where he lives with his wife and step-daughter — finding time outside of work and studies to pursue his hobbies as a certified commercial pilot, training in Krav Maga, and landscape photography.
CW @ The Oriel Co.