A History of Winning
Winning is clearly Robert Williams’ thing. Even before entering the entertainment business in ‘71, he had elevated himself to the position of Chairman of the Board at the world’s third largest employment agency boasting 110 offices in 47 states with nearly 2000 employees. “Ironically, I found that there was a great deal of interchangeable ideas between the world of employment agencies and the entertainment industry,” explains Williams.

Moving to the entertainment world proved to be a natural and seamless move for Williams. He soon founded Spotlite Enterprises, Ltd., a Virginia Beach, Virginia-based booking agency, which quickly grew into a national powerhouse. Upon moving his startup firm to New York City in 1976, Spotlite began to sign their own artists including the likes of Blood Sweat and Tears, Ritchie Havens, Jimmy (J.J.) Walker, and the Weather Girls. Williams’ momentum carried him to a plethora of other opportunities, where he became the exclusive representative and touring director for the Gorky Bolshoi Drama Theater of Russia, the touring director of the Leningrad Film Studios, and the agent/television packager for the world renowned Montreal Comedy Festival ‘Just For Laughs’.

In the mid-1990s, Williams founded WBA Entertainment, Inc., where he began to build a new roster of diverse and talented artists. WBA Entertainment has managed, consulted and represented clients including the Moffatts, 4 The Cause, Cledus T. Judd, William Lee Golden, Jeff Allen, Naturally Seven, producer Jeff Coplan, music production team Gee ‘N J. Productions, painter Gregori Maiofis, and sculptor Jon Leightner. Currently residing and working from WBA headquarters in Nashville, Williams continues to build upon his history of winning.

“As a manager, your job is to dispel the myths while capitalizing on the truths,” he insists. “True artists have a vision but are usually singularly focused; that’s great, and it’s a trait that’s a gift of being an artist. But in today’s entertainment world, if you don’t think outside of the box, you might as well get out of the business — that’s number one. ‘Vertical integration’ is a term used often in our business — maybe even too often — but it really makes sense. An artist must understand himself as a commodity and how to put that commodity on different shelves. For instance, we represent an artist named Larry Carlton, who is definitely in the company of the greatest guitar players alive. But his greatness becoming success involves getting his concerts on DVD and to store shelves, getting his signature Gibson guitar line to market, and so on, all while retaining artistic integrity.”

It is patience, says Williams, that is most often absent in the minds of newbies entering the entertainment world. In sharing his knowledge with others, he often tries to encourage audiences to prepare for a long haul on the road to success. “There’s no question that the core naiveté of this business is the misconception of growth time,” he offers. “In reality, our industry is no more or no less difficult to enter than the industry of any other great profession. It may take a doctor a decade after preparing for their career to begin to make a living, and it’s often the same situation with an actor, a singer or other such artists. Granted, there are those who may get a break and have success early, but in those situations, a lack of knowledge of the industry often requires one to ‘pay the piper’ later on.”

Written by Strother Bullins