Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | iHeartRadio | Stitcher | Email | TuneIn | RSS
What should one be doing to advance their career? How should they be spending their time as a music entrepreneur?
In this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast, I reflect back on 2017 and talk about 10 things I did to move my career forward.
Podcast Highlights:
- 00:14 – What does the life of a music entrepreneur look like?
- 00:37 – Is entrepreneurship about smarts?
- 01:18 – 10 things I did in 2017 as a music entrepreneur
- 01:38 – Songwriting
- 02:21 – Recording and releasing music
- 03:01 – Performing
- 03:22 – Blogging and writing
- 03:54 – Podcasting
- 04:14 – Making videos
- 04:36 – Organizing events
- 05:04 – Coaching
- 05:27 – Crowdfunding
- 05:49 – Miscellaneous
- 06:43 – How did you spend your time in 2017?
- 06:52 – The new eBook
Transcription:
What does the life of a music entrepreneur look like? Well, if you’ve listened to the stories of those that have been on my podcast, you’re probably starting to get a bit of an idea.
Whether it’s Bob Baker, James Moore, Ross Barber, Eddie Meehan, Christopher Sutton, John Petrocelli, DeCarlos Garrison, Ian Temple, or Melina Krumova, you should be starting to see the dedication and effort required to be in business.
It isn’t necessarily about smarts because I’ve interviewed several people with successful businesses that weren’t the sharpest people I’ve ever met. I’m not calling them out and I’m not referring to anyone I’ve had on my show, but it made me realize that simplicity is a good thing.
I tend to analyze and think things through a lot and I also get distracted by shiny objects easily, so I could probably learn a thing or two from the 100+ entrepreneurs I’ve interviewed over the years.
“But you’re the music entrepreneur D.A.”, you might be saying.
But the way I want you to look at it is that you are the music entrepreneur. I’m looking to empower you with the tools and mindset necessary to go and make your dreams happen.
I'm here to empower you with the tools and mindset necessary to go and make your dreams happen. Click To TweetSo, I wanted to share about 10 things I did in 2017. I don’t share this to brag or even draw attention to myself.
Rather, I share this with you to give you a sense of what a music entrepreneur could be doing with their time. This may also shed some light on possible revenue streams for you. So, let’s get into it.
1. I Wrote Songs
Each year I’m inspired to write new songs as events unfold in my life and I tap into inspiration. I have a lot of songs in my archives already, so I don’t necessarily make it a point to write a certain number of songs in a year these days (I once wrote 365 songs in a year). My time is mostly taken up by other things, but I still enjoy the process.
Writing a song doesn’t always lead to immediate income but when you think about it, a song has a lot of long-tail value.
You can record and sell the song. You can perform it at your shows. You may even be able to get other artists to cover it or find licensing opportunities for it. It’s a good idea to research the individual revenue streams connected to writing a song because there might be more than you even realize
2. I Recorded and Released Music
I released two new singles as a solo artist in 2017 – one called “Waves“, and another called “Your Eyes Give it Away.” You may not know this, but I also released one new single under a pseudonym, Compuxor. The single is called “Christmas Surf.”
This was created for the third installment of Wommy Saves Xmas, a series I’ve been part of for three years and have done some voice acting for.
I also demoed several other songs that I never released but I’m going to keep working on those until I’m satisfied and release them when they’re ready.
3. I Performed
Performance is the reason I got into music and it remains one of the top reasons I stay in it. I performed with Long John Lev, Adrenalize and a Nigerian band. I played some solo shows. I did a bit of live session work too. Thanks to these experiences, I feel like I’ve grown a bit as a musician.
4. I Blogged and Wrote Articles
I published a little less on the Music Entrepreneur HQ in 2017 compared to years prior but that’s not my plan for 2018.
I’m looking forward to publishing more, and if you’ve been following along, you already know that.
Content is an important part of what we offer, and it is usually how people find us online, making it one of our top assets.
You may know that I’m also a staff writer at Music Industry How To where new articles are going up all the time, and that remains a significant focus of mine too.
5. I Published Podcast Episodes
The podcast is still one of my major focuses. I published 49 episodes in 2017. I enjoy the audio medium. While it takes more time to produce audio than articles, it generally takes less time than videos.
These days I’m starting to think about different ways to monetize the podcast.
6. I Made Videos
I started taking the creation of videos more seriously in 2017.
I didn’t get around to making quite as many as I thought I would because of any content type, I find video requires the most effort and time to produce.
Recently, I’ve started thinking more about making videos again because I know it’s one of the number one ways people consume content online today.
7. I Helped Organize Events
It’s been an honor and a privilege to be a part of the Listening Room YYC collective.
We went from running two events per month between February and June to running four events per month from September to December.
I’m still part of the collective and helping organize additional events in 2018 (note: as of July 2018, I’m no longer a part of this collective).
It’s a lot of fun showcasing talented artists in this way and giving them the opportunity to perform in front of an attentive audience.
I also got to perform at a couple of these events.
8. I Coached
Coaching and teaching are huge passions of mine. I enjoy helping other musicians, creatives, and business owners succeed in their ventures.
I am planning to launch coaching packages soon. I used to do one-on-one coaching on a per session basis, but something I would like to offer is the ability for you to purchase multiple coaching sessions at once.
9. I Helped Run a Successful Crowdfunding Campaign
This is the first crowdfunding campaign I ever helped with, so it was very gratifying to have been a part of a winning team. It was immensely successful, generating over $10,000 for the artist. It gave me increased confidence as a marketer and I made bit of money in the process.
10. Miscellaneous or Unfinished
There are a few other things I worked on throughout the year that I didn’t necessarily get around to finishing but occupied quite a bit of my time.
One was I initiated an independent radio campaign. This is something that I’m finishing up as I write this, so the campaign should be over in March.
I worked on Flashes of Elation and finished the manuscript. Many of you have been asking “When is the book coming out?” Well, I’m looking at my whiteboard right now and there are four boxes that have yet to be ticked.
One of the things I’m waiting on right now is a foreword that’s going to be written by someone special. Either way, I promise I’m working on it and we should be entering the editing phase soon. That’s how you know we’re close.
I also spent some time building new partnerships, especially with the people that came on my podcast. I’m excited about how those are going to play out.
Those are some of the major areas I spent my time in 2017. I’d be curious to know how you spent your time and what you were able to accomplish.
Upgrade to Members Only Audios for more exciting, exclusive training.
- 296 – Investing in Yourself to Grow Your Music Career - May 26, 2023
- Moog 70th Anniversary & The Return of the Minimoog Model D - May 23, 2023
- 295 – Setting the Foundation for Your Music Career - May 19, 2023
