Learn the Business Before the Business Learns You

When I Realized Music Streaming Wasn’t the Answer

Commanding the Stage: How I Craft My Live Performances

From Programming to Producing : My Journey as a Music Producer

From early on in my journey, I made a decision that would shape how I approached music forever.

I wasn’t just going to be an artist.

I was going to understand the business behind it.

Because one thing became clear to me very quickly — talent alone isn’t enough. If you don’t understand how money moves, how deals are structured, and how value is created, someone else will always be in position to benefit from your work more than you do.

The First Foundation

One of the first resources that helped guide me was How to Make It in the New Music Business by Ari Herstand.

When I read that book in 2018, it gave me a clear and structured understanding of what the music industry looked like at the time. It broke things down in a way that made sense — revenue streams, distribution, marketing, and the overall landscape of how artists could build careers independently.

Of course, the industry has evolved a lot since then.

But that book gave me something more important than current information.

It gave me a foundation.

It helped me start thinking about:

How money is made in music

How to structure deals

How to understand numbers

How to stay organized

And most importantly, it helped me realize that being creative and being strategic are not separate skills.

They are connected.

Learning Beyond the Book

As valuable as that book was, some of the most important lessons I’ve learned didn’t come from reading.

They came from people.

Over time, I’ve had the opportunity to connect with individuals who have real experience in the music industry. Grammy award-winning artists and producers. Record executives. Music supervisors. You name em'. 

People who have been in the rooms that most artists are trying to get into.

Those conversations gave me insights that no book could fully provide.

Real-world experiences.

Real negotiations.

Real mistakes.

Real wins.

That kind of knowledge is different.

It sharpens your perspective and forces you to think about your career in a more intentional way.

Why This Matters

The music industry is built on creativity.

But it runs on business.

And if you don’t understand that, you put yourself in a position where someone else controls your value.

You can have the talent.

You can have the vision.

You can even have the audience.

But if you don’t understand how to monetize what you create, you leave the door open for others to benefit from your work more than you do.

The Reality for Artists

If you’re an aspiring artist or musician trying to make money from your art, understanding the business isn’t optional.

It’s the priority.

That doesn’t mean your music has to drop in quality.

It means your focus has to expand.

You need to put as much energy into understanding how your art generates value as you do into creating the art itself.

Because the truth is simple.

Corporations all over the world are waiting to capitalize on your imagination.

The only question is whether you’ll overstand the game before you step into it.