6 Figure Creative

You’ve been asking for this for a long time… It’s something that has the potential to change your life… But only if you take action because this episode is the “advice buffet” to the extreme. This episode is a list of Chris and Brian’s favorite books that have influenced their lives and could potentially do the same for you! Which books are right for you? Take a listen now to see which ones might fit your situation, and which might not. Also, Brian recorded a really stupid intro

Vegetarians and vegans avert your ears… Today we’re killing cows. Before you report us to PETA, hold up! We’re talking about figurative cows – sacred cows and their close relatives the purple cows. But what do these terms mean in the audio industry? Find out what they are, and why you might need to slaughter a sacred cow on the road to becoming a purple cow on this week’s episode!

In a huge announcement last week, Spotify confirmed they purchased SoundBetter.com for an undisclosed amount. What does this mean for audio engineers across the globe? Is SoundBetter worth joining as an audio professional? Is there a boatload of money to be made, or should we stay away? Find out the potential pros and cons of this acquisition and how it could affect your career by listening to this episode today!

Your mind is constantly filled with doubts. You second-guess yourself about everything. Every time you hit a roadblock in life, you crumble. You feel like an imposter when it comes to running your studio. How can you change this? There’s no silver bullet, but there are positive mindsets you can nurture in order to stave off the negative thoughts in your head. Find out how to improve your mental health, your life, and your business with four positive mindsets by listening to this episode

You always struggle to make progress in your business. Everyone seems to be against you. You can’t hire anyone because they’ll never do it as well as you can. You simply can’t bring yourself to leave the security of your day job. These are all symptoms of negative mindsets that are holding you back from your full potential as an audio engineer and entrepreneur! Listen to this episode now to find out how you can identify and eliminate 5 toxic mindsets that are ruining your chances of suc

Are you one of the people who build incredibly complex systems to make your business more efficient, only to have the system break every other day? Or are you the person who does lots of work to avoid doing other work, like promoting your business? Learn how to avoid over-complicating your business and leave your fear of failure in the dust by listening now!

So you’ve spent time working on your business… You’re at the point where you’ve saved time where you can, but you still need more customers to grow your income. Without customers, this is just a hobby. It’s time to focus on 3 different areas you can work on to improve your long-term income. Take a listen to part two of this series to find out how you can work ON your business to get more clients!

You’ve heard us talking about working ON your business rather than IN your business time after time… But what should you actually be doing during that time? In part 1 of this topic, we give you specific things you can do now in order to save time for the rest of your career. The goal of this episode is to help you win back your time so that you’re able to re-invest that time into your business.

You’ve invested thousands of dollars in gear, and you’ve been busting your a$$ to get clients, but it’s been a struggle to get them at a fair rate. To make things worse, the guy down the street started doing $5 mixes. What should you do? Join us to discuss the topic of $5 Craigslist mixes, what you “should” be charging, and how to compete with the lowball competition in your area.

You’re the most frugal shopper, spending hours clipping coupons, comparing prices down to the penny at the store, and maximizing your savings… If you’d just saved that hour you clip coupons every week, and sent someone else to the grocery store for you, you’ll have another hour of time to work on or in your business. Every time you make a choice, you are setting your priorities and you may be inadvertently costing yourself money or time by making the wrong choice – even if it seems the right

Do you run a successful business, but find yourself stressed out about finances? Does it affect your creativity to the point that you aren’t making your projects the absolute best? If your finances are a shambles, chances are your business isn’t very stable, and neither is your personal life. It’s time to make a change. A big welcome back to Graham Cochrane of The Recording Revolution as he talks about potential solutions and fail-safes to make sure that you can survive difficult times!

As a business owner, there are thousands of different problems you could face during your career. Many entrepreneurs try to figure out the answers themselves… But that’s 100% the wrong move! In The Six Figure Home Studio Community on Facebook, thousands of studio owners interact and support each other to help to build their businesses. This week on the podcast, Brian and Chris tackle some of the biggest problems studio owners like you face every single day. Don’t miss out!

Every single month, hundreds (or thousands) of people are checking out your studio’s website. 95% of those people will never contact you in any way, shape, or form. They simply weren’t ready for your service when they found you. What if I told you there was a way you could stay top-of-mind with those thousands of leads for around $30/mo? Enter the #1 most effective way to spend ad dollars. If you have a limited budget, don’t waste it on marketing to cold leads. Try retargeting!

So you’ve spent hundreds or even thousands of dollars on advertising your studio… But not much has come from it. You might think there’s an issue with your website, or worse, your portfolio – but that’s probably not the case. What you might need is a lead magnet. When you’re advertising your studio, trying to sell directly through ads is highly inefficient. By using lead magnets, you can build relationships with people who see your ads, as well as leads who come to your site organ

Do artists constantly turn you down due to price? Are you losing projects to other competitors that are simply undercutting your rates? If so, this episode will walk you through how you can charge 10x more than your competition and STILL win the project.

Do you ever have a sudden urge to do something, even if it might turn out to be a bad choice in the long run? Maybe you’ve bought gear using debt... Two years later, not only do you regret buying the gear, but you’re still paying for it! Thinking about delayed gratification is key across many different aspects of your life. Maybe it’s a relationship, maybe it’s your business, or maybe it’s your mental health… But most of the time, making the hard choice now will be better in the l

If you’re stuck in the vicious cycle of lowering your rates just to win enough projects to make it through the month, there IS a way out. It’s called value-based pricing. Find out how to improve client relations, your hourly earnings, and even your conversion rate, in this episode of The Six Figure Home Studio Podcast! To fully enjoy this episode, read Breaking the Time Barrier first: https://www.freshbooks.com/fbstaticprod-uploads/public-website-assets/other/Breaking-the-Time-Barrier.pdf

How often do you send out a quote, only to be ghosted? It’s super frustrating to be “dating” a potential client, putting time and effort into the relationship, writing a good proposal, and then never hearing back. And chances are, it happens to you a lot. But there’s a very simple way to prevent this and potentially double your yearly income. How? You need to master the art of following up. People will hire whoever is top of mind – and if you’re not top of mind, you’ve alread

Let’s say that you now have a great website, and you’re a good engineer who is praised by his clients… But you’ve discovered another problem. Even though you have a good flow of customers, the clients you really want are turning you down! You’re probably thinking, “WHYYYYY?” What it comes down to is your messaging doesn’t apply to the clients you’re trying to get. Learn how to create a customer avatar for your studio by spending some time with The Six Figure Home Studio Podc

Last week we talked about removing chokepoints from your website so it’s fully optimized for visitors… All your friends and clients who see your site think it’s absolutely fantastic… But you have a different problem... You only get a handful of website visits every month, if that. Now that you have a nice website, what do you do to get actual human beings to check out your site? It’s not easy, but you can find out 11 ways to increase your website traffic with “free” or paid mark

So you spent hours and hours carefully crafting your website. Your friends and clients tell you it looks great. The only problem is that no one is filling out the form on your website to get in touch with you. What the hell is going on? It could be a few things, but the most common are pretty simple to figure out… If you know what to look for. Find out why and how you need to optimize your site to ensure you have a sustainable business that can last into the future!

Every single person has strengths and weaknesses. It’s what makes us human. Weakness isn’t necessarily going to hurt your business or ruin your life. The silent killer, however, is our blindspots. The reason they’re so harmful is that we can’t do a damn thing about a problem that we don’t know exists. This episode is all about answering this question: How can you find your blindspots before they wreck your career?

“I’m a failure. I should just give up. This industry is oversaturated. I will never be good enough” If you’ve ever had thoughts like this, then you may have a dangerous condition known as a “Fixed Mindset.” It’s extremely important for your business, your career, and your life, that you don’t wave a white flag before you even try! Instead, there’s something called a Growth Mindset. In this episode, Andy J. Pizza explains how to make the switch from a Fixed Mindset to a Growth M

We’ve all seen musicians or athletes who seemed to have “all the right stuff”. We’ve also seen the musicians and athletes who, on the surface, seemed like nothing special. Whether it takes you 1 year or 10 years to become successful in audio, one thing matters above all else: If you give up, burn out, or go broke before you have a chance to succeed, you’ll never make it. You have to set yourself up for a sustainable career.

Have you been waiting for a magical moment to raise your rates? Maybe you think you need a Grammy before you’ll be able to charge more, but the reality is you may be ready right NOW. Every day that you put this off is a day that you’re missing out on earning more, weeding out bad clients, and achieving a better work/life balance. It can be scary but if you follow the advice we share here, you may be pleasantly surprised. In fact, it could be the best thing you’ve ever done for your busi

If you had cancer, who would you rather go to for treatment? The Specialist: Someone who been working with the exact type of cancer you have for the past 30 years and has an amazing reputation… Or… The Generalist: Someone who can “treat any type of cancer, and detail your car, and fill cavities, and help you invest in the stock market.” You’re never going to put your life into the hands of The Generalist. Your business probably has more in common with The Generalist to than The Spec

Be honest with yourself for a second...how stressed are you? Does stress affect your work, life, relationships, and/or business? What about anxiety? Do you have a constant cloud of anxious emotion following you throughout your day? If so, there are things you can start putting into place to reduce, eliminate, and prevent stress and anxiety in your life. In this episode, we talk about our 5 favorite ways to stop stress and anxiety before it starts.

Brian records an episode in Florence, Italy, in his triumphant return to this podcast. Topics covered include how you can balance your work/home life while working from home, and what boundaries you might need to have in place to make your family life a success! Life transitions like getting married or having a child have a massive impact on your living situation, and being prepared for those changes is key to a happy life.

In this first-ever solo-hosted episode of The Six Figure Home Studio Podcast, Chris tackles the issues of impostor syndrome and how you can overcome it. Since this is a topic many audio engineers struggle with, it’s required listening! In this episode you’ll discover: Why impostor syndrome uses a false premise to psych you out How artists face the same issues with impostor syndrome What you can do to mitigate the fears that impostor syndrome causes Why impostor syndrome is a high school bully

Trevor Hinesley, best man of Brian Hood and Founder/CTO of Soundstripe, joins Chris on the podcast while Brian is traveling through Europe on his honeymoon. Some of the topics discussed include sync licensing, Spotify and streaming royalties, and Brian’s most embarrassing moment.

Björgvin Benediktsson joins Chris and Brian to discuss the importance of email marketing and some steps you can take to improve your email skills.

Joe Gilder of Home Studio Corner joins Chris and Brian to chat about building a YouTube channel, adding value, and why sales experience will help you immensely in your career. Dive in as Joe shares his story to find helpful info abound. Listen to the podcast now!

Learn how to get clients on Instagram, and turn them into recurring income in our interview with Mark Eckert. Mark Eckert joins Chris and Brian to discuss his success using unique methods in everything from education to business. He’s now the go-to-guy in his niche and can afford to be extremely selective with who he works with. To find out more about how Mark has made a successful career for himself, and how you might be able to use so

If you’re a regular listener, you’re well aware that The Six Figure Home Studio Podcast is an advice buffet. This week, Chris and Brian take it to the next level and offer a plethora of quick tips to help you in your studio. Which ones will apply best to you? Find out by listening now!

Learn about where the music industry is headed, why going to conventions and conferences will boost your career, and why being a gearslut is going to be even less profitable in the future.

Do you come across a TON of broke bands? Do the artists you spend weeks recording get ANY traction with their music? Are your recordings ACTUALLY being enjoyed by a large audience? Chris and Brian interview Chris Greenwood, aka Manafast, about artist development. If you take the time to A. Help artists fund their music B. Help them market their music so it ACTUALLY gets heard and C. Connect them with industry experts that can help their career, you can help your career immensely. If they win, you win.

In this episode of The Six Figure Home Studio Podcast, Chris and Brian discuss the importance of having a financial scoreboard for your business and what it can do to motivate you or keep you in check. Every business needs to have a scoreboard, and studios are no exception. Listen to the episode now!

Brian and Chris discuss the ever-changing environment of the music industry and discuss their prediction of the state of the industry for the coming years. In 2019, artists are figuring out that content needs to be released on a regular schedule. Don’t be like the major labels in the early 2000s and stick your head in the sand — adapt, stay ahead of the curve, and profit off this trend before everyone else!

In this episode of The Six Figure Home Studio Podcast Chris and Brian talk about 6 of the most important questions you have to ask yourself to make the most of your audio career. If you neglect to ask these questions, you might be entirely unaware of what’s wrong with your business — or worse, burying your head in the sand, hoping the problems disappear.

In this episode of The Six Figure Home Studio Podcast, Chris and Brian discuss fear. Whether we realize it or not, everyone has a fear that is holding them back from making progress in their life. Even Chris and Brian open up and share their fears, showing that fear is ever-present, no matter where you are in your career. How can you overcome fear? Listen to this episode to find out!

In this episode of The Six Figure Home Studio Podcast, Chris and Brian discuss the importance of your portfolio and how you can build yours to showcase your best work. Without a portfolio, a studio will have no way to show what they are capable of and anyone browsing the studio’s website will likely move on to the next option. A weak portfolio is just as bad. Make sure you absorb the content in this episode!

Chris Graham and Brian Hood are joined by Austin Hull, a full-time producer from our own Facebook community. In this holiday-postponed episode, you can learn how Austin harnessed his own Facebook community to act as a nearly-endless source of leads — even though he never intended it to be one in the first place. Find out more about this impressive feat by listening to this episode of The Six Figure Home Studio Podcast.

In this episode, Chris Graham and Brian Hood discuss three main business models you can use to build your studio to six figures. Though you can try to use several models instead of choosing one, it is typically easier to focus on just one. Listen in to hear the pros and cons of the three business models which could boost your studio to new levels if executed correctly!

Brian and Assistant to the Regional Manager, Chris, discuss a big topic for people worldwide: debt. Many people struggle with debt, and Brian and Chris have had their fair share of experience on the topic. They give their advice on the matter so you can learn from their mistakes.

In this episode of The Six Figure Home Studio, Chris rants about irresponsible business partners and contractors. Brian brings the discussion around to talk about the three business beliefs that can make or break your business. Listen to the episode to hear Chris and Brian discuss the ways that you can nurture or kill your business.

In this episode of The Six Figure Home Studio Podcast, Chris and Brian talk about the danger of getting stuck ripping off someone else’s work. To have a long-lived career in audio, you have to ensure that what you’re doing is unique and original to you. Imitation is not the way to go for long-term success, though it may be necessary when you’re first starting out. Listen to the episode to find out more!

What does your studio have in common with the neighborhood dealer? You might be surprised! In this episode of The Six Figure Home Studio Podcast, Chris and Brian discuss how you can adopt a drug dealer’s business model to hook people on your studio’s services for life. Listen to the episode to find out more!

Deviating from the norm, Chris and Brian do away with the Gearslut Alert and devote an entire episode to gear. They discuss the obvious interfaces and microphones, but also tools to make productivity while traveling easier, desks, and more. Listen to this episode of the podcast to find out what tools they recommend for every studio owner, the answers might surprise you!

In this episode of The Six Figure Home Studio Podcast Brian Hood and Chris Graham discuss the benefits of a do not do list. Having this list and checking it twice before moving on to your to-do list can help you structure your day and life in a much better fashion to become more productive. Listen to the episode now to find out the benefits you can reap following this system!

Chris Graham and Brian Hood discuss the abysmal track record audio engineers have in their relationships, both personal and business. Find out some key tips on how you can improve your relationship skills to improve your business and your life simultaneously!