Creativity Excitement Emotion

Excited about becoming a lifestyle musician? Interested in learning how to get there? Creating your life through music isn’t always easy, and there are certain challenges you’re going to face. In this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast, I identity and unpack five challenges that held me back. [et_bloom_inline optin_id="optin_1"] Podcast Highlights: 00:38 – This episode is brought to you by The Music Entrepreneur Code 00:58 – Challenge #1: Fear 01:53 – Challenge #2: Revenue creation 02:27 – Challenge #3: Building an audience 03:19 – Challenge #4: Scheduling and productivity 04:05 – Challenge #5: Building your team 04:52 – Final thoughts Transcription: Hey, I’m David Andrew Wiebe, and today we’re going to be getting into five challenges lifestyle musicians face. Before I get into that, I wanted to let you know that you can get the PDF version of my book, The Music Entrepreneur Code, along with two bonuses – the Affiliate Marketing Quick-Start Guide PDF eBook as well as The 90-Day Goal-Setting Framework PDF printout, for just $5. This offer expires September 30, and will be replaced by new one, so get it while you still can. Find the link below. #1: Fear Challenge number one is fears. So, we’re human beings and we have fears connected to all kinds of things, whether it’s traveling, being away from home, cultural or language barriers, having to do your taxes halfway across the world… If we were to go back a few years, you’d probably find that the number one reason I wasn’t out there living life by the design, is because I was scared. The money and flexibility were there. I had that even five years ago – I had a steady enough revenue stream that would have allowed me to travel while working. But I had no idea what to expect when it came to traveling and doing my work remotely. The good news is, right around that time, I started doing some experiments looking after my parent’s home, while they were away, and doing my work on a laptop from their home instead of at my desktop at my home. So, that helped me figure what would work and what wouldn’t work, and eventually I developed a comfort level with working remotely. And that’s a great tip right there – see if you can experiment working away from home and see if you can still get done the things you need to do. It might take a little getting used to. #2: Revenue Creation Number two is revenue creation. My main revenue streams are content writing, video editing, graphic design, and web development (so, I make websites). I make money from advertising, affiliate marketing, books, eBooks, courses, and music as well. But not at the point of being able to rely 100% on that just yet. I’m fortunate that the work comes in steadily, and that allows me to live the life I want while engaging in the projects I choose. But overall, I’ve got to say this is probably the biggest challenge when it comes to becoming a lifestyle musician and designing your life through music. #3: Building an Audience Challenge number three is building an audience. And like me, maybe you’ll be an unconventional lifestyle musician where you take on various types of work to be able to support yourself. For example, maybe you’re a traveling mixing engineer. I could totally see that working. But the reality is, you would still need a lead or prospect list to ensure a steady revenue stream, right? So bottom line, building a list is going to prove important for every lifestyle musician. I just can’t see any exceptions. Building a list is going to prove important for every lifestyle musician.Share on X It took me a long time for me to figure this stuff out, believe me, and in a way, I’m still figuring out some of the pieces of it. But what I can say is publishing daily and building your list are essential for anyone who’s just getting started. And I don’t know how to build your email list without Leadpages. It’s my favorite tool, and while I do know there are similar ones out there, if you aren’t using a tool like this to grow your list, I don’t know how you’re going to do it. I don’t know how you’re getting it done. #4: Scheduling & Productivity Challenge number four is scheduling and productivity. Now, even if you’re getting up when you want, making your own schedule, and choosing which projects you want to work on – just like I am – I have discovered that business is all about non-negotiable daily habits. So, you’re going to have to schedule things in and make them happen. Business is all about non-negotiable daily habits.Share on X You can take weekends off if you choose, but there are certain habits I keep even through the weekends, and some of my habits are publishing, connecting with my dream 100, writing an email, optimizing my website, and working on my next product and sales process. So if you’re always going to be on the road, or traveling, or flying out, realize that you’re going to be in different time zones and you’re going to have to schedule your meetings and calls and eve

It’s taken me a while, but I’m finally getting to something I know you’ve been waiting for me to get to – social media in 2020, 2021, and beyond! It’s laughable how little has changed (beyond maybe esthetic) since a year, two years, or even three years ago (especially for us here at the HQ). So, in this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast, I take a bit of a different approach, and share author Joe Pulizzi’s five tips with you, and expand on them (video below). Enjoy! Podcast Highlights: 00:41 – The evolving identity of Music Entrepreneur HQ 03:22 – This is essential to creating the life of your dreams through music 03:57 – Best social media strategies for 2021 04:26 – Tip #1: Narrow your focus 06:09 – Tip #2: Be clear on your message, your audience, and your niche 07:16 – Tip #3: Be helpful and interesting 08:30 – Tip #4: Create an ownership strategy 09:14 – Tip #5: Be consistent 09:41 – Key takeaways/action steps 10:54 – News and updates 11:26 – Leave a rating and review on iTunes 11:35 – Get a hold of David 11:44 – Your weekly action plan Transcription: Your content tilt is your unique identity in the world, how you stand out from others in your space.Share on X

Eager to live the life of your dreams through music? Can’t wait to experience the freedom that’s available? To get there, we’ve got to build a foundation and take care of the practical side of things. In this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast, I help you figure out your revenue streams, so that you can travel more, live the laptop lifestyle, or create more options for yourself. Podcast Highlights: 00:35 – The Music Entrepreneur Identity 01:34 – A record of David’s growth 02:47 – Do you like “what’s new this week?” 03:09 – Designing your life through music 04:00 – One of the keys to living a life of freedom 04:53 – David’s artistic brain 05:30 – The importance of focusing on high impact actions 06:00 – Marrying business with music 06:31 – #1: Make the leap from career to business 07:57 – #2: Take responsibility 11:05 – #3: Take more risks 12:39 – #4: Identify your revenue streams 15:17 – You can action these items! 16:12 – Go back and listen to episode 135 16:47 – News and updates 19:14 – Listener comments 19:23 – Get in touch with David 19:32 – Final thoughts Transcription: There’s a difference between a career and a business. A business is the upgraded version of a career. It does mean more responsibility. But because you take on all the risks, the rewards are also greater.Share on X

Have you ever had a project, like a new music release, fail on you? What did you do next? How did you feel when it happened? In this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast, I look at the three options available to you at this critical stage of your career. Podcast Highlights: 00:27 – Comedic tribute to the 80s music project 00:59 – Squeezing the best out of yourself 01:28 – Furnace operation 01:46 – What do you do when a project doesn’t go exactly as expected? 01:54 – Something virtually every musician has experienced 03:45 – What do you do next? 04:24 – What is pivoting? 05:42 – An example of pivoting? 06:23 – The disconnect 07:43 – The origin story of Music Entrepreneur HQ 08:41 – The conclusion David came to 09:38 – The new brand 09:59 – What is Music Entrepreneur HQ? Transcription: Many people never pivot or reposition themselves to see things from a new perspective.Share on X

Have you ever thought of yourself as more than a musician? Do you see possibilities beyond the song others don’t see? In this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast, I pass the mic with author, entrepreneur, musician Andy Seth (A-Luv). He shares about his new book and album, Bling, his content marketing agency Flow, his meditation practice, and a great deal more. Podcast Highlights: 00:27 – The Antidote & Spirit Searcher Vol. 1 01:14 – Publishing to Medium for 365 consecutive days 01:42 – Comedic tribute to the 80s music project 02:08 – Something special for episode 200? 03:15 – Growing up in a motel in L.A. 05:35 – The life-changing power of spirituality 10:04 – “Safety net” advice and whether to take it 17:32 – What is Flow? 25:29 – Bling 33:01 – What’s the last YouTube video you watched? 33:09 – What is Andy’s daily routine like? 35:19 – Is there a connection between meditation and success in business? 39:52 – What is the biggest challenge Andy has overcome? 43:36 – Andy’s greatest victory 47:15 – Andy’s book recommendations 51:32 – Andy’s special offer for you 53:28 – David’s three key takeaways 54:41 – News and updates 55:37 – Listener comments? 57:18 – Get in touch with David Transcription: David Andrew Wiebe: Hey, it's David Andrew Wiebe with The New Music Industry Podcast. Following up with some of the news items from last week. Episode 435 of The Antidote podcast is live. I mentioned last week that I would be on the show, and you can now hear the interview at TheAntidoteRadio.com. I was on the show with my friends Carla Olive and Frederick Tamagi. I think it turned out great. They featured some of our music there. Apparently, it's syndicated to something like 60 FM radio stations. Excited to see what the results of that might be. So, if the Spirit Searcher, Vol. 1 compilation is something you're interested in, I would love for you to go and have a listen. I'm sure you can find it anywhere. Spotify, Deezer, TIDAL, Amazon. Wherever you look, you should be able to find it. I continue to plug away at my coursework, of course, and I just made the commitment to publish something new to Medium every single day for the next 365 days beginning July 28. That's insane. This is something I'll probably be sharing more about in an upcoming episode but if you'd like to follow along and see what happens, you can find me on Medium at medium.com/@davidawiebe. It's kind of like my Twitter handle. With my current musical project, which I also touched on last time, it's a comedic tribute to the 80s. I've started working on the David Bowie style track. There are a few other tracks, you know, that are the style of Robert Palmer or Van Halen or what have you. Of course, I'm not looking to create something that's so close to source material that I end up in a lawsuit. That's not the goal. But I'm always putting my spin on things and I think it's going to be pretty cool when all is said and done. Okay. So, for today's show, some of you probably noticed that this is Episode 200. And you might be asking yourself, “Okay, D.A., aren't you going to do something special for Episode 200?” And the answer is, honestly, today's episode is special. It's special enough. It's more than special. You may have heard me refer to myself as an author, entrepreneur, musician. Right? That is a true statement. Though, if I really wanted to, I could give myself a different tagline. The thing is, I can't think of a better tagline that better encompasses everything I do. So, I know I'm building this up quite a bit, but I found another person who identifies as an author, entrepreneur, musician. Super cool! And because we had a lot in common, obviously, that proved to be fertile ground for discussion. And to use a fancy word, “extrapolation,” which I like to think of as the process of taking an idea and imagining what isn't already there, we obviously had a lot to share. So, Episode 200 is special. And I hope you'll soak up every minute of it. Let's get into the interview. Interview with Andy Seth Today, I'm chatting with award winning entrepreneur and all round, fascinating human, Andy Seth. How are you today, Andy? Andy Seth: Fantastic. David Andrew Wiebe: Awesome. Love your enthusiastic response. Sounds like we have a lot in common. And so, this can be an exciting conversation. You grew up in a motel in LA from the ages of zero to 14, your family went bankrupt. And this is where you discover that following the status quo wasn't going to serve you. I think entrepreneurs often have that moment of clarity but what was it specifically that wasn't working for you? Andy Seth: Well, there was a lot packed into there. Growing up in a motel and being Indian, first of all, you might think we owned it, we did not. We just lived in it. I grew up there for 14 years of my life from zero to 14. The kinds of things tha

Do you feel like there isn’t enough hour in a day? Or enough day in a week? In this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast, I share what you will discover when you go beyond productivity and time management. Podcast Highlights: 00:27 – Berry picking and getting too much sun 00:40 – The coursework David’s been taking on 01:09 – Spirit Searcher, Vol. 1 02:13 – David’s tribute to the 80s music project 02:41 – The launch of the new 60-day program 03:00 – “Hey – this needs to be an article!” 03:52 – An important message about time management 04:14 – The downfall of aimless productivity 04:46 – What you really want 05:08 – It’s not about the number of hours in a day you’re working 06:12 – Never be down on yourself 06:53 – News at the HQ 07:34 – Spread the love 07:43 – Get in touch with David 07:55 – Get your free weekly action plan Transcription: Never be down on yourself for overworking. Never be down on yourself for underworking.Share on X It’s not about how much time you’re at your desk because sometimes you can feel energized working more, and sometimes you can feel devitalized working less.Share on X

Do you wish you could sing better? Ever thought about extending your vocal range? In this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast, I pass the mic with Matt Ramsey of Ramsey Voice Studio. We get into singing technique, how to take care of your voice, speech level singing, and plenty more, especially around creative passions and pursuits. Podcast Highlights: 00:33 – Addressing pain points 01:02 – Enjoying the season 01:25 – An important lesson in figuring out your brand 03:06 – Singing better 03:41 – Austin, TX is David’s second home 04:55 – Singing teacher or vocal coach? Both? 07:29 – Why get coaching? 10:35 – How do you take care of your voice? 14:15 – What is speech level singing? 16:57 – Signature singing styles based on wrong technique 18:09 – David’s vocal pet peeve 19:50 – Running into Tim Ferriss? 20:51 – Passions and creative pursuits 22:57 – Matt’s new vocal range app 27:13 – Sometimes backup singers are more talented than the singers they’re backing 27:58 – Find your vocal range 30:26 – How to extend your vocal range 33:10 – Matt’s giveaway 34:25 – Basic vocal care routine for touring musicians 37:25 – Getting your routine dialed in 38:22 – What is the biggest challenge Matt has overcome? 39:58 – Developing quality content for your audience 43:48 – Matt’s greatest victory 45:34 – Matt’s favorite books 48:41 – Matt’s closing thoughts 49:37 – Interview afterthoughts 50:46 – Three key takeaways from the interview 51:53 – New at the HQ 53:58 – Listener comments 54:42 – Have your say 54:53 – Closing Transcription: Doing something you love is still work. But it doesn't feel like as much work.Share on X What people really want is to hold something beautiful in their hands. Invest in quality.Share on X

Do your eyes glaze over when you hear terms like “data” in relation to music careers? The truth of the matter is that actionable insights might be one of the most exciting developments in recent history. In this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast, I pass the mic with Beatchain founder Ben Mendoza, who shares the story behind the platform, how it came to be, and how it can be used to help you build your fan base and monetize your music. Podcast Highlights: 00:45 – What’s new this week? 02:27 – A tool you should be using as a musician 03:03 – The advantages of being a tech company 04:25 – What struggles do artists have today? 06:33 – The right tools 10:48 – How Beatchain came about 20:46 – Leveling the playing field with actionable data 32:59 – Shiny object syndrome (you can’t polish a turd) 36:11 – What’s the greatest challenge you’ve overcome? 38:24 – Are there any books that have helped you on your journey? 40:27 – Closing thoughts 41:57 – Three takeaways from the interview 44:32 – News and updates 45:29 – Listener comments 46:30 – Get in touch with David Transcription: The old rules don't apply anymore. DIY artists and creators can be successful if they have the right tools to help them along their journey.Share on X

Ever wondered why I’m not a manager? You’re not the only one. In this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast, I get into why I’m not a manager, share about the path I’m on, and what function I serve in the music business. This really should have been done a long time ago. Podcast Highlights: 00:32 – Returning to Abbotsford 01:14 – A couple times David’s been asked to do something specific in music 02:44 – Why is David not a talent manager? 03:46 – Some crazy guy from Edmonton who couldn’t string two sentences together 04:42 – Another artist from Calgary who wanted to work with David 05:42 – The economics have got to make sense 08:33 – Every 90 days we come out with a new offer 10:25 – The value creation cycle 14:45 – Upside down content marketing 17:26 – Random James Allen quote 18:17 – Reach out to David quickly and easily 18:37 – Call to action for Rock Stars (you!) Transcription: We can all come up with excuses instead of living the life we choose.Share on X

Have you ever wanted to get hooked up with a booking agent? Curious how agencies have been navigating lock-down? In this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast, I pass the mic with Jack Forman of BiCoastal Productions. We have a great discussion about the future of live events, when artist are ready to work with booking agents, pursuing one’s passion and more. Podcast Highlights: 00:34 – What’s new in David’s world 02:31 – What’s going to happen to live events? 03:43 – Glass half full 05:08 – Working from home as a booking agent 06:21 – The growth of live streaming 07:43 – Will live events be changing for good? 09:38 – How do artists get to work with booking agencies? 12:04 – Passionate about music 13:41 – The grind 15:52 – Not all artists are ready for a booking agent? 17:21 – Hope is not a strategy? 18:43 – The connection between perseverance and passion 20:02 – Trying to find the magic cure 21:53 – The greatest challenge you’ve overcome? 23:45 – Empathy and empowerment 25:32 – The greatest victory you’ve experienced? 26:30 – Are there any books that have helped you on your journey? 29:03 – Anything else? 29:43 – Three takeaways for this episode 30:58 – What’s new at the HQ? 33:12 – Listener comments 34:11 – The Music Entrepreneur Code Transcription: The adversity of the artist is part of what makes every great artist. You won't find anybody out there who's successful that just fell into it.Share on X

So, I got to thinking… Have I ever actually introduced myself on the podcast? Do you even know who I am? This has been on my mind for a while. Even though we’re nearly 200 episodes in, in this episode of the podcast, I share a little bit about my past, who I am, what I enjoy and what I’m up to in life. This episode also features HQ news and updates as well as listener comments. Podcast Highlights: 00:31 – What’s new this week in David’s “exciting” world 00:51 – Income taxes 01:17 – Reflection and planning 01:32 – Building systems 02:59 – The promise of the podcast 04:25 – Today’s topic – long overdue 06:37 – Hi, I’m David Andrew Wiebe 10:49 – News and updates 11:14 – Listener comments 11:50 – Struggling? Transcription: People talk about working smarter, not harder. But unless you know how, you're going to end up working harder anyway.Share on X

Email marketing is devastatingly effective. But if you’ve struggled with getting the kind of response you want or need from your subscribers, you’re not alone. In this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast, I talk to Cheryl B. Engelhardt of In The Key Of Success. Her expertise includes email marketing and branding, topics we cover in detail to help you make the most of your email campaigns. Cheryl also shares the incredible story behind her latest release, LUMINARY. Podcast Highlights: 00:18 – Little black clouds 02:15 – Getting out of your own way 05:16 – The story behind Cheryl’s latest release 08:53 – How to stay on-brand with your music 12:26 – Why build an email list and what to send your fans 14:28 – Email deliverability and open rates 19:15 – What’s working in email marketing? 21:47 – Why should musicians invest in coaching? 23:11 – How people think about you (and how that can change) 24:14 – What David’s coach helped him accomplish 24:46 – What have you learned about selling courses? 27:22 – Is social media worth it? 28:21 – What is your daily routine like? 31:59 – What is the greatest challenge you’ve overcome? 36:32 – What is the greatest victory you’ve experienced? 38:53 – Are there any books that have helped you on your journey? 43:00 – Is there anything else I should have asked? 43:40 – Closing thoughts

If there’s more content than ever, doesn’t it mean engagement numbers should also be going up? Is it possible that data isn’t matching up with reality? In this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast, I talk to Stefan Schulz of Bitfury Surround. As we look to the future of a blockchain-powered music industry, we consider how this will change royalty collection and a variety of other areas. Podcast Highlights: 00:18 – How have you been holding up during the pandemic? 02:01 – What are some of the unique challenges streaming poses when it comes to royalty collection? 08:00 – Red tape and bureaucracy 11:28 – More content should mean more engagement 21:43 – What does blockchain technology make possible? 30:07 – New opportunities for monetization 35:33 – What are some of the greatest challenges you’ve overcome? 40:10 – What are some of the greatest victories you’ve experienced? 43:09 – Is there anything else I should have asked? 43:38 – Final thoughts Transcription: Coming soon.

How do you get coverage for your new release? How do you get your music into the hands of bloggers, playlisters, YouTubers and more? In this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast, I chat with SubmitHub and Indie Shuffle founder Jason Grishkoff. He shares how to approach your relationship with SubmitHub as an artist, how it came to be, how artists can use it as part of their marketing mix and more. Podcast Highlights: 00:00 – How we’re managing during COVID-19 02:52 – How should artists approach their relationship with SubmitHub? 07:27 – Coming into it with realistic expectations 10:10 – How SubmitHub came to be 11:53 – Is there such a thing as typical results for SubmitHub users? 15:12 – How should artists use SubmitHub as part of their marketing mix? 21:21 – How was Indie Shuffle monetized? 26:00 – The lawsuit 32:33 – What are some things musicians should know about sending effective emails? 35:57 – What is Jason’s routine like? 38:54 – The top performing CEOs are only productive 30 minutes per day? 40:53 – What are some of the greatest challenges you’ve overcome? 43:47 – What are some of the greatest victories you’ve experienced? 48:34 – What books have helped you on your journey? 50:12 – Is there anything else I should have asked? Transcription: Coming soon.

Have you been enjoying the podcast? What have you learned so far? Are you interested in offering your support for the show? In this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast, I share several things you can do to support the growth of the podcast. Podcast Highlights: 00:18 – A different kind of episode 01:48 – There’s more we can do 04:43 – The New Music Industry sub brand 06:02 – How to support a podcast 08:50 – Follow us on social media 11:17 – Share your favorite episodes with your friends 12:25 – Leave a rating and review on iTunes 14:43 – Comment on the show notes 16:26 – You can interview me for your blog, podcast or YouTube channel 17:53 – Donate on PayPal 18:26 – Become a Patreon contributor 19:53 – Buy my books 23:26 – Final thoughts Transcription: Welcome to another episode of The New Music Industry Podcast. The show that covers how to adapt, grow, and thrive in the information age as a musician. Navigating the many challenges that are coming your way. Today I wanted to do something a little bit different. And I hope you understand my heart in this. I'm not trying to be super self-promotional. But I felt for a variety of reasons, this is an important episode for me to do. And some of you aren't going to listen. That's totally okay. The podcast is like a buffet. You take the episodes you want to listen to, and you exclude the ones you don't want to. I already know many people that do this very thing. The say, "I love your solo episodes. I don't really care for interviews." And I'm guessing there are people who are probably on the opposite end of the spectrum. So, don't worry. I'm still going to do all of it. Still going to do interviews. Still going to do solo episodes. [More to come] Important Links to Support the Podcast: Facebook Instagram Medium Twitter YouTube PayPal Patreon Books

What is the state of the live event industry amid COVID-19? How are tech companies coping in these times of seismic change? In this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast, I chat with Ed Vincent of Festival Pass, who shares about his new platform and journey as a serial entrepreneur. Podcast Highlights: 00:18 – How are tech companies responding to the current crisis? 07:02 – When do you think things will go back to normal? 09:44 – Rosy predictions for the future of live events 14:14 – How to get more people out to your gigs 18:33 – What is the greatest failure you’ve overcome as an entrepreneur? 21:26 – What is the greatest victory you’ve experienced as an entrepreneur? 22:59 – The joy is in the process 23:29 – Are there any books that have helped you on your journey? 26:18 – Closing words Transcription: Coming soon.

What actions do you need to take to get the results you’re striving for as a musician? How do you form the right habits to ensure your brand is reaching the right people? In this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast, I share about the long-awaited release of my latest book, The Music Entrepreneur Code, which you can pre-order on Amazon now. Podcast Highlights: 00:18 – Introduction 00:44 – The Music Entrepreneur Code 01:33 – Book announcements 02:09 – Introduction to The Music Entrepreneur Code 07:27 – Closing Transcription: Welcome to episode 188 of The New Music Industry Podcast at davidandrewwiebe.com. I’m your host as always, David Andrew Wiebe, and in this podcast, we explore two major themes: What’s new in the music industry. How to stay current and continually adapt to rapid changes in technology and best practices to enjoy our creative endeavors to the fullest. How to marry business and music to create expanded results in our careers. These themes are certainly present in this episode, in which I will be sharing the introduction from my latest book, The Music Entrepreneur Code. I’ve been teasing and sharing about The Music Entrepreneur Code for quite some time, and I’m excited to finally announce Kindle pre-orders on Amazon. The official launch date for the book will be May 15, 2020, when paperback copies will also become available, but you may as well get a head start, head on over to Amazon and pre-order the Kindle. As I’ve discovered in my personal development training, transformation begins the moment you make a commitment, not the moment you begin reading the first chapter. So, go to davidandrewwiebe.com/BuyCode that’s b-u-y-c-o-d-e to cast your vote, make your commitment, and bet on yourself, your potential, your future. You’ve got what it takes. Over the years, you’ve heard me announce several new books on the podcast, but for me the excitement and novelty never wear off, and I firmly believe this is my best book to date. So, in terms of what’s new, it goes without saying that my book is a new resource for music entrepreneurs like you. In terms of marrying business and music, this should also be obvious. This book details exactly what you need to know to get in the right habits and daily actions to help you build towards your own version of success and creative freedom, no more, no less. So, let’s get into the introduction. Introduction to The Music Entrepreneur Code: How to Get Paid for Your Passion and Impact More Fans Without Wasting Years of Your Life and Thousands of Dollars There are musicians. There are entrepreneurs. Then there are music entrepreneurs. Though it represents a small group of rare individuals, it’s a movement, and it’s growing. And, it will continue to grow. In these times of constant change, rapid technological advancement and endless distraction, how you approach your career or business in music matters more than ever. In these times of constant change, rapid technological advancement and endless distraction, how you approach your career or business in music matters more than ever.Share on X You can choose yourself and take control of your career. You can let others tell you what to do. And, of course, there are plenty of shades in between. Some opportunities will fit like a glove. Others will kill your soul. But the fundamental difference – as I’ve so often said – is in how you think. It’s the difference between the entrepreneur mindset and the employee mindset. As an entrepreneur, you work for yourself. You’re in charge of how much you make, when you work, what you create and how you share it with the world. As an entrepreneur, you work for yourself. You’re in charge of how much you make, when you work, what you create and how you share it with the world.Share on X In employment, you work for someone else with little to no control over your pay, schedule, creativity or how your message is spread. There’s no right or wrong. And, plenty of people are content in traditional employment. There are pros and cons to entrepreneurship, just as there are pros and cons in employment. But as a musician, there are so few opportunities to work for others, and even the ones that exist aren’t always great. It doesn’t help that competition is beyond fierce. If you want to work for others, you're always at their mercy, what they require of you and how much they're willing to pay. To add to the tension, they can pull the plug on you and you aren’t owed an explanation. I don’t intend to steal anyone’s dreams. If you have major label aspirations, then hustle. Make an album, distribute it digitally, get your songs played on radio and tour through every town or city where your music is getting spun. Sell merch. Increase your budget. Rinse, repeat. But keep in mind that most labels these days don’t start engines. They add momentum to moving cars. Unless you’re already established, they won’t turn their head your way. To add insult to injury, they will keep most of what you mak

Picking up where we let off, Dave Chick (of Hatched Productions) and I are back at it again. In this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast, we continue our conversation, touching on everything from the project cycle and making the music you want to make, to gear and listener behavior in the digital age. Podcast Highlights: 00:18 – The project cycle 13:05 – Making the music you want to make 20:34 – Gear talk 25:12 – Analog vs. digital debate 26:00 – Consumer/listener behavior in the digital age 29:10 – Rough takes, demos, stems 31:43 – Closing thoughts Transcription: Coming soon.

It’s a little-known fact that I used to be a co-host of Inside Home Recording towards the end of its lifespan. But I do remember that experience fondly. In this episode, I catch up with long-time host of IHR Dave Chick (of Hatched Productions), who has been working as a composer and sound designer for the last 12 years. Our conversation jumps around from taking a circuitous route in life and podcasting to our tastes in music, building business connections and more. This is part one in a two-part series. Of course, for the budding composer, we get into that side of things too! Podcast Highlights: 00:00 – Capturing quality audio 01:45 – Welcome to Inside Home Recording? 05:48 – Taking a circuitous route in life 11:30 – 10 years in podcasting 13:25 – The realities of music streaming 20:06 – Sound design and composition 22:12 – Dave and Dave have a similar taste in music 26:07 – Building connections and working with clients 31:23 – Burnout in music Transcription: Coming soon.

Well, it’s been two weeks since the last episode. How are you doing? Is everything okay in your world? In this episode of the podcast, I share a few things that will make you go “hmm…” about the coronavirus. If you are easily offended, it’s okay to give this one a pass. Podcast Highlights: 00:18 – Why I generally stay away from mainstream topics 00:33 – Things that make you go “hmm…” 01:01 – Wishing you well in these uncertain times 01:43 – Disclaimer 01:49 – Observations about the coronavirus 03:35 – Word of encouragement Transcription: There’s a reason why I typically stay away from mainstream topics. It’s because my opinions are unlikely to reflect those who believe what they hear in the news. And, when your opinions don’t line up with something practically everyone believes, you quickly become a target for ridicule. So, in this podcast episode, I’m going to take a slightly different approach. I’m going to share a few observations and sentences that might make you go “hmm…” about the coronavirus. Although I’m not Mark Twain, I’d like to think that if he were still around, he may have said some of these very things. These observations aren’t meant to offend. They aren’t meant to get your panties in a bunch. They’re just meant to make you think critically about what’s going on in the world. These are uncertain times. And, I’m not unsympathetic. I have personally been self-isolating for over two weeks. With travel bans and inter-province travel being discouraged, I’m opting to stay in Calgary, because no matter where I go, I’m just going to be self-isolating for the foreseeable future. But enough about me. Cordially, I hope you are well. I hope your family and friends are well. I wish my very best to anyone who has been directly and indirectly affected by this pandemic. While I don’t think we’re headed straight for Armageddon to begin with, I want you to know that there is hope. Things are going to get better. So, with that, I’m going to get into some things that will make you go “hmm…” but if you’re easily offended, this is the time to shut off this podcast episode. Fair warning. Observations About the Coronavirus The only way toilet paper is going to save you in the apocalypse is if god himself accepts it as currency. Instead of buying toilet paper, consider buying books. You can be educated, entertained and inspired by the content on the inside, and worse comes to worst, you can use them as toilet paper too. Alcohol takes the lives of up to three million people annually, and yet we don’t shut down the world to analyze the situation. Car accidents result in roughly 1.35 million casualties each year, but you don’t see anyone trying to put the world on lockdown to solve the issue. Each year, the flu takes the lives of 16,000 to 61,000 people. So far, we’re right on track. The most common way for a virus to spread is through horizontal transmission, which includes contaminated transfusion and needle sharing. Yet everyone is in a hurry to get the vaccine. If vaccines worked and gave you immunity, why would you care about those who are unvaccinated? The government is offering employment insurance, subsidies and loans to individuals and businesses right now. What’s stopping them from taxing the hell out of us next year to recoup costs? If the pandemic is just a massively publicized distraction, then the thing you should be worried about is what’s going on behind the scenes. Everybody’s staying inside, where we’re allowed to be. The thing we should be worried about is what’s going on outside that we’re not allowed to see. School’s out for summer. School’s out forever. Telling creatives to stay home is like telling them to go and be more productive. Here’s some time to do what you love. Go do it! Conclusion So, with that, I’d like to close another episode of the podcast. No matter where you are, and no matter what’s going on in your world right now, from the bottom of my heart, I wish you my very best. This is a great time to think and reflect, set goals, make plans, strategize, connect with friends, create new connections, practice, write, record, publish and more. It can be an opportunity for you to achieve the things you’ve been meaning to get to. Take care, be well, and don’t overdo it. This is David Andrew Wiebe, and I look forward to seeing you on the stages of the world… when they’re open again.

Who do you buy from? How do you choose from the wide range of products and services available? Is there a specific way we should be conducting ourselves and interfacing with businesses we choose to work with? In this episode of The New Music Industry, I look at doing business in the music business, and offer some tips on how to get the best results possible from those you buy from. Podcast Highlights: 00:18 – What’s to come for the podcast 00:58 – The music business is a handshake business 02:13 – Doing business in the music business 03:05 – Trust, but verify 04:33 – Two sides to the equation: The business and the customer 05:55 – You’re not paying for products or services, you’re paying for value and results 10:02 – The challenges that come with pricing 10:47 – Guilty until proven innocent 11:59 – Mistakes will be made (it’s human) 12:58 – Don’t ask a business to work on performance (unless that’s their model) 16:45 – Don’t tell someone how to do their job (unless you’re willing to pay more) 23:53 – Do your homework 25:51 – Final thoughts Transcription: So, I have a couple of great interviews in the can already and I'm really looking forward to sharing them with you. The reason I'm doing another solo episode here today is that tomorrow I'm headed back to Calgary for a few weeks. And as you know, I spent the last… let's say five and a half months or so in Abbotsford, BC, and it's been incredible and I do plan to come back and spend a little bit more time out here, but I'm headed back to Calgary to visit with friends and family and do my taxes and maybe just get a little bit of a change of pace, change of environment. Always a good thing for us business owners to have. Lessons from Episode 183 Right. So, I have another open-ended rant prepared for you. Just as with the last episode in which I talked about whether social media is the answer. Used the right way, there's a lot we can accomplish. We can build amazing relationships. And I think, you know, this is still very much a handshaking industry. You’ve got to get out there and meet people, otherwise, your business just isn't going to grow. And I think we get sucked into this idea that if we just spend all our time and energy learning about digital marketing and implementing these tactics we’re somehow going to get ahead. But the thing is, it's really a full-time job. And you as a musician would be better served in making more music while you hire an expert who's great at what they do and is knowledgeable and has a ton of experience optimizing your website and social media presence and so forth to do it for you. Because doing it by yourself, there's a good chance you're just not going to be as effective. You're going to have to become a digital marketing expert to be effective at this. So, no, I don't think social media is the answer. I do feel it has its place and I do feel it plays an important role in the music business, but it certainly isn’t everything. Who to Trust Now today's topic, it's doing business in the music business. I feel this is getting to be an increasingly important topic in the music business right now because there are more service providers and there are more product providers out there than ever. There are more experts, there are more consultants, and there are more managers that you could potentially hire to help you grow your career, and this is great. I mean, it's awesome that we have so much choice and that there is so much great information and there are so many amazing podcasts that we can listen to, blogs we can read, and videos that we can watch. It's absolutely astounding, but we still need to be very discerning as we begin to sift through the options and consider whom we'd like to work with and who's the right pick for us, and who's going to be the right choice for delivering what we've requested of them. Be discerning in whom you choose to work with.Share on X I think Derek Sivers really said it well. He summed it up by saying to “trust but verify.” In other words, trust the people and what they're saying, but also go and check. See if they have testimonials or ratings or social proof, as in maybe a big following, a larger email list, and traffic to their website. There are so many ways that you can go out and verify the facts for yourself these days, that it's just lazy to not do that. And I see a lot of musicians doing that. I even got someone saying, “Who are you to teach a free music marketing webinar?” And I just thought to myself, “Ah, that is so funny.” You could come to the webinar for five minutes and if you felt it was a waste of time, you could just leave. But what if it turned out to be the best opportunity of your life to learn how to market your music and get it out there? I don't think any of us are really entitled to complain about the free content. We shouldn't be going looking

Is social media helping you grow your fan base? What can you expect in terms of return on investment (ROI)? In this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast, I share how and why my attitude around social media has shifted, and what I think is the key to digital marketing success. Podcast Highlights: 00:18 – The king of internet music marketing 00:43 – Shifting away from social media 01:24 – The addictive nature of social media 03:21 – How my thinking shifted 08:11 – Lessons from independent music campaigns 12:45 – “Old fart marketing” 14:46 – Automating your social media marketing 16:31 – 80/20 your marketing 17:53 – The importance of building your website on WordPress 19:30 – Where do you put your focus? Transcription: David Andrew Wiebe is the king of internet music marketing and, most importantly, social networking platforms. That's a direct quote from Scott Kirby of Music Revolt, who shared that with me about four years ago in 2016. It was around that time that I came out with physical copies of my first best-selling book, The New Music Industry: Adapting, Growing and Thriving in the Information Age. And it's true, back then I had a much stronger focus on social media. Some of you might be wondering, what happened? And maybe I'm just thinking too much here, and you couldn't care less. Either way, social media is deserving of some space on the podcast, at least one episode, right? But I actually am planning a more in-depth review of social media in 2020 later. So I'll be getting into that in another episode. In this episode, we'll take a fairly surface-level look at social media and what it has meant to me, and how things have changed for me in the last few years. Now, social media is sexy. People love it and it's addictive. And we know it's addictive because it's been engineered that way. Just like smartphones have been engineered to be addictive, so has social media. And the two together are a deadly combination. Everywhere you go, it seems like people have their heads in their phones and aren't present to what's going on in the world. They look at the newsreels and the headlines and think that's actually what's going on in the world when they haven't confirmed any of it for themselves. Now, that might be an entirely different topic, but I still feel like it's pretty relevant. It's pretty important to consider what it is that we're consuming and how we think about it. Because there are so many things that we just don't think about critically anymore. The smartphones and the social media and our text messages and so many other things have us so distracted that basically we barely think about anything critically anymore. So that is a factor. Just the fact that I know it's addicting and I don't want to spend that much time on a platform as a creator like you are, I'm sure. Whatever it is you're creating, you might be creating your first book, you might be creating music, you might be creating some kind of info product, or maybe even an app. I know that this podcast's listenership represents a broad base of people. There are all kinds of people that listen in. And when I hear about the kind of quality of people that listen in, I couldn't be more thrilled. It's just so amazing to me that people who've been in the business and industry for so long and are well regarded listen to this podcast. So thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you so much for listening in. I am hugely appreciative of that fact. So I'm going to be going down a million rabbit trails here, just as I have. But getting back to the topic of social media, what has changed? You know, in life, I've discovered that there are some things that you simply can't unsee, such as the time when I read Tim Ferriss's book, The Four-Hour Workweek. And I know that this was a transformational work for many entrepreneurs out there and probably for most of you listening. And if you haven't read it yet, I would suggest getting a copy. And I don't want to blow it out of proportion, but it might be one of the most inspirational and entertaining books on the idea of lifestyle design. And lifestyle design is what I've been fascinated by and interested in the last few years, to the point where I am now a digital nomad. And I think I shared that before. However, I'm not the kind of digital nomad that is going to go and sit on a beach and make a video saying, Why the hell haven't you quit your job? That's just not my personality, and it's not how I do things. The point is that I've achieved a degree of freedom, and it was my goal to do this. In 2016, I started working completely from home. And in 2019, I managed to extend that into becoming location-independent. So that was a goal of mine. And my next goal is basically to build a six-figure business. And I'm certainly not go

Are you having trouble trying to navigate digital marketing? Does it seem like everywhere you turn people are teaching tactics rather than strategy? In this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast, I expand on a strategy I call spiderweb marketing I briefly touched on in one of my books. Podcast Highlights: 00:34 – Effective digital marketing 01:07 – Benefits of spiderweb marketing 01:52 – What is spiderweb marketing? 02:29 – Getting your website/home base set up 03:14 – Building your email list 04:15 – Creating content/content marketing 05:22 – Set the trap on social media 06:29 – Distribute your music 07:52 – Get out there and share/network/collaborate 08:52 – Final thoughts 09:42 – Interview with yours truly Transcription: I think you’re going to love today’s episode, because essentially, it’s a mini course about effective digital marketing. I’ve shared about the idea of spiderweb marketing in the past, and even talked about it in my book, The Essential Guide to Creative Entrepreneurship. But as I’ve been finding out recently, it’s something that has been resonating with readers and listeners like you. And, I couldn’t be more thrilled, because if you understand this one thing, you will generate better long-term results in your music career. You may have heard of the concept before, and it’s essentially the same as “Octopus Marketing”, but here’s an overview of what to expect and how to implement it in your music career. Benefits of Spiderweb Marketing Before we get into the specifics, I’d like to share with you why you might want to take the spiderweb marketing approach: It’s a strategy – not just a tactic. Much of what’s being taught out there in the music business right now is tactics, not a strategy. Spiderweb marketing, on the other hand, is a legitimate strategy. You can benefit from it long-term. Social networks change rapidly, and so do other platforms, apps and websites you don’t own. With spiderweb marketing, you can rest easy at night knowing that you get to keep your content and followers. You can protect yourself against risk. Nobody likes losing precious followers. If you take advantage of spiderweb marketing, you’ll never have this problem. There are other benefits, but this is a good starting point. Okay, so What is Spiderweb Marketing? When a spider erects a web, it usually rests at the center. The web extends out in every direction and is set as a trap for its prey. Now, we don’t need to – and probably shouldn’t be – thinking of our audience as our prey. But otherwise the metaphor works out quite nicely. Think of the spider, at the center, as your home base. Think of the web as the groundwork you lay to capture the attention of people and turn them into engaged followers, subscribers and customers. So, let’s get into the practical side of things. Here’s what you need to do to get your spiderweb set up. #1 – It All Starts with Your Website You need a website. This should be a dot com domain name. And, you should have a hosting plan. We recommend the ultra-fast Cloudways (affiliate link), but there are other great hosts out there. We used to promote Bluehost, but no more. Once they got bought out by a bigger company, they started sucking. Hard. I would also suggest setting up your website on WordPress and purchasing a premium theme such as the Divi Theme (affiliate link), created by Elegant Themes. I personally have a lifetime membership to their site and use the Divi Theme for most website projects these days. It makes it super easy to customize your website. Yes, some of this is technical, even uncomfortable. But it’s worth the effort. And, you will begin to understand the importance of it as you explore next steps. #2 – Begin Building Your Email List Immediately If you aren’t already using an Email Service Provider (ESP), sign up with Mailchimp immediately. Again, there are other great alternatives out there, but since Mailchimp is free to start, and they’re constantly adding new marketing features, it’s easy to recommend. I still use Mailchimp myself. Key point: This and the last step are truly the crux of the spiderweb strategy. You’ve got to set up your home base, and on your home base, you must have email signup forms. You must encourage your audience to get on your list one way or another. The standard marketing term for this is an “opt-in bribe” or “lead magnet.” Not sure I’m crazy about either of those terms. But the idea is to give something to your visitors to build your list. It could be a free video, song, T-shirt, or anything your audience might find valuable. My favorite tool for building an email list is Leadpages (affiliate). It costs something, but if you have traffic coming to your website, it makes it super easy for you to begin building your list. #3 – Create Content for Your Website Publish something new at least once per week. This can help you grow your email list, which is critical. I believe your email and social media strategies are going to suck if you don’t

Are you listening to the voice within? Are you doing what you’re meant to do as an artist? In this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast, I chat with my friend João Filipe. We touch on a variety of topics, including what João got out of the podcast, strategy vs. tactics, the current state of music entrepreneurship and more. Podcast Highlights: 00:34 – Who is João Filipe? 02:16 – How did you end up in video? 05:41 – Knocking on the door of a record label 11:14 – What did you get out of the podcast? 17:28 – Strategy vs. tactics 18:59 – The music + entrepreneur connection 20:54 – Revenue streams for artists 21:42 – The value of coaching 26:17 – When the student is ready, the teacher appears 28:19 – Being grateful for teachers 28:51 – What is going on with the music industry? 34:48 – Being easy to work with 35:44 – One of David’s most streamed tracks 37:49 – Episode wrap up Transcription: David Andrew Wiebe: Today, I’m chatting with videographer, and musician, and a dear friend of mine, João Filipe. How are you today, João? João Filipe: I'm doing fine, man. DA: Thanks for joining me. João: Thank you. Thank you for inviting me. Finally, man. After two years I was every day thinking when is it going to happen? DA: I bet you were, yeah. Like you say it's been a while since we last talked and this conversation is really long overdue. But as they say, better late than never, right? This isn't the only open loop I've created with the podcast rest assured. I've started talking about growth hacking and other things that I haven't even started to put the bow on yet, but this is one of those things that needed to happen. So, just to get this out of the way, why don't you share with the listeners what you're working on these days? João: Well, it's really good that you're asking me “these days” because damn it would be really long story. So, right now, I'm a creative producer in the fields of video, music and events. So, basically, what I'm doing right now, I work as a freelancer in Europe. I'm a videographer in the music industry. I either work with artists, labels, tours. I also do a lot of production things in Portugal. Not as a one videographer, but I assemble teams and I direct teams accordingly to the projects to answer video needs from festivals to anything related video. DA: I know that wasn't your original focus. So, how did you end up in video? João: Well, when I was a teenager, I grew up with computers, so I had this time in my life that I was just experiencing as much as possible from the internet and from software. So, when I was 15 years old, I already messed around with Photoshop, Sony Vegas, Cinema 4D, all kinds of creative software. So, I had that spirit already in me. But then, I got into video more seriously when I started my music project. I put it out. I put EP out, social media, website. Like everything. And, after the release, I realized that I wanted to keep up with content. I realized that video was like the best thing that I could do to keep up with content. So, I started to document what I was doing in a vlog for months. What I was doing to promote my project and what I was doing around the projects. Really quickly, people started to ask me for a video. And that's when kind of a light turned on in my brain and I realized that I was doing something interesting that people wanted from me. That was the first thing that never happened. And then the most important thing is that I could use video to bring value to the others in the way that I video in a way to put myself in touch with the people I wanted in the industry I wanted with artists and labels that I wanted. Video was the way, basically. So, I was offering the first year as a videographer I was just up doing all this free work all around Europe with several different people/projects, like completely different stuff. But I was just planting seeds, basically. And I was making sure that every work I did, no matter it was free or not, I was just putting all of myself into that. And I was just, you know, doing the very, very best and a little bit beyond that to every project. Eventually, it grew. People came to me again. It was just a rollercoaster of getting better and doing more and more and more as well as it gets. DA: I remember being very tech focused as a kid as well. I built my first website when I was 14 and then evolved pretty quickly from there into graphics and other types of content in other fields. So, I like your story. I love that you chose video as the medium. I honestly think that probably is still one of the best ways for musicians to go these days. If you're great at writing, blogging is good. If you're great at speaking and communicating via audio, then podcasting might be an opportunity too. But yeah, there's something to video. And we know all know that. Video is just huge right now on virtually any platform. João: Definitely. DA: So,

Do you wish there was a comprehensive online database of artists, venues, events and festivals? Are you looking for a forward-looking, technologically driven platform to help you grow your career as an artist? In this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast, Vasja Veber of Viberate shares what the platform is all about, how it was developed and what they plan to achieve with it. Podcast Highlights: 00:34 – What is Viberate? 05:17 – What’s new with Viberate? 06:55 – How can an independent artist take advantage of the platform? 10:44 – Is blockchain the answer to the music industry? 14:39 – The music industry – an endless field of business opportunities? 18:22 – Copywriting and creative processes 19:44 – What are the greatest challenges you’ve overcome? 25:22 – What are the greatest victories you’ve experienced? 28:23 – Are there any books that have helped you on your journey? 29:59 – Is there anything else I should have asked? Transcription: David Andrew Wiebe: Today I'm chatting with co-founder and business development director at Viberate, Vasja Veber. How are you today Vasja? Vasja Veber: Good. How are you? D.A.: I'm great. Thanks so much for joining me. Vasja: Awesome. D.A.: I think we're going to have a good conversation today about the IMDb for the music industry. You know, it seems like people are only just beginning to understand the value of data in the industry. It's a foregone conclusion in some of the other sectors out there, but I think its value isn’t properly understood in music. So, tell us about Viberate and why it was created. Vasja: So, it was first created as a band project because our background is in music management. So, myself and my other co founder, we've been managing a world-famous techno DJ, UMEK, for years. It’s when it was still in the times of Myspace and Google+ so it was quite a long time ago. We were advertising a lot. We're investing a lot of money into his presence. Back then, Facebook was still a very effective place to be and to invest money in. But we couldn't figure out how those investments are actually reflecting in the DJ’s career. Was he more popular because we invested money into advertising? That's why we started a simple social media managing website. It was called topdjs.com back then. We were measuring just simple social media metrics – how many followers a certain DJ is getting in a day, or a week, or a month. We did this for a thousand DJs that we entered manually into the data. So, we're measuring Facebook, Twitter. Like I said, back then it was still MySpace and Google+ and Instagram. And, it just took off. So, we opened up the database. In a matter of over a year, we got 30,000 user-generated profiles. So, people were adding new DJs into the database because they wanted to see how they're performing in terms of popularity. And then, we saw an opportunity. We followed the market and we raised some money. At the beginning, our angel round was $1 million. We went away from just measuring popularity of DJs. We said, “Okay. Let's go to all genres.” That's why we created Viberate. The name is actually derived from rating the vibe. That's why the extra “e” in the middle. Yeah. And the years go by, we again raised some more money. Today, Viberate employs 65 people full time. And our office is in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Plus, around 60 more all across the world. Those are mostly contributors around the world, because the database is crowdsourcing curated. And today we have nearly half a million profiles of musicians, about 160,000 venues, and we have around half a million events at any given moment in the database. So, the easiest way to describe it is we're doing what IMDb is doing for the music industry. So like IMDb is for the movies and Viberate is for the music industry. We're creating profiles and collecting profiles of musicians. Right now, when I say we have half a million musicians in the database, some will say, “Yeah, but I know services that have more than that.” That's true but we have unique artists. Our rule is one artist, one profile. That's why we rely on crowdsourcing and curating because we have by far the cleanest data set in the world. Other services usually scrape all the data sources they could get a hand on. If you look, let's say for Tiësto who is a world-famous DJ, you will get like five, six, even 15 profiles for the same DJ because everything is done with machines. And, that's why we said, “Okay. We need human touch.” We curate everything. It takes a lot of effort. It costs a lot of money, but at the end, it makes the service relevant and cool. D.A.: Yeah, I love that explanation. So, is it fair to say that you're building it into a fairly comprehensive database in time? Vasja: Yeah. Yeah. That's exactly. That's our first focus is that we want to be as relevant as possible. D.A.: So, is there anything new with Viberate that we s

Each year, we publish loads of content on Music Entrepreneur HQ and we like to reflect on what resonated with our readers, listeners and viewers most. In this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast, we get into the top 10 most viewed posts of 2019. Podcast Highlights: 00:34 – Top 10 Music Entrepreneur HQ posts of 2019 01:11 – 5 Ways to Sign More Powerfully 01:40 – 7 Ways Music Benefits to Your Health 02:32 – 4 Challenges Music Entrepreneurs Face & How to Overcome Them 03:12 – The Effects of Listening to Music at Work: Pros and Cons 03:58 – How to Create Your Music Career Strategy for 2019 04:44 – Passive Income Streams for Musicians and Music Instructors 05:28 – What Your Song Titles & Email Subject Lines Have in Common 06:11 – How to Succeed as a Songwriter – with Award-Winning Songwriter & Producer Troy Kokol 06:48 – 7 Essential Tactics for Better Live Stage Performance 07:34 – How to Choose Great Recording, Mixing & Mastering Engineers for Your Album 08:14 – Thanks to contributors 08:40 – Thanks to listeners Transcription: It’s time for us to look back on the top 10 Music Entrepreneur HQ posts of 2019. If you’re primarily a podcast listener, then you might not be familiar with the website, located at davidandrewwiebe.com but it has fast turned into a massive online resource for musicians just like you. If you don’t believe me, just go to the website and click on the Blog button in the menu and you’ll see all the content we’ve published. Music Entrepreneur HQ is a massive online resource for musicians.Share on X And, in 2019, since we were still accepting guest posts, many of the posts I’m about to share with you were written and contributed by others. So, let’s review the most viewed and listened to pieces of the past year. 1 – 5 Ways to Sing More Powerfully At the number one position, we have 5 Ways to Sing More Powerfully. This guest post was contributed by my friend Matt Ramsey, who I got to meet while I was in Austin last August. I’ll have to have him on the podcast as well. In this detailed guide, Ramsey shares how we can all add some power to our voices for those times when a song needs that extra push. I think he offers some great tips here, and this is an evergreen piece that’s going to help singers for years to come. 2 – 7 Ways Music Benefits Your Health At number two, we have 7 Ways Music Benefits Your Health. At Music Entrepreneur HQ, we don’t often cover topics related to how music can benefit one’s health. With a huge growth in guest posters, however, we saw all kinds of people contribute content on a myriad of topics throughout the year. And, as writer Alexandra Reay (it might be pronounced Re-ay, I’m not too sure) shares in this post, music can help you improve your communication skills, improve your emotional life, strengthen your heart, help you sleep better, reduce anxiety and depression, decrease pain and boost the immune system. If you’d like to learn more, you’re going to have to check out the post for yourself. All the posts in this episode are linked up in the show notes at davidandrewwiebe.com/179 along with a full transcription of the episode. 3 – 4 Challenges Music Entrepreneurs Face & How to Overcome Them In third place, we have 4 Challenges Music Entrepreneurs Face & How to Overcome Them, a topic I feel is both relevant and worth delving into. I think guest contributor Rana Tarakji (I’m so sorry if I’m pronouncing that wrong) did a great job of covering the key struggles music entrepreneurs often face – having to wear many hats, lack of energy or motivation and competition. If you have mental blocks in any of these areas, this post is for you. For better or for worse, I’ve often been hands on with guest posts, and in this instance, I did a little bit of work to tighten up and peak interest with the headings. It looks like it may have paid off. 4 – The Effects of Listening to Music at Work: Pros and Cons Number four, The Effects of Listening to Music at Work: Pros and Cons. Again, this is a topic I would not have thought to cover in any capacity. I guess that’s why we had guest posters. They brought some fresh ideas to the table and covered what they felt were relevant topics. In this post, contributor Natalia Anderson seeks to offer some constructive thoughts on whether one should or shouldn’t be listening to music at work, and the type of music you should be listening to if you choose to listen while working. If you’ve ever wondered whether I listen to music at work, the answer is “often.” And, if you’d like to know what I’m listening to, you can look up a playlist on Spotify called Addicted by David Andrew Wiebe. You’ll find the link to this playlist in the show notes as well. 5 – 136 – How to Create Your Music Career Strategy for 2019 At number five, episode 136 of the podcast, How to Create Your Music Career Strategy for 2019. Should I feel funny about the fact that I just barely made it into the top five with one of my own content pieces? I’m ju

What books did you read in 2019? What resources did you find most valuable? In this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast, I share the three books that made the biggest difference for me in 2019. Podcast Highlights: 00:34 – My recent reading habits 01:17 – The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck 03:17 – Your Best Year Ever 05:05 – You Were Born Rich 07:13 – What books did you read in 2019? Transcription: You can find my past recommendations here: 5 Impacting Books I Read in 2014 5 Impacting Books I Read in 2015 6 Impacting Books I Read in 2016 4 Impacting Books I Read in 2017 1 Impacting Book I Read in 2018 Some years, I’ve made a point of reading 52 books – one book for each week in the year. Other years, I’ve limited my input to just what I wanted or needed in that moment. I’m starting to get back into this habit, because of the many ways I’ve consumed content, I still feel one of the best ways to learn something is to read. Though I certainly didn’t read 52 books last year, I dug into a few that I found valuable. So, in this episode, I will be sharing the most impacting books I read in 2019. There won’t be any sponsor breaks or extra call to actions in this episode, as that would simply be too much. Let’s keep the focus on the three books I talk about here. So, with that, here are the three impacting books. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life by Mark Manson When I think of books that made a difference for me in 2019, this is the one that immediately comes to mind. I also talked about it on The Gyst Life podcast. If you’re interested in hearing a candid interview with yours truly, you can go to davidandrewwiebe.com/gyst to hear it. That’s g-y-s-t. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck prompts us to challenge what we think we know about self-improvement and the difference it can make for our lives. Author Mark Manson is quick to suggest that the recent personal development wave hasn’t been shown to improve our lives. If anything, it can have us looking up at the pinnacle, wondering when we’re going to reach it. But we would all do well to accept that we are basically unremarkable and average. We would all do well to accept that we are basically unremarkable and average.Share on X In the perfectly polished and manicured world of the online and social media, we end up playing a dangerous game of comparison, hoping our lives will one day look like the 10%. And, let’s be honest – most of us are secretly hoping that one day will be today. So, what does Manson suggest we do instead? He suggests we nurture our curiosity. Being curious helps us sidestep arrogance. It helps us remain open to the world around us and it safeguards against being a know-it-all in a world where you can’t know it all. Being curious helps us sidestep arrogance. It helps us remain open to the world around us and it safeguards against being a know-it-all.Share on X Who knows, if we stopped pretending to know it all, we might even learn something! The paradox that some readers may not have picked up on is the fact that this book isn’t anti-personal development at all. If anything, it’s just asking us to stay humble and remain open to possibilities, for the sake of our own growth. The thesis is that growth isn’t unimportant. But trying to become like the 10% might be. It might be more damaging to our psyche than we even realize. So, we may want to change the way we think about growth. If this book got your attention, go to davidandrewwiebe.com/subtleart to learn more about it. Your Best Year Ever: A 5-Step Plan for Achieving Your Most Important Goals by Michael Hyatt Have you ever thought to yourself, “You know, I’m doing pretty good, but I wish I was doing better”? Or maybe, “I just had an awesome year, but I wonder what it would look like if I had an over-the-top, blow it out of the water, pinnacle of the mountain kind of year”? I just had an awesome year, but I wonder what it would look like if I had an over-the-top, blow it out of the water, pinnacle of the mountain kind of year!?Share on X If you can apply everything suggested in Your Best Year Ever by Michael Hyatt, then you should be able to set yourself up for that possibility. Hyatt’s book has us evaluate various aspects of our lives to determine how we would rank ourselves in each area and what we could be doing to achieve greatness in each. Failing to plan is planning to fail, and Hyatt’s book gives you an insane number of frameworks you can use to ensure you set achievable goals and reach them. I would suggest applying one framework at a time, however, or getting a handle on this material might prove an uphill battle. There are other profound insights, such as the idea that regret is pointing to opportunity. People generally have negative feelings when it comes to regret, and actively deny having them. I have a song about regrets, and at shows, before playing it, I would often ask the audience to raise their hand if they had any reg

Did you set any goals for 2019? How about resolutions? How did things turn out? In this episode of the podcast, I reflect on my three words from 2019. Instead of setting new year resolutions, I’m in the habit of picking three words to set the intention for the year. Tune in to find out why and how I do this, as well as how things turned out. Podcast Highlights: 00:34 – Your process for evaluating your year 01:01 – What I do instead of setting a new year resolution 01:09 – Past reflections 01:24 – My three words for 2019 01:33 – Confidence 02:27 – Breakthrough 03:26 – Fulfillment (delivery?) 04:46 – Record Label in a Box 05:31 – My three words for 2020 05:37 – Completion 07:38 – Curation 08:22 – Synthesize 09:43 – Share your three words 10:07 – What’s new at the HQ? 11:02 – Your solution Transcription: As I continue to share my thoughts and reflections on 2019, one thing has become abundantly clear. Some of you have your own process for reviewing, assessing and evaluating the past 365 days. If you’ve got a process that’s worked for you, don’t hold out on us – we’d love to hear about it. Share it with the community on the website. The show notes and full transcription for this episode can be found at davidandrewwiebe.com/177. Each year, instead of setting a New Year Resolution, I choose three theme words for the year. This is based on a process author Chris Brogan uses. Past Reflections I’ve been doing these reflections since 2015. If you’d like to get caught up with my past shares and theme words, you can go to davidandrewwiebe.com/177 and find the links in the show notes. 2015 – Profit, Outreach, Expansion (planted some important seeds) 2016 – Flow, Create, Helpfulness (an unfocused year) 2017 – Adventure, Collaboration, Health (a challenging but awesome year) 2018 – War, Initiative, Connection (a year that started weak and ended strong) My 3 Words For 2019 So, it’s time for me to look back on my three words for 2019, which were Confidence, Breakthrough and Fulfillment. Confidence I chose confidence as a theme word because much of the time I didn’t feel confident. So, I felt that if I could be more confident, it would make a difference in every area of my life. For many reasons I’ve already shared, 2019 was kind of a tough year. Yet, I could not have done what I did if I didn’t have a strong sense of direction and what was next for me. I couldn’t have launched two books. I couldn’t have started a community project. I couldn’t have earned my location independence to become a digital nomad. I probably couldn’t have found the strength to keep going if I didn’t believe that everything was going to work out for me somehow. I think it’s fair to say challenging times call for confidence and although I feel like I set myself up for an interesting year, 2019 doubtless offered plenty of opportunities for me to rise to the occasion. So, confidence is certainly reflected in my experience. Breakthrough Not content to kick back and sit on my laurels, I wanted to stand for breakthrough, for myself and for those I care about. I personally experienced breakthrough in a few areas: I joined a mastermind group. I proactively handpicked and invited specific guests to be on the podcast. I gave away dozens of copies of The Essential Guide to Creative Entrepreneurship to people who might be able to help me spread the word. I asked for opportunities to guest post on notable industry blogs. I asked to be on specific podcasts. I achieved location independence. And more. I didn’t land every opportunity I wanted but I made more asks in 2019 than I have in a long time. That led to numerous breakthroughs. I have no doubt I caused breakthroughs for others in 2019, especially those closest to me. I won’t be sharing the exact details, because I prefer to keep aspects of my life private, and so do some of my closest friends, but it’s fair to say the seeds I planted in 2018 have been growing rapidly. Fulfillment I can see now that I used this word somewhat interchangeably with the word “delivery.” Deliver I did – but not on everything I promised. Some of my wins in this area include: Self-publishing two books. Completing the Self-Expression and Leadership Program, as well as two personal development seminars and one course. Releasing two solo EPs. I think what happened is that I fulfilled on the things that were in front of me, but I didn’t necessarily fulfill on past promises. I tend to begin every year with a grand vision of what I’d like to accomplish and somehow get wrapped up in a whole mess of other things I hadn’t expected or planned on. Recognizing this tendency will only help me make more calculated decisions moving forward. In the last few years, I’ve acted like a superhero, and I’ve discovered myself as anything but. Unless I’ve got the infrastructure to handle it, I would prefer not to take on work that keeps me up late into the night and instead be focused on one or two things. So, fulfillment is a mixed bag, it seems. It wasn’t

What happened in 2019? What breakthroughs did you have? Did you have any breakdowns? In this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast, I use Michael Hyatt’s framework for closing the chapter on another year. I share all the major wins and losses I experienced last year. Podcast Highlights: 00:34 – The importance of closing the chapter on the year passed 01:11 – Past reflection 01:28 – The seven-question framework 01:45 – If 2019 was a movie, what genre would it be? 03:13 – Recurring themes throughout 2019 03:37 – Accomplishments in 2019 04:34 – Unacknowledged in 2019 05:07 – Sponsor message 06:43 – Disappointments in 2019 08:11 – Missing from 2019 08:48 – Life lessons in 2019 09:56 – Start Your Year the Right Way Transcription: Author and speaker Michael Hyatt often shares about the importance of closing the chapter on the year just passed. We can easily drag our mental and emotional baggage into another year if we don’t process everything that occurred. This can leave us feeling incomplete. We often assume the future will be just like the past, when the two have nothing to do with each other. Every day, we make choices, and these choices determine our outcomes. We often assume the future will be just like the past, when the two have nothing to do with each other.Share on X But if we make the same choices, we made in the past expecting different results, of course we’re just going to end up living the same year all over again. So, in this episode of the podcast, I’m going to follow the framework Michael Hyatt outlined on his blog to closing the chapter on another year. Past Reflections I’ve been sharing these yearly reflections since 2014. If you’d like to catch up on these, you’ll find the links to each of the posts in the show notes at davidandrewwiebe.com/176 where you will also find a full transcription for this episode. Closing the Chapter on 2014 Closing the Chapter on 2015 Closing the Chapter on 2016 Closing the Chapter on 2017 Closing the Chapter on 2018 The 7 Questions What follows is my answers to the seven questions Hyatt suggests we answer. If you’d like to follow along or take some time to answer these questions yourself, get your notebook and pen out and start writing. Here are my answers to the seven questions: 1. If the last year were a movie in your life, what would the genre be? As I shared in a blog post titled Restoring Integrity, 2019 was a bit of a bumpy year. While I was taking an intensive personal development program between January and May, I got sick twice and my car broke down multiple times. Shortly after, I endured breakup, and though I haven’t said much about it, it was the most challenging one I’ve ever gone through. Then, my roommate shared that she would be moving back to Vancouver in July. I had already been thinking about traveling the world at that point, which meant that I would be moving too. Shortly after, because of everything I’d been going through, I fell severely ill. My work continued to pile up during the summer, when I had planned to take it a little easier. I still took a weeklong vacation in St. Catharines, ON and later in Vancouver, BC and Austin, TX. But before I left Calgary, AB to move to Abbotsford, BC, we had to put our family dog, Kenji to rest. This was tough, though I honestly feel like it was a gift that I got to see him one last time before leaving. Still, the move wasn’t a walk in the park either. First, I simply couldn’t dedicate enough time to selling unneeded household items, though I guess in the end it worked out. Second, my car broke down in Hope, BC on the way to Abbotsford, and I ended up having to replace it. It’s not exactly easy looking back but these are exactly the things I know I need to air, because not doing so would mean holding onto the baggage that comes with these events and experiences. 2. What were the two or three major themes that kept recurring? Breakdowns and breakthroughs. Even though 2019 wasn’t a bed of roses, I would not have earned my location independence if not for the training I received and what I began to see about how I do life. After everything I’ve gone through, I now believe there are the seeds of breakthrough in every breakdown. Life doesn’t need to stagnate. It can change rapidly, and we can cause that. 3. What did you accomplish this year that you are most proud of? Launching The Essential Guide to Creative Entrepreneurship book, which became an Amazon bestseller. Launching the Your Music Matters community project. Launching the Start Your Year the Right Way Getting set up in a mastermind group. Completing the Self-Expression and Leadership Program. Participating in the Life Box project supporting children in Thailand. Assisting with another season of The Indie YYC Releasing the No Escape EP. Attending the DIY Musician Conference in August. Releasing the Nowhere Even Near EP. Becoming a digital nomad and moving to Abbotsford, BC, Canada. Attending a mastermind retreat in Colorado in December. Recording a

How much time do you spend in deep thought and reflection? How do you achieve clarity on your next steps in your music career? In this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast, as promised, I share what I did on Think Week and what I discovered for myself. Podcast Highlights: 00:34 – Think Week 01:11 – Resting 01:39 – Analyzing top performing content on Music Entrepreneur HQ 02:41 – Cleaning the slate 03:41 – Taking in inspiring content 06:17 – Record Label in a Box 07:53 – Spending time with friends 08:30 – Discoveries from my studies 10:40 – What’s new at Music Entrepreneur HQ? 12:37 – Start Your Year the Right Way Transcription: In episode 171 of the podcast, I mentioned that I would be going on Think Week from December 25 to January 1. If you’re looking for a bit of context on what Think Week is, it’s worth going back to that episode to have a listen. It’s also important to note that you can go on Think Week whenever you want – it doesn’t have to be at the end or the beginning of the year. For me, it’s something I’ve been wanting to do for a while, and I’m glad I got the chance to action it. I like to take advantage of the New Year energy while it’s here – I often feel more inspired to think, strategize and plan for the year ahead. So, in this episode of the podcast, I want to share what I did and what I discovered on my Think Week. #1: I Rested Not only was I feeling sleepy heading into Think Week, I was also at the early stages of getting sick. I was looking forward to just absorbing a ton of information and reflecting, but before I could dive in, I had to spend some time in rest. Ultimately, I’m glad I did. Although I basically make my own schedule these days, I rarely take breaks unless I’m sick. When I think about the impact I’m going to make in this world, I can’t just sit back and relax. So, spending some time in rest was necessary and valuable. #2: I Analyzed I mentioned in episode 171 that I would be analyzing the top performing content on Music Entrepreneur HQ, which is exactly what I did. This was helpful, because I got to see what you – my readers, listeners and viewers – are most engaged in. As I was analyzing this content, however, I also realized that I could just as easily look up trending content across the web, choose the topics that are getting the most hits, and put my own spin on them. But I don’t think the time spent analyzing my traffic was in vein – it will inform my content strategy in 2020 and beyond. That lead to another important discovery, when I started to see that, until now, I have been focusing primarily on on-site marketing. Sure, I wrote guest posts, got my banner ads up on other sites and paid for some Google and Facebook ads, but overall, I haven’t put that much time, effort or resources into off-site marketing, which will be a greater focus this year. There are so many big sites and influencers out there – if they speak to my audience, and they’re willing to collaborate with me, why not strike up partnerships? #3: I Worked First, I had a little bit of work to finish up before I could engage fully in Think Week. I find it’s better to clean your slate than to leave things hanging in the balance before moving onto the next thing. It’s better to clean your slate than to leave things hanging in the balance before moving onto the next thing.Share on X In my case, if I didn’t work during Think Week, it would have meant ignoring projects for an entire week, leaving others wondering what was going on. So, I finished up whatever work I needed to and moved on. Second, I put a bit of work into my personal website at DavidAndrewWiebe.com. This site simply doesn’t get updated as much as I would like, and I wanted to start sharing more than just my music on the site, so I started building it out. There are still many things I’d like to do with the website, but I’m off to a running start. While on Think Week, I specifically built out the About page on the website, which you can find at DavidAndrewWiebe.com/About. I also published a couple of blog posts. Although it has taken me a long time to get around to this, it feels good to be able to focus on some of the things that have been on the backburner. #4: I Studied I wanted to make sure I took in some inspiring content during Think Week, as I knew this would form the foundation for the energy I would carry into the New Year. To that end, here are a few things I delved into: I watched several Joe Pulizzi presentations on YouTube. I was reminded that the successful content marketers he talks about in his case studies started out by focusing on one content channel before branching out into others. That was the catalyst for me deciding to focus on the podcast this year – something I shared about in episode 174 of the podcast. I listened to a bunch of entrepreneur interviews on Entrepreneurs on Fire. Several ideas came to mind as I was listening to the likes of Joe Pulizzi, James Schramko, Chris Brogan, Ezra Firestone, Cameron Herold, G

Are you ready for 2020? How are you planning to make it your best year ever? In this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast, I share what’s to come for Music Entrepreneur HQ in 2020. Podcast Highlights: 00:34 – What to expect from Music Entrepreneur HQ in 2020 00:49 – We’ve closed the doors on guest posting and advertising 01:11 – Let us know what you’d like us to cover on the podcast 01:52 – Growing the podcast 03:17 – Sponsor message 04:18 – What’s to come in the next month or so 05:00 – Start Your Year the Right Way Transcription: Happy New Year! I hope you had a wonderful holiday season. I’m looking forward to a productive year and I hope you are too. Today, I just wanted to let you know what to expect from Music Entrepreneur HQ in 2020. It’s fair to say we’re going through some changes and I wanted to get into some of the details. Guest Posting & Advertising Opportunities Towards the end of 2019, we closed the doors on guest posting and advertising. We’ve benefited a great deal from this initiative, but we want to take full control of our brand voice and focus on what matters, and to do that, we need to simplify. If you’d like the full scoop, you can go to davidandrewwiebe.com/Closed to read all about it. Listener Feedback In 2020, we want to do a better job of listening to you and developing the type of content that serves you most. To that extent, you can direct your questions, comments and feedback to [email protected]. We’re going to be using this email specifically for the podcast and we will be reading your messages on the show. And, just so we’re clear, this inbox isn’t for personal messages, guest posting or advertising requests – we’d like to keep things streamlined. We always love to see your comments in the show notes as well, so feel free to leave a comment on any episode. The show notes for this episode can be found at davidandrewwiebe.com/174. The Podcast is Our Focus for 2020 We’re going to be focusing primarily on building our podcast audience this year. In December, our audience grew to its peak at over 2,500 downloads. By the end of this year, we’d like to 4x the download numbers to 10,000 downloads. To that extent, your support is always appreciated, and if you’re listening to this now, we consider you a supporter. You may have noticed that at the end of every episode I ask you to leave a five-star review and comment. This is because ratings and reviews get the podcast in front of more people. If you leave a comment and rating, preferably on iTunes, we’re more than happy to give you a shoutout on the show. And, there are a couple of other reasons I wanted to make the podcast our main communication channel. The first is that, over time, we’ve created a huge catalog of content on Music Entrepreneur HQ, from blog posts and long-form guides to eBooks and videos. Looking back, I can see that I barely even touched on the extensive resource the website has become – I’m sure I will cover this in more detail in a future episode. The only way you’d know this is if you’ve been to the website or if you actively follow our social media updates. So, if we have something to share, we wanted to make sure that you would be among the first to know. The other reason is that our podcast numbers are up, while our organic traffic is down. This is mostly for me to know and for you to find out, but as far as our strategy is concerned, it makes sense for us to streamline our efforts. So, that’s what we’re up to at Music Entrepreneur HQ. I’ll be right back after this message to close out this episode. Record Label I’ve gotten several questions regarding setting up an independent label. As we all know, the business of getting a label set up can be confusing and even overwhelming. My top tip for anyone looking to getting started is to utilize Ditto Music’s Record Label in a Box. Ditto Music offers three packages, but even at the Basic level, you get label certification, your own personalized ISRC codes, 12 months of unlimited distribution and sole proprietor setup. I’ve personally talked to the good folks at Ditto Music, and if you have any questions along the way, I’m confident they can help you in any way you need. If you’re ready to get started, you can go to davidandrewwiebe.com/Label to get your Record Label in a Box. We’re a big fan of anything that allows you to get up and running fast, and we feel this is one of the most affordable and convenient solutions available. Go to davidandrewwiebe.com/Label for your Record Label in a Box. Full disclaimer – we are an affiliate of Ditto Music, and if you purchase through our link, we will receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thanks for your support. Forthcoming Episodes And, I’m back to talk about what’s to come in the next month or so. Every year, we publish a series of New Year Content, mostly to leave you inspired and share ideas and resources we’ve found helpful. My hope is that you don’t find these episodes overly indulgent, at le

Is there something that keeps you up at night? Can you think of anything that’s been bugging you in 2019? In this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast, I share how you can uncover your greatest hurts, which is telling you exactly where you need to grow as a music entrepreneur. Podcast Highlights: 00:34 – The reflection podcast series 00:53 – Identifying where you need to grow 01:51 – How do you know what you need right now? 02:16 – Consider what your pain points are 03:01 – My pain points 03:06 – I don’t like how I look in photos and videos 03:46 – My dating life seems like a failure 04:14 – There are aspects of email marketing I need to learn about 04:39 – I want to get better at Facebook ads 05:12 – It’s more expensive to solve your problems later Transcription: Happy holidays, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Welcome back to the podcast series in which we’ve been exploring numerous important questions to help you achieve clarity in your business and career for 2020. Instead of giving you a long list of action steps, I’ve been having you reflect and think on the year past as well as the year ahead. The focus in this episode will be identifying where you need to grow. If you’ve been listening to this podcast series, then you already know how important it is to invest in yourself. Now, you can choose at random and get some results. When I was first getting started in personal development, I just went to the bookstore and picked out a few books that appealed to me and started reading them. And, I ended up finding some value in them, especially Dr. Robert Anthony’s works. But I would have never found his works if I hadn’t started this journey to begin with. If I hadn’t read Derek Sivers’ advice, I’d never have discovered Steve Pavlina. If I hadn’t read Steve Pavlina’s blog, I’d never have gone to the bookstore to look for personal development books. And, if I hadn’t done that, I never would have discovered Dr. Robert Anthony, and my life would be very different if I hadn’t followed that trajectory. I’m so thankful I did follow that trajectory. But my point is that choosing at random is going to limit the effectiveness of your personal growth plan. So, how do you know what you need right now? Every single day, I come across plenty of shiny looking offers that promise a better future. Again, I’m not saying there isn’t any value in these. I’m sure I would learn something from these resources. But is it what I need right now? Probably not. So, how do I choose what’s right for me? How do you choose what’s right for you? There are a few ways of arriving at some good resources. But I would suggest that the best way is to consider what your pain points are. I’m not just talking about things that occasionally irritate or frustrate you. I’m talking about things that keep you up at night. I’m talking about things that make you want to run away and hide when you think about them. It’s okay if your pain points have nothing to do with your music career or business. Honestly, the best way for you to move forward is to personalize and customize your personal growth plan to your needs. The best way for you to move forward is to personalize and customize your personal growth plan to your needs.Share on X Forget what anyone else has told you. You don’t need to focus on marketing unless you have a real pain point connected to that. You don’t need to learn about storytelling if the lack of connection you’re experiencing has nothing to do with telling or not telling stories. See how that helps us filter through a lot of information that’s not relevant or important to us? I’m going to be vulnerable and share with you a few things that are pain points for me: 1. I don’t always like how I look in photos or videos. I know a lot of people have this problem The good news is that since arriving in Abbotsford, I’ve been prioritizing exercise more and I’m starting to look and feel better. But I’m not done. I think my ideal weight is around 180 to 190 lbs., and I have consistently weighed 40 to 50 lbs. above that, but as I see it this is more a matter of health than anything. If I’m moving, eating and sleeping well, I know the weight is going to come off and my health will also improve. Though I don’t necessarily need additional resources to improve in this area, because I’ve already invested in my education, if there is something I need to get, I will spring for it. 2. My dating life is showing up as a failure. This causes me pain. This point probably goes hand in hand with the first in some ways, because being unhealthy can affect your self-image and self-confidence. Online dating feels like a part-time job, and I don’t have the time or energy for that. I get that this could just as easily be an excuse as a hindrance, but my point is that I’m willing to throw money at this problem to solve it, probably in the form of a matchmaking service. 3. I suck at email segmenting, sequencing and funnels. I still have a long way to go to beco

This time of year, people begin thinking about what they’d like to accomplish in the New Year. Yet, many people are so given up on resolutions and goal setting that they don’t even attempt it. In this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast, we’re going to explore how we can navigate our own resignation and cynicism. Podcast Highlights: 00:34 – The end of year reflection series 00:52 – Resignation and cynicism 02:13 – What is cynicism and resignation pointing to? 02:24 – Past hurts 03:00 – Where you’re given up in life 04:01 – The potential for breakthrough 05:28 – Are you ready for change? Transcription: Happy holidays, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. I hope you’ve been enjoying this podcast series on setting yourself up for an awesome 2020. Instead of giving you a long list of action steps, I’ve been focusing on providing you with questions that will unlock key areas you can work on to have your best year ever. In this episode, we’re going to be exploring resignation and cynicism and what it’s pointing to. Some of you are going to hear these episodes and think to yourself: “What’s the point in thinking about 2020? Nothing’s ever going to change for me.” I believe it’s healthy to have a certain amount of skepticism and to look at things critically. So, I’m not down on anyone that feels that way about the conversations we’ve been having. But know it or not, this is already indicative of resignation and cynicism. And, while listening to these episodes, if at any point you’ve been asking yourself why you should set goals, plan your year, spend time in study, do any kind of thinking or reflecting – that’s indicative of resignation and cynicism too. If you’ve been asking yourself why you’d even bother creating another New Year’s Resolution, it’s the same thing. I know many people, who after a certain age, just gave up on New Year’s Resolutions. You’re not wrong for having any of these thoughts. But it’s important to understand that if you’re not going to be actively seeking out inspiration, setting goals or creating a strategy for their achievement, you’ve already given up. There’s nothing wrong with giving up, but if you’re not doing it consciously, you’re doing it by default. As you can imagine, that’s a dangerous place to be. 2020 by default will be just another year for you, and that’s the last thing I want for you. 2020 by default will be just another year for you, and that’s the last thing I want for you.Share on X So, what is cynicism and resignation pointing to? If we can understand resignation and cynicism at a deeper level, we can do something about it. Here’s what you need to know: First and foremost, resignation and cynicism are pointing to past hurts. Anybody who says they haven’t experienced any tough or difficult moments in their life is lying. Anybody who says they haven’t experienced any tough or difficult moments in their life is lying.Share on X There certainly isn’t any way to define the degree of difficulty anyone experienced. But one thing we know for sure is that these challenges, for better and for worse, have contributed to who you are and how you’re showing up in the world daily. The more aware you are of the events that have impacted your attitude towards life, the better equipped you will be to step outside your default way of being and create yourself as you want to be. Second, resignation and cynicism are pointing to an area where you’re given up in life. This may be obvious from things I’ve already said, but it’s an important point, nonetheless. I’m not saying you’re not still in the fight, because you may very well be. But if there’s any part of your work that’s showing up as pointless, meaningless or worthless, it’s likely because you’re given up in that area. Maybe you’re tired of reaching out to venues to book gigs. Maybe you’re frustrated with creating industry connections. It could be that you don’t see any value in posting to social media one more time when your following is so small. Are you starting to see some areas where you’re given up? Keep in mind that the only reason you’ve given up on anything is because you’ve had a bad experience with it in the past. The only reason you’ve given up on anything is because you’ve had a bad experience with it in the past.Share on X If you were still a child, you wouldn’t be given up on anything, because you knew, deep down, you could achieve whatever you set your mind to. You can’t be resigned and cynical about anything you don’t have experience with. Third, resignation and cynicism are pointing to an area where you have the potential for breakthrough. This is the part that a lot of people miss and don’t understand. We all have pain points in our lives. But human nature is to run towards pleasure or comfort and run away from pain. So, even when something unwanted persists in our lives, our best solution, much of the time, is avoidance. The truth is, that pain is pointing to an area where you can have a breakthrough. There are

How The holidays are the perfect time to reflect on the year past and think about what you want to achieve in the year ahead. In this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast, I share about a practice Bill Gates himself adopted to review and consider suggestions Microsoft employees gave him. Podcast Highlights: 00:34 – Continuing the reflection series 00:52 – I want 2020 to be a breakthrough year 01:08 – Think Week 02:08 – One thing I’m going to be thinking about 02:33 – One thing I’ll be learning about 02:59 – One thing I’ll be analyzing 03:29 – One thing I’ll be creating 04:30 – Will you be engaging in Think Week? 04:37 – Questions to ask yourself 05:19 – Resource to help you in the New Year Transcription: Happy holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year. I trust you’re enjoying yourself this holiday season. As with last episode, I wanted to give you some thoughts to meditate on as we move into 2020. If you can’t tell, I’ve never thought longer or harder on my leadership, growth, strengths and shortcomings than now. That’s because I want 2020 to be a breakthrough year. I want 2020 to be a breakthrough year.Share on X I’m tired of the same old, same old. If I want 2020 to be different, that means I will need to create new habits. If I want to create new habits, I will need to take new actions. If I want to take new actions, I will need to think new thoughts. Something that has made its way into the Music Entrepreneur HQ culture is “Think Week.” I’ve been wanting to do this for several years now but didn’t necessarily have the proper structure or even time to do it. This year, I managed to take a week off between December 25 and January 1, so I though to myself, “what better time?” If you don’t already know, this practice has its roots in a regime Bill Gates himself adopted, and he was the one to coin the term Think Week. Basically, twice per year, for an entire week, he would retreat into a remote cabin, read through all the suggestions and proposals Microsoft employees gave him and decide which to implement. My Think Week will take a similar form, though I only have so much to review in terms of feedback or suggestions. With that in mind, I’ve been making note of everything I want to think about, study and learn about, analyze and create. I’ll give you a few examples of what I’m talking about, so you can structure your own Think Week if you choose to implement this practice for yourself. First, let’s look at one thing I’m going to be thinking about. Something I’m going to be thinking about is turning podcast episodes into shorter video clips. Some questions connected to this item include: Is this something worth doing? What kind of return can I expect from doing this? How long will it take? Can it be outsourced? If so, how much will it cost? How many clips do I want to create? And so on. Second, here’s one thing I’ll be learning about. In an episode of SuperFastBussiness, my coach, James Schramko, talked about a German notetaking method he started using. There are many ways of taking notes, none of them wrong, but it sounded compelling enough that I wanted to explore it in more detail. Notetaking and journaling are kind of hot topics right now, and to that extent, I don’t want to get sucked in, but if there’s an easy system I can implement and get results from, I’m all for it. Third, here’s something I’m looking to analyze. I’m going to be analyzing the top performing blog posts, podcast episodes, videos, emails and products of Music Entrepreneur HQ. My basic thesis for 2020 is that things that aren’t going to get results aren’t worth creating, and that’s going to require a bit of a mindset switch. But if I have a list of high performing content ideas, topics, headlines and keywords I can work with, I’m more likely to create things that help me achieve desired results. Fourth, here’s something I’m looking to create. Several weeks ago, I ended up creating something I call a Takeover Plan. It’s a framework that helps me identify opportunities in any niche. Within the framework I create a big list of products, keywords, questions, podcasts that apply to the niche I’m looking to get into. There was a niche I was thinking about getting into outside of the music industry, which is how I stumbled upon the idea to begin with. I may not be getting into that niche after all, because I have established goals for 2020, but I had some thoughts of templatizing the Takeover Plan, which I will give more thought to over Think Week. So, now you know a few areas where I’m going to be poking around a bit. My list obviously includes other items. I just wanted to give you a sense of the kinds of things I will be spending an entire week looking at. It’s entirely possible that I’ll be looking at other items as I get into Think Week, so in that sense, it’s okay to think of the process as being fluid. While you’re thinking and studying, it’s more than likely that you’ll come across a few other topics worth exploring. So, if you ch

You’re a music entrepreneur. And, as a music entrepreneur, you are a leader. Even if you aren’t a leader to a team or anyone specifically, you are a leader to yourself. So, the question is, what kind of leader have you been? In this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast, I share some thoughts about how I led myself, others and my team, what I discovered, and how I’m going to change moving forward. Podcast Highlights: 00:34 – Happy holidays 00:56 – The reflection series 01:07 – Don’t let 2020 drift by 01:31 – As music entrepreneurs, we are leaders 02:05 – Thank you for being so difficult 02:52 – Ways in which I can improve as a leader 03:35 – A forgiving leader 04:20 – A cynical and resigned leader 05:18 – Your leadership is the ceiling on everything in your business 05:55 – Invest in yourself in 2020 06:45 – Let’s get excited about growing again Transcription: First and foremost, happy holidays, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. I hope you’re spending plenty of time with loved ones, eating loads of delicious foods, resting generously and enjoying giving and receiving gifts. I’ve talked about several productive things you can do during the holiday season in a much earlier episode, so if you need a refresher on that, go back to episode 23 of the podcast. This holiday season, I don’t want to give you more to do. Instead, I thought I would put together a series of episodes that would leave you with some important things to reflect on and think about. 2020 is just about here and the last thing we want to do is let it drift by and be “just another year.” It’s the last thing I want for you and honestly, it’s the last thing I want for me. We want to make 2020 the best year we’ve ever had, because wins tend to stack. It’s easier to stack your wins than to start from a place of failure and try to build wins on top of it. As music entrepreneurs, we must recognize that we are leaders, and leaders need to stay ahead of the eight ball. We need to be conscious of the kinds of leaders we are – the leader we are to ourselves as well as the leader we are to others. In 2019, I made plenty of mistakes and dropped too many balls to mention. That’s the last thing I want to carry into 2020. So, I must evaluate what went wrong, establish clarity around the lessons I learned and put new structures in place to ensure the level of performance I expect from myself and my team. That’s part of my responsibility as a leader. I was also recently prompted to think about my leadership when I watched a video by my coach, James Schramko, on SuperFastBusiness titled Thank You For Being So Difficult. If you’d like more context for this episode, I would suggest taking a moment to watch this quick two-minute video – you’ll find the link in the show notes at davidandrewwiebe.com. The key point of this video is that adversity shapes who we are. Adversity shapes who we are.Share on X There can be difficult people in our lives – band mates, collaborators, bosses, coaches, investors, board of directors and so on. But there’s a lot we can learn from difficult people. We can learn about how not to act as a leader. And, these experiences also shape who we are. So, after watching this video, I started asking myself, what kind of leader am I? I take pride in squeezing a lot out of my days. Yet, I can also see areas where I could improve: For most of 2019, I didn’t maintain a consistent routine. There were some days that I didn’t even start work until noon when I’d intended to start much earlier. I fell behind on several projects that ended up further on the backburner than I’d ever intended. I said that my health was important to me, and I still often abused caffeine, didn’t exercise as often as needed or ate badly. I could go on. The key is that I started thinking about what kind of leader allowed this to happen? And, that also had me looking at who I was to others, because I figured that would offer some clues as to who I was to myself. First, I began to see that I was forgiving of myself. And, we all know how important that is. The National Science Foundation found that the average person has about 12,000 to 60,000 thoughts per day, and of those 80% are negative and 95% are repetitive. The average person has about 12,000 to 60,000 thoughts per day, and of those 80% are negative and 95% are repetitive.Share on X This could be one of the reasons positive thinking alone does nothing – it takes monumental effort just to maintain it. So, that had me thinking how I could talk to myself in a way that was positive yet firm, so that I would start on time and wouldn’t let things slip through the cracks. If I could be a positive and firm leader for myself and others, I would be able to achieve more and be less wishy-washy about decisions I need to make. Next, in addition to being forgiving, I could also see that I was cynical and resigned. With each passing year where things don’t go right, it’s easy to feel like you’re failing and no matter how hard you try

Are you looking for a way to promote your live shows? Do you wish you could reach more people and encourage more ticket sales? In this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast, I pass the mic with Managing Partner of Bandsintown, Fabrice Sergent, who shares valuable insights into live performance as well as entrepreneurship. Podcast Highlights: 00:34 – What is Bandsintown? 01:44 – How and why was Bandsintown created? 03:10 – It’s a great platform for independent artists too 03:48 – Will live performance continue to be the most profitable sector of the music industry? 05:39 – Live performance and the struggle of being independent 05:54 – The greatest myth of all 08:18 – Creating an experience for your fans 10:51 – It doesn’t happen by accident! 12:48 – Talent, perseverance and hard work favors luck 13:06 – The importance of keeping your fans engaged 13:41 – Bandsintown’s new functionality 17:08 – Utilizing data well to have a successful career 19:14 – Charts on Bandsintown 21:32 – Hypebot acquisition 22:57 – What is the greatest struggle you’ve overcome? 25:43 – Loneliness in entrepreneurship 26:31 – What are the greatest victories you’ve had as an entrepreneur? 28:04 – Are there any books that have helped you on your journey? 29:22 – Building a thriving live music community 30:06 – On loneliness Transcription: Coming soon.

Are you getting enough rest? Do you constantly feel tired and exhausted? The music industry is a hardworking industry, and it can place many demands on someone with big ambitions. In this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast, I share the mic with wellness coach, artist and songwriter Katie Zaccardi, who shares valuable tips on changing your attitude towards hustling and grinding, implementing a self-care routine, managing your time and more. Podcast Highlights: 00:34 – Who is Katie Zaccardi? 03:37 – Changing our attitudes towards hustling and grinding 07:42 – Focusing on the right things 11:09 – How to implement a self-care routine and eliminate burnout 19:47 – How can we make the most of our free time? 22:43 – How can we manage our time? 28:50 – How to deal with procrastination 31:38 – Automate, eliminate, delegate 32:49 – Katie’s anxiety journey 41:09 – What are the biggest challenges you’ve overcome? 43:51 – What are the most significant victories you’ve experienced? 44:41 – Are there any books that have helped you on your journey? 46:35 – Listen to your gut and ask for help 47:35 – Being in action Transcription: Coming soon.

Are you trying to get your independent label set up? Are you looking for tips on how to run and grow your own label? In this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast, I talk to Nick Sadler of NSDMT and The Label Machine. He shares from his many years of experience and offers valuable tips on how to make a business plan, how to budget and more. Podcast Highlights: 00:34 – Who is Nick Sadler? 04:55 – Studying and ongoing self-education 05:44 – What is The Label Machine? 11:13 – What are the benefits to starting your own label? 16:27 – What does one need to focus on when they’re getting their label established? 22:33 – “Success stories” and thinking critically 25:46 – How to set up your business plan 33:09 – How should one spend $1,000,000 to get national exposure for their label? 39:11 – What are the most challenging aspects to navigate as a label owner? 45:02 – What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve overcome? 53:26 – What are some of the biggest victories you’ve experienced? 56:46 – Are there any books that have helped you on your journey? 1:03:12 – Wrapping up Transcription: Coming soon.

2020 is almost here. What will you be doing to stay current? Will you be making any changes to your approach? In this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast, I share some of the challenges facing Music Entrepreneur HQ, and what we’re going to be doing to stay ahead of the game. Podcast Highlights: 00:34 – The importance of content 01:41 – Things are about to change at Music Entrepreneur HQ 02:34 – Content marketing is turning a corner 03:07 – Keeping a balance between creating new content and optimizing old content 03:37 – Adapting to changes in SEO and tech 04:25 – Futureproofing your business 05:06 – Media-rich content 05:41 – A summary of changes 05:51 – Repurposing and curating content 06:35 – Creating more media-rich content 07:00 – Keeping the winners, cutting the losers 07:49 – Experimentation 10:40 – How will you be adapting in 2020? Transcription: Although content is something I’m constantly thinking about, it doesn’t dominate the conversation here on the podcast. The reason I consider it important is because practically everything we do at Music Entrepreneur HQ revolves around content. Much of our marketing is achieved through content – advertising, social media, email marketing and so on. Products are essentially the best parts of our free content refined and boiled down into their key components. So, as I’ve mentioned before, it makes a lot of sense for me to dedicate most of my productive time to writing. And, the main reason I don’t talk about content all the time is because there are much juicier, more important topics to cover: Music streaming, live performance, merchandise, social media and more. So, my content process, which is something that has been honed through much trail and error, is mostly for me to know and for you to find out. Unless, of course, you’re interested in learning about what’s going on behind the scenes. Be sure to request an episode about our content marketing strategy if that’s the case. Anyway, the reason I wanted to talk about content today is because things are about to change at Music Entrepreneur HQ. This is certainly of some interest to you, since your questions and requests have driven a lot of the content that has been created to this point. Here’s what’s interesting: I’m becoming present to the fact that between the 800 some odd blog posts and podcast episodes on the website, as well as the various books and products we’ve got, we’ve answered the most common questions on the topic of the music business. This doesn’t mean I don’t have more to talk about, nor does it mean there isn’t room for innovation. In many ways, I’ve tried to remain at the forefront of innovation at Music Entrepreneur HQ, while being realistic about the new platforms and apps that come along, because frankly those tend to come and go while the fundamentals of marketing remain the same. What’s important to know is that content marketing as a whole is turning a corner and it’s time to start thinking differently about it. Content marketing as a whole is turning a corner and it’s time to start thinking differently about it.Share on X It’s funny, because looking back, I was beginning to talk about all these changes and how we were planning to deal with them in episode 107 of the podcast. As I was contemplating these changes over a year ago, I think I was afraid of doing anything drastic because what I was doing was working. But at this point, Music Entrepreneur HQ’s organic traffic has taken a dive a couple of times, the most recent occurrence being about a month ago. One of the most important lessons that has come through this is that it’s challenging to keep one eye on the future while keeping another eye on the things you’ve worked on leading up to that point. A meaningful balance must be struck between the two. What I mean by that as a publisher you need to keep creating new, up-to-date, innovative content while subjecting your archives of content to audit, review and optimization, especially if it’s falling desperately out of date. You must keep creating new, up-to-date, innovative content while subjecting your archives of old content to audit, review and optimization.Share on X So, as I look ahead, I think content curation and repurposing are going to become key to the survival and longevity of this business. This is underscored by some other fundamental changes in tech, including the emergence of AI. I think it will still be a while before AI is building websites and writing content for us, but those days are coming. The question, then, is what’s going to happen to content? I believe the same old listicles and how-to guides are going to have limited effectiveness. At some point, it’s going to become a complete waste of time to work on them. It’s a bit of a harrowing thought as someone whose livelihood for the last seven to eight years has been building traffic and sales generating content for various businesses, but this well could dry up. I don’t expect this to happen overnight, but

Are you stagnating in your efforts to sell more music or merch? Do you wish you could maximize your sales and revenue everywhere you go? In this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast, I share a new way of approaching the sale that will result in a breakthrough result. Podcast Highlights: 00:34 – What is a distinction? 01:08 – Increase your music sales immediately 01:37 – If you’re interested in X, check out Y 02:29 – X and Y are two different things 03:33 – No pressure in the message 05:31 – You’re not asking for the sale 07:11 – What to do instead 08:14 – Things to look out for 09:11 – How to get paid for your passion Transcription: I’ve been quietly developing something I call “distinctions” for the Music Entrepreneur HQ. A distinction is anything that can replace our assumptions and default way of doing things with a new approach that produces a breakthrough result. These distinctions are only developed over time, through research, experience, observation, experimentation and testing. After all, I have “breakthrough result” as a criterion for distinctions, so they don’t come together by accident. I don’t expect to be sharing new distinctions all the time. These don’t come together in a hurry. But the distinction I want to share with you today is an important one, as it can help you increase your music sales immediately, whether you’re selling online, at your gigs or elsewhere. Don’t think too concretely in terms of music sales here, because you may be selling fewer CDs or digital downloads than ever. This could be applied to merch sales, streams, email signups or otherwise. Whenever you’re making a call to action, I believe this distinction will make a difference for you. So, the distinction takes this form: If you’re interested in X, check out Y. Now, keep in mind this is the default way we do things. It works well enough but doesn’t offer a breakthrough result. We’ve all said statements that take this form. “If you enjoyed our show, check out our merch table.” “If you dug our first album, you’ll probably dig our second album too.” “If you liked this episode of the podcast, check out my books.” So, why is this bad? It’s not bad. Again, as I’ve already said, this is the default way of doing things and we keep doing it because it works just fine. Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m not satisfied with “just fine.” If you keep doing what you’ve always done, you’ll keep getting what you’ve always got. But let’s cross-examine why statements that take this form lack power. 1. X and Y are Separate Ever notice how nobody says: “If you liked our music, check out our music?” It’s nonsense, right? And yet, that form would still be more effective than the one I’ve already introduced. Why would I say that? You see, when you gauge interest in X and ask people to check out Y, you’re creating a disconnect, because the two are unrelated. If people like your live show, does that mean they should like your album too? You’re rolling the dice here, because the people in attendance might just enjoy concerts. Maybe they like going for a drink with their friends. Maybe they like to dance. Maybe they just need a night out. There are too many possibilities to mention. X and Y are separate, so gauging interest in X and trying to sell people on Y is kind of like asking whether they like food and if they’ll check out your new BBQ grill. I love food and I enjoy the occasional BBQ dishes, but that doesn’t mean I’m a good prospect for a BBQ grill. I can tell you right now I’m not! And, the disconnect can extend well beyond that. 2. There’s No Pressure in the Message Don’t you wish you could speak in a way that results in others acting? You can! It’s just that, to this point, you probably haven’t thought about it. If you’re not talking to cause action, why are you talking? If you’re not talking to cause action, why are you talking?Share on X I get that you wouldn’t necessary talk in this manner in everyday ordinary conversations. But when it comes time to ask for what we need in a meeting, during a phone call or at a show, we often clam up and cower in the corner. “Oh, I don’t want to offend them” you say to yourself. Meanwhile, you’re losing whatever power you had in the conversation. That’s the problem with this form: If you’re interested in X, check out Y. There’s no pressure in the message. “But I don’t want there to be any pressure” you may say. Well, do you think it’s fair that you’re faced with pressure every single day? When you choose whether to hit the snooze for your alarm, you’re in the presence of pressure. When deciding what to have for lunch, you encounter pressure. When your coworker asks whether you can stay late to help them with their work, you’re faced with pressure. Contrary to popular belief, “pressure” is not bad. Contrary to popular belief, pressure is not bad.Share on X Pressuring, on the other hand, can be a problem. I would define pressuring as convincing someone of something they don’t already believe i

Do you wish you could play better gigs? Do you want to engage in the type of projects and work that will leave you feeling happy and fulfilled? In this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast, I pass the mic with Robonzo of The Unstarving Musician, who’s got a podcast and a book of his own. He shares how he was able to build a profitable live performance career and how he helps other musicians do the same. Podcast Highlights: 00:34 – The podcasting journey 01:39 – How did you get started with The Unstarving Musician? 04:59 – The value of subbing 08:20 – Being a good hang 09:18 – How can musicians better leverage live performance? 12:34 – Having too many lines in the water 15:57 – Taking care of yourself 17:41 – Depression in the music industry/success doesn’t make you happy 20:44 – Who do you know that isn’t a starving musician? 24:48 – The Music Entrepreneur Code 25:49 – Why did you get into podcasting? 31:14 – Current social media marketing trends 36:19 – Making new music 37:52 – Why did you write a book and what impact has it had? 42:11 – Are there any books that have helped you on your journey? 43:49 – Wrap up Transcription: David Andrew Wiebe: Today I'm chatting with host of The Unstarving Musician Podcast, Robonzo. How are you today, Robonzo? Robonzo: I'm great. That was like one of the smoothest intros ever because as we were just saying pre-episode, we've just been chitchatting, ice breaking. I love it. I'm doing great. Thank you. DA: Awesome. Yeah, we just been chatting away. I don't know how many times I've said the intro like that now but I guess something people wouldn't know necessarily is I have been podcasting since 2009 with the David Andrew Wiebe Podcast, which quickly turned into David Andrew Wiebe Interviews, a music business podcast, which then became DAWCast: Music Entrepreneurship. And then, when I realized that nobody understood the cleverness behind the name of DAWCast: Music Entrepreneurship, I temporarily quit, and then reboot it. And that's The New Music Industry Podcast, which is also the namesake of my book. But it's been an awesome and fun journey. We'll be getting into that too because you're also a podcaster. Your website makes it fairly clear that you're passionate about helping musicians, especially in the area of live performance. So, where does that passion come from? How did you get started in the space? Robonzo: Yeah, that's where I started. I am a lifelong gigging musician, drummer, and singer. I recently confessed in another conversation with the podcast that I years ago used to play guitar and just stopped and picked that back up because I think it's from talking to so many songwriters. I'm like, “Wow, I'd like to write some songs.” So, I picked that up as well. But it did come from gigging a lot and being very proficient at it in terms of being… I was fond of saying, you know, when I was in the markets, where there are the opportunities that I could gig at will, you know, when and where I wanted to and get paid. I guess, you know, the story I usually tell is one December, a while back, I realized my gig calendar had one or more gigs per month in the coming year. I was like, “Oh, that's pretty cool. I should maybe share that with some people.” Eventually, it drove me to write a book called The Unstarving Musician’s Guide to getting paid gigs. Once that was done, maybe during the process, I thought, “What can I do to make this a little bigger?” Because if this does help musicians, surely there's, you know, I can take it to a broader audience over time. Though, from talking to a number of songwriters, musicians, industry people, content creators that are in the music space, and learning all these other things that we're able to share, I'm able to share, you know, even outside the podcast. So, my new thing I'm fond of saying is, “I feel like a curator of you know, expertise, mistakes, and new trends that independent musicians want to use.” So that's how it started. DA: What kind of gigs were you playing at the time? Robonzo: I have always been predominantly like a club, private events, winery type of gig person. There are the occasional things that I consider a little unusual like playing at a Google corporate event or in a wedding occasionally. So, just getting out and gigging with rock bands, pop bands, dance bands, occasionally filling in for other types of genres. And just for me, not every musician as you know, is of this ilk. But for me, I put myself out there to be a sub whenever possible to grow my network as a musician. So, just put myself out there and that started happening more and more. And before I know it, I have wonderful opportunities to work with four or five bands in any given quarter. A lot of them are cover bands and then some original artists. So that's predominantly what I was doing. DA: Yeah, I think subbing is probably underrated.

Are you feeling overwhelmed? Are you constantly falling behind in some area of life? Do you feel like you’re letting others down? Do you feel like a failure? In this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast, I share how I’ve been able to accomplish more in four days than in the last four months. Podcast Highlights: 00:34 – The outcomes of a whirlwind year 01:12 – The rocky ride of 2019 03:48 – Completing the transition 04:59 – The unresolved conflict 05:14 – More progress in four days than four months 05:27 – You’re the only one who can create your world as “overwhelming” 06:10 – Setting boundaries around communication 06:45 – Not having a routine can hurt your productivity 10:12 – What is overwhelm? 10:49 – Final thoughts Transcription: This has really been a whirlwind year for me. A four-month personal development course I took at the front of the year had me creating a new community project and traveling to Vancouver. Although it was an intense experience, it was worth the money and the effort, because I ended up with a bestselling book and I also brought on new team members to help me with my workload. That was a byproduct of doing the work I was committed to doing rather than a promised outcome of engaging in community work, but who can argue with a result like that? By the way, you can learn more about the bestselling book at davidandrewwiebe.com/Creative. When I completed the personal development course in May, I felt unstoppable, like I could accomplish anything. During that four-month period, however, my inbox was rapidly filling up and my project stack was growing. I was also starting to burn out. And, shortly after, I had my heart broken, and that had me evaluating everything – my lifestyle, where I was living, what I was doing, what was next for me. French poet, novelist and dramatist of the Romantic movement, Victor Hugo has been quoted as saying: One cannot resist an idea whose time has come. A few years earlier, I had been discussing the idea of becoming a digital nomad with Using Your Power co-host Maveen Kaura. As I was on a walk early this summer, I recognized that the time had come for that idea. And, it was only a matter of time before my roommate announced that she would be moving back to Vancouver. Summer turned out to be a lot busier than expected, as I was already feeling devitalized from the rollercoaster ride, I was on. I took my planned vacations – first in St. Catharines, Ontario in July, and then in Vancouver, BC and Austin, Texas in August. While in Austin, I attended the DIY Musician Conference and that ended up being pivotal. It was great meeting so many people I had already established a digital connection with but had never met in person. Despite the praise and compliments I’ve received for my work; at different times I’ve questioned my involvement in this niche and whether I have anything useful to offer. I think anyone who is honest with themselves has questioned their direction in life and this is nothing to be ashamed of. Anyone who is honest with themselves has questioned their direction in life and this is nothing to be ashamed of.Share on X But at the conference I affirmed that I’m doing exactly what I need to be doing. By the time September had rolled around, I had to turn my focus to preparing for an early October move 10 hours westward. Although I ended up putting the finishing touches on a new EP around that time, September moved by in a blur. I attempted to keep up with my various commitments while preparing for the move, but the load continued to pile up as I was busy chiseling one small piece of a much bigger rock. It was around that time that we had to put our sick family dog, Kenji, to rest. At this point, I’m not sure if I’m even close to completing the grieving process. At the last minute, I got winter tires put on my car, which turned out to be a smart move. Unfortunately, I started to experience a myriad of problems with my car, which eventually broke down under an hour from my destination. What was supposed to be a simple two-day journey extended into a three-day one and once I learned that my car couldn’t be repaired, I had to choose. And, I chose to buy a car. Somehow, towards the beginning of October, I landed myself in Abbotsford, BC, a city a mere 70 km from Vancouver. As I record this episode of the podcast, I’m sitting in my basement suite in Abbotsford. Let that sink in. When 2019 began, I had no idea I would even be moving. Now I’m having a hard time remembering what life was like before. It’s been over a month since I arrived in BC, and I’m still getting used to my new surroundings. Because I spend long days working, I sometimes forget that I’m in a new environment. My day to day hasn’t changed a whole lot, and I had no expectation that it would. But there are a couple of reasons I came out here – 1) to see new sights and 2) to connect with people. Although I know more people in Calgary than I do here, that’s going to be true of just about an

Have you ever thought about using your musical talents in support of business? In this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast, Tommy Zee shares his story, how he ended up becoming a producer and how to determine whether you’re living a fulfilling life. Podcast Highlights: 00:34 – A quick note about today’s episode 00:57 – The many revenue streams available to musicians 02:32 – Making a difference in the lives of the people you’re serving 05:16 – What kept David going when he wanted to quit 06:37 – Is my life working? 10:13 – Simplifying music entrepreneurship 11:04 – Serving your clients in the studio 11:59 – There’s a difference between being an artist and an artisan 16:05 – The marriage between the artists and the funder 19:48 – Doing business in the music business 23:32 – The inordinate fixation on streaming platforms and Spotify 24:37 – Pricing your offers the right way 33:42 – The difference between a funnel and a chocolate wheel 35:38 – If you stay in your insanity long enough, you’ll have a breakthrough 42:22 – Using buzzwords in business 43:56 – Living a life you love 49:12 – Embracing a new chapter in your life 53:09 – Special offer for The New Music Industry Podcast listeners 57:04 – The products you create can transform 1:00:45 – Consume a course and become an expert 1:02:34 – Creating a human to human connection 1:02:58 – The Music Entrepreneur Code Transcription: Coming soon.

It has long been touted that remote studio collaboration is easier and more convenient than ever. But is it true? In this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast, I chat with Ameen Abdulla, Founder and CEO of Soundwhale. Soundwhale brings audio collaboration to a whole new level. Download the PDF Transcription Podcast Highlights: 00:34 – Introductions 00:44 – Share your story with us 10:15 – Starting a movement 12:41 – Remote studio collaboration 22:12 – Losing clients to poor remote collaboration tech 27:03 – Soundwhale doesn’t use the Cloud? 29:38 – Beta launch? 31:14 – What is the greatest challenge you’ve overcome? 33:34 – What is the greatest victory you’ve experienced as an entrepreneur? 35:57 – Are there any books or other resources that have helped you on your journey? 38:01 – The importance of relaxation 41:25 – Wrap up 41:46 – The Music Entrepreneur Code Transcription: Coming soon. Upgrade to Members Only Audios for more exciting, exclusive training.

Have you ever wondered why streaming platforms don’t allow you to create an in-depth artist profile? Have you asked yourself why you can’t view album credits and easily find all the tracks a specific session musician has played on? In this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast, I chat with Ursa Music founders Chris Jones and Chad Royce. They offer great insights into their new and disruptive music streaming app. Download the PDF Transcription Podcast Highlights: 00:34 – Introduction 00:54 – The ability to create a profile on streaming sites 03:01 – Shifting into the digital age 05:55 – What are linkable credits? 08:45 – What are you most proud of with Ursa? 16:23 – Why hasn’t this been done before? 18:09 – What is the monetization potential on Ursa? 22:23 – Will Ursa Music be partnering with music distributors? 25:15 – Will music streaming have staying power? 28:10 – What is the greatest opportunity with streaming? 32:16 – What is the biggest challenge you’ve overcome as an entrepreneur? 36:46 – What is the greatest victory you’ve experienced as an entrepreneur? 40:52 – Are there any books or other resources that have helped you on your journey? 42:51 – Wrap up 43:56 – The Music Entrepreneur Code Transcription: Coming soon. Upgrade to Members Only Audios for more exciting, exclusive training.

Have you ever thought about teaching music? Are you already a music teacher looking to increase your revenue? In this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast, I talk to music educator Wendy Brentnall-Wood and tease out insights about student retention, building revenue streams, how to avoid burnout and more. Download the PDF Transcription Podcast Highlights: 00:34 – Introduction 00:55 – Share about your passion 01:58 – From teaching students to teaching teachers 02:42 – Artistically inclined but business deficient 03:13 – Competition in music education 04:11 – Income potential in music education 04:44 – Student retention 07:01 – Value-added services 11:35 – Burnout with music teachers 14:44 – Teaching happens during social hours 15:58 – How can music teachers ensure profitability? 20:01 – Staying focused with your revenue streams 21:19 – How to store ideas 21:39 – The devaluing of music education 27:36 – Paying for quality 30:12 – What is the message you wanted to share through your book? 34:32 – Why did you write a book? 36:12 – What are some of the greatest challenges you’ve encountered? 37:48 – What are some of the greatest victories you’ve experienced? 39:19 – Are there any books or resources that have helped you on your journey? 40:48 – Is there anything else I should have asked? Transcription: Coming soon. Upgrade to Members Only Audios for more exciting, exclusive training.

What inspires you to write? Do you feel like you’re able to write authentically, from the heart? In this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast, I chat with Miami-based singer-songwriter Judah Holiday and deep dive into his process. Download the PDF Transcription Podcast Highlights: 00:34 – Is Judah Holiday your real name? 01:50 – What is the story behind your single, “Good Life”? 07:34 – The connection between writers and Adderall 08:34 – What is it that keeps you going when you feel like you’ve hit bottom? 10:19 – What inspired you to put pen to paper at 14? 15:02 – Counting to 10 in Japanese 16:31 – Turning difficult life moments in to catchy, uplifting songs 18:56 – The importance of giving voice to unexpressed feelings 22:57 – Today’s pop music and authentic expression 28:03 – How do you create a connection with your audience through your music? 31:16 – What is the music business algorithm? 33:56 – What’s next for Judah? 35:02 – Are there any books or resources that have helped you on your journey? 35:58 – Wrap up Transcription: Coming soon. Upgrade to Members Only Audios for more exciting, exclusive training.

Interested in growing your label? Trying to figure out how to use your budget? In this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast, I share some tips on how to take your record label national. Download the PDF Transcription Podcast Highlights: 00:34 – A mysterious question I’ve gotten a few times 01:20 – Tire kicker? 02:34 – Consider hiring a consultant, coach or mentor 03:44 – Do you know who your target audience is? 04:43 – A possible roadmap for our collaboration 04:53 – Free versus paid advice 05:34 – We could get national exposure for you tomorrow 06:22 – What does national exposure mean to you? 06:38 – #1: Facebook ads 07:32 – #2: Influencer/celebrity marketing 08:30 – #3: Direct mail 09:27 – #4: Radio 10:47 – #5: Television 11:54 – #6: Podcast tours 12:50 – Closing thoughts 13:33 – The New Music Industry: Adapting, Growing, and Thriving in The Information Age Transcription: Today, I wanted to answer a question that I sometimes see come through my inbox. Now, before I go anywhere with this, I do want to let you know that we appreciate the questions that come through. They really do form the foundation of the content we curate at the Music Entrepreneur HQ and we do consider content to be one of our most important and strongest assets. You know, I would not have published four books if that were not the case. So keep sending those questions. But we do want you to bear this in mind as you listen to this episode. I sometimes get a question, something along the lines of, I have a million dollars to spend and I want my label to go national. How would you suggest I spend that money? And this is a really weird question. Let me just say at the outset that that is one of the strangest questions you could ask. Now, I understand maybe that is a true concern for you, but it seems to me that it's more likely it's tire kickers that are coming along and asking that question. Just to see, you know, I wonder if this music consultant guy is any good. I have a feeling he's not that great. So let's just ask, let's just see how he would budget a million dollars. Because a million dollars seems like an overwhelming amount to a lot of people. Now, if you're in big business, a million dollars really is nothing. But for the average person or the average musician, a million dollars would be a lot of money. So they just want to throw out some kind of astronomical figure to stump you. Well, here's how I'm gonna answer that question. Now, there are hundreds of different marketing channels we could utilize to help your label go national. But I want to address the fact that you might just be a tire kicker to begin with before we even talk about how we might potentially market your up and coming label. If you've got a million dollars to spend, has it ever occurred to you that you might want to take a small piece of that budget and give it to a consultant or coach or mentor or somebody who might be able to help you with this process? I imagine there's a reason you're contacting me specifically. I'm not saying you haven't reached out to other music consultants, as I'm sure you have. But here's the thing. This is how I make my living. I offer advice and tips, and tools for musicians. I create books and eBooks and courses. And we also do some advertising and affiliate things on the website. But I also offer one-on-one coaching. Were you aware of that fact? Maybe not. Here's the thing. If you had said, I have a million dollars to spend and I'm gonna give you 10% of that to help us create a marketing strategy for our label, I would be on the next flight down to wherever you happen to be located. And we would begin to get to work on this right away. I would help you hammer out a strategy based on your target audience. But here's the thing. You don't even know who your target audience is in the first place, do you? Because if you did, you wouldn't be asking such a general question. And if you've got such a great label, doesn't that also mean that you've got some awesome artists signed to your label already? Can't you utilize their star power to help you market your label? I'm glad that you've got such great ambitions and stacks of money to spend. That is fantastic. You're gonna need that money though, because it doesn't seem like you've taken inventory of any other assets that might help you create a proper strategic marketing strategy that's gonna help you go national. So again, I appreciate the question and I want you to keep sending those questions because they are what form the foundation of the content that we create for you at the Music Entrepreneur HQ to help you in the way that you need. But if you come to me asking for my advice, what I'm going to do is propose a possible roadmap for our collaboration for mutual benefit. Here's the thing, even if I give you great free advice, a

Have you been thinking about attending CD Baby’s DIY Musician Conference? Not sure whether it's worth it? In this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast, I reflect on the DIY Musician Conference with Greg Wilnau of Musician Monster. Download the PDF Transcription Podcast Highlights: 00:34 – Special episode with guest Greg Wilnau 00:57 – Austin serendipities 02:02 – What did David get out of the DIY Musician Conference? 03:16 – Meeting people in person for the first time 05:27 – Being mindful of your own energy levels 06:59 – What is your purpose for going to a conference? 11:00 – Is the DIY Musician Conference worth going to? 14:42 – How lasting connections are created 16:07 – Degrees of comfort with creating different content types 19:08 – Learning business is the same thing as learning music 24:11 – Until you confront the ordinariness of your life, you can’t become extraordinary 27:28 – It’s harder to get noticed online than it is on stage 28:31 – Every overnight success is 10 years in the making 29:43 – The costs of attending the conference 31:44 – Weather conditions in different parts of the world 32:47 – Fun in Austin, TX 34:02 – Closing thoughts 34:34 – Where to learn about attending events and conferences Transcription: David Andrew: All right. Today, I've got a very special episode. I wanted to do a post mortem and review of the DIY Musician Conference in Austin, which was now about a month ago, but who better to have on the show to help me wrap this up than founder and CEO of Musician Monster Greg Wilnau. So, how are you Greg? Greg: Doing great, David. How are you doing? David Andrew: I'm doing awesome. I guess just for a little bit of context, Greg and I managed to meet up down in Austin. And it was kind of a fluke accident because we didn't know we would both be there at the same time. Greg: No, we didn't. It was cool. I was coming out of, I think it was one of the talks, and I walked by. I kind of just glanced over and I saw the name tag, David Andrew from Music Entrepreneur. And I was like, "No way!" I just kept on walking. I thought maybe I'm seeing things. I kept walking. I turned around. I looked back, and I was like, "That's David! What's up, man?" It was just really cool. We hung out the whole time. David Andrew: We did. We did. And it ended up being a lot of fun. You know, it's not that there weren't people I didn't know there but they were all kind of working, right, at their various booths, or they were doing some presenting or in the case of like Kevin Breuner or Chris Robley, they're, you know, they're doing podcast recordings. And this and that and the other. So, really, it was great to have someone else that didn't have any commitments and wasn't obligated to be at their booth or whatever to spend some time with. Greg: Yeah, man. Absolutely. So, what did you get out of the--? I know you're not interviewing me but I'm totally curious. What did you get out of the conference? Why do you think that it's a good thing to go to? What did you get out of it? David Andrew: Oh, that's perfect. We should definitely go back and forth on on any questions. You know, I found the conference to be really chill. That was kind of surprising to me because you know what, some conferences, some events can be a little stressful and hurried. There can be like so many people, so many booths, so many places to go around, or breakout sessions to go to that it can frankly just start to feel very overwhelming. Greg: Exactly. David Andrew: I really did not get that sense from this conference at all. It wasn't too small but it wasn't too big. You know what I mean? It was a good size. You could meet whoever you wanted to meet, if you knew who they were. Greg: Absolutely, David Andrew: Yeah. Like many of the people that I've built a relationship with online, I got a chance to meet in person. And just like you, I had those moments too where I was just looking or staring at someone's name tag going, "Holy crap, is that so and so?" And then I go up and introduce myself. Sure enough. And then we have a conversation about, you know, whatever we were working on together online. Greg: Yeah, absolutely. It was interesting. It's always weird meeting people who you've only previously met online. David Andrew: It can be. Greg: You know, it's almost like they're a celebrity. You know what I mean? Like, "Oh, my gosh. They're in person right now." I think that meeting somebody in real life always kind of solidifies the relationship. We're like, "It's not official until you meet in person." But it's interesting because... I don't know if you're... If you're anything like me, I'm pretty introverted. You know, I'm a musician. I'm super creative. I'm very comfortable being alone and by myself. S

Shopify is one of the most popular and powerful tools for building an eCommerce site. So, why can’t musicians use it to set up their online stores? In this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast, I chat with Tommy Stalknecht of Single Music. Their platform integrates with Shopify and offers relevant analytics to help you grow your music career. Download the PDF Transcription Podcast Highlights: 00:34 – What is Single Music? 01:54 – What makes Shopify great for musicians? 03:21 – The challenge of cobbling together different technology to build your online store 04:37 – Focusing on your creative vision 06:03 – Can Single Music be used by independent artists? 07:44 – Independent artists are more agile 08:47 – The evolution of technology 09:45 – Crowdfunding with Single Music 13:10 – Single Music allows you to see exactly who bought your music 16:17 – Single Music reports to Nielsen SoundScan and why that’s important 18:29 – Wait, you can still sell CDs as a musician? 20:06 – What is the story behind Single Music? 23:30 – What sort of freelancing work were you engaging in? 26:16 – Any other thoughts on Single Music? 28:07 – Bundling and packaging your music products 29:33 – What is the greatest challenge you’ve overcome as an entrepreneur? 30:30 – Gaining trust with musicians 31:33 – What’s the biggest victory you’ve experienced as an entrepreneur 32:23 – Sharing your vision and collaboration 34:29 – Are there any books or other resources that have helped you on your journey? 36:26 – Concluding thoughts Transcription: Coming soon. Upgrade to Members Only Audios for more exciting, exclusive training.