The music industry as we knew it three years ago has changed. And it’s changing so fast that we almost can’t keep up with it. 

And still, old beliefs and myths swirl in so many discussions by many so-called industry experts. I don’t consider myself an expert. By learning from the past, I just look forward and do my best right now.

Art is creative. Business is strategic. Merge them and you get a strategic artist (or a creative business). 

Yup, this might seem counterintuitive at first. At least for me, because I grew up to the belief that most businesses are evil commercialized soul-sucking corporations.

But this couldn’t be further away from the truth. 

Businesses are what run the world as we know it. From solopreneurs to small businesses, to medium-sized enterprises, up to huge corporations.

All these businesses are built around ideas, principles, products. Some good, some bad, some in-between. They don’t necessarily sell themselves for the sake of money. Some do and succeed, some don’t and succeed, and many fail no matter what.

So how does this concern you?

You are an artist - and you want to succeed in life. 

You want to build a loyal fanbase that supports you in the years to come. 

You want to express yourself without constraints.

You want to make a living from your creativity.

But... This is also true for every good business.

They want to build loyal customers with huge lifetime value (LTV).

They want to produce what they want to make the world a better place.

They want to make a living doing what they love.

So think twice.

Why is it so hard for artists to evolve onto the next level?

Sort of Artist 2.0 (or the full-stack artist how I like to call them). Becoming an independent artist with an entrepreneurial growth-mindset who focuses on market research, fan-centered proactive behavior, strategic marketing, and much more.

This is by far nothing new. At all. There are countless independent musicians crushing it every day. (Maybe you’re already one of them - or midway between.)

They work hard but smart. 

They don’t waste their time with false beliefs or common myths. 

They find unique ways to solve individual problems they face.

And - they make a living from doing exactly what they love, without selling their souls.

So where are you on your journey to becoming an independent and profit-making musician?