How to Start Your Own (Successful) Music Business (From A-Z)

The first thing that you need to decide is your area of expertise and how you are going to share it with the music industry. Do you want to be a music producer? Are you a singer? Are you more interested in the marketing and business side of things? Do you want to run a venue or studio?

Once you know how you are going to contribute to the industry, you can start building a business. There are so many different aspects of the music business that you can explore. Just find out what you enjoy doing the most or what your specific niche is — then run with it. 

Start with a mission statement. What do you want to do with your business? How are you going to add to the music industry? From there, start making long-term and short-term plans for your business. It can be as simple as a list goals with specific steps to achieve them.

This business plan and mission statement should be the foundation of all your decisions. It should also have your underlying strategy for your business marketing. This helps you to determine what resources you need to be successful.

How much money do you need to start your business? How many employees do you need? To create a plan, you need to know who your competition is and evaluate their strengths and weaknesses compared to yours. This will help you determine how you can get a competitive edge and start earning market shares.

Next you need to take care of the legal and financial aspects. Start the paperwork, create a business checking account, and look at the different insurance policies to determine which ones will best work for your business.

You should get legal help to start the incorporation process and ensuring that you have all of the legal odds and ends handled properly to avoid any issues in the future.

If and when you decide on a company name, make sure that the name isn't already taken and that you register it properly. If your business name is too similar to an existing entity, the Secretary of State may not allow you to register it. 

A basic trademark search can be done at the USPTO site and is a great start in finding out whether the business name you want is available. You can also use your Secretary of State's online business search to determine if your desired name is taken. 

Starting a business online has some really great advantages. You may not have to worry about property insurance, especially as you are just starting out. Another is that it can be done with relatively little seed money. 

Nonetheless, keep track of what you spend. There are pros and cons to being a business owner when tax season rolls around. Having good books is an important part of being successful and will keep you safe in the event of an audit.

We all know that a strong online presence is one of the most important tricks to running a successful business. However, online connections will never replace the value of face-to-face connections, especially in the music business. 

New business owners should strive to attend as many industry and networking events as possible. This is crucial for spreading the word about your company and getting to know people in your field. You will also have the chance to meet your competitors and potential clients.

EVERYTHING in the music industry hinges around connections — so make as many of them as you can. 

This is a quick look the first few things you need to consider when starting your own successful music business. It will be slow and stressful in the beginning, but there is always incredibly opportunity in the music industry. 

Stick to you mission statement, self promote, and network as much as possible. If you still feel like you need more info, there are several music business courses available that will go into great detail about what you need to do for success. Just stay optimistic, work hard, and let us know how your business goes!

Comment below with any questions you have or advice you would give you another music entrepreneur!