Have you ever been told, "don't quit your day job"? They might have been right, but not because you don't have what it takes to make it in your dream, but because your job is a great training ground for the music industry. If you put in the hours and soak up as much as you can from day job, then you'll be better for it!
1. Keeping Regular Hours: You have to treat your career in music like a regular job. Keep a regular set of hours. Those hours can start at 1am if you can make it work, but keeping a schedule is healthy and good.
2. Customer Service: Treating people right will get you far and just like your day job...treating them wrong could result in you getting fired. Learning how to deal with difficult people is a priceless skill, if you get to do that daily at work then it'll better prepare you for your life in music.
3. Good Accounting: Just because your job is behind a microphone or on the other side of the glass, doesn't mean you can act irresponsible with your money. Practicing good book keeping and having an account for every dollar in and out will save you in the long run. If you sell a t-shirt, is there a record for that sale? Manage your money well and your career will be much easier.
4. Sell, Sell, Sell: "A good salesman is one who can sell himself before his products". That's how the quote goes. This is true for the music industry as well. There are so many people aiming for the same thing as you and the "gatekeepers" of this industry can be jaded, how are you gonna make them believe you? You have to make money to be a professional. Who's pocket is that money gonna come from and how to plan to make them part with it? Practice your salesmanship.
5. Mission Minded: The easiest way to fail is to have no goals. You need to treat this like any business. You need a mission statement, you need policies, and you need concrete goals.
6. Business Communication: Can you write a compelling email with proper grammar and spelling? How are you over the phone? Can you speak without saying "umm" too much? Can you negotiate in a professional manner? If you've answered no to these, you may need to read your employee handbook at work again and get in some practice.
7. Punctuality: Being on time is the difference between money in your pocket and money leaving it. If you schedule a session from 4-8pm and you arrive at 5:30pm, you paid for that hour and a half regardless that you were stuck in traffic. Learn to plan ahead and be known as someone who's punctual.
be kind+make good music.
