Your Musician Career 101: The Goal is a Real Profitable Job (Not Fame)

When you dream about “making it” in music, what do you picture?

Maybe it’s walking the red carpet, seeing your face on magazine covers, or playing to packed arenas.

But let’s talk about what you’re really looking for.

Think back to why you started making music.

You probably didn’t pick up your first instrument thinking about Grammy awards.

You fell in love with creating sounds, expressing yourself, and connecting with others through music.

What most musicians truly want is simple: the ability to make music without worrying about paying rent. They want to wake up each morning and focus on their craft instead of rushing to a day job they hate.

Here’s something record labels don’t tell you: fame doesn’t equal success.

Many “famous” musicians struggle financially while less-known artists build comfortable careers.

The real path to success looks different than you might think.

Success means:

• Having enough loyal fans who support your work
• Earning steady income from multiple sources (shows, streaming, teaching, session work)
• Building genuine connections with your audience
• Creating music on your own terms
• Having time to grow as an artist

Instead of chasing fame, focus on building relationships.

Every person who connects with your music could become a lifelong supporter.

These connections create a foundation that’s stronger than any viral moment.

Start by:

• Getting to know your listeners personally
• Creating consistent content they can count on
• Offering various ways for fans to support you
• Managing your money wisely
• Treating music like the business it is

Growing slowly might not seem exciting, but it works.

Each genuine fan who loves your music becomes part of your community.

They’ll bring friends to shows, share your music, and support your projects. This organic growth creates a career that can last decades.

Think about musicians who’ve been working steadily for 20+ years.

Most aren’t household names, but they make good livings doing what they love.

They have faithful audiences, diverse income streams, and the freedom to create authentic music.

Success in music isn’t about millions of casual listeners who know your name. Not anymore.

It’s about having enough dedicated supporters to sustain your career. It’s about building something real that grows stronger over time.

When you focus on sustainable growth, fame might happen anyway.

But if it does, it will be a byproduct of something more valuable: a genuine connection with people who love your music and want to support your journey.

Remember, you don’t need the whole world to love your music. You just need enough people to love it deeply. That’s how you build a career that lasts.

Start thinking differently about your goals:

• Instead of follower counts, focus on engagement (comments, replies, DMs, and other actual conversations)
• Rather than viral hits, aim for consistent growth (is your email list, sales, or bank account growing?)
• Instead of industry praise, seek fan feedback (listen to your fans and do good things, praise will follow like fame)
• Rather than quick fame, build lasting relationships (walk up to fans at shows, send personal emails, treat them like a friend)

Your music career is a marathon, not a sprint.

The sooner you embrace this truth, the sooner you can start building something real.

What steps will you take today to build a sustainable career in music?

In today’s music industry landscape, the best, and maybe only, way to really make progress and see success is by being a small business owner. Not just a music artist.

Owning and operating a small business may sound difficult and frustrating, especially for us creatives, but as the owner of Eleven, it’s my goal and mission in life to simplify business ownership and entrepreneurship for independent, working musicians and music professionals.

I’ve developed a simple 6-part framework that all musicians can use to organize and operate their business.

And all you have to do is remember “ELEVEN”:

1. E = Entrepreneur (Own your business)
2. L = Label (Market your business)
3. E = Experiences (Engage and sell to fans)
4. V = Vehicles (Services and products you deliver)
5. E = Engine (Business operations)
6. N = Negotiation (Revenue, cash flow, and deal making)

You can find more information about the ELEVEN framework here.