Music Industry Entrepreneurship

View a promo video of course instructor and co-founder of LA's legendary Record Plant Studio Chris Stone discussing music business entrepreneurship.

There has never been a better time to be a music entrepreneur. Fundamentally, entrepreneurs see problems and fix them. Given the state of today's music business, the opportunities for an entrepreneur to succeed are as high as they've ever been. In few other businesses can someone with little to no capital or connections go from a bedroom operation to affecting the culture on a large scale in such short order. Consider that Def Jam was started in a NYU dorm room; Electra Records was started in a St. John's dorm room with $300; and influential current labels like Victory and Saddle Creek were both founded by young musicians with little more than passion and a vision. Starting a label is, of course, only one entrepreneurial goal. Today managers, booking agents, publishers, music technology innovators, and artists themselves can enter the music business almost effortlessly. With a website and some business cards…you're in business. However, with the low barriers of entry, the ability to succeed is all the more difficult. In order to give yourself the best competitive edge to reach the widest-possible audience, you MUST combine your passion for music with sound entrepreneurial principles.

Whether still in the conception stage, currently running your own music business, aspiring to work in the music industry, or anywhere in between, this course will focus your efforts and dramatically increase your chances of success. You'll gain an understanding of the individual elements of a business plan, business structures, finance, marketing, management and organizational behavior, and leadership. You'll learn the entrepreneurial tools particular to the music industry that will help you to innovate and create new ventures, and be empowered to actualize with confidence your chosen vision in the music industry. By the end of the course, you will emerge with a cogent business plan applicable to many different ventures within the music industry.

The course is perfect for:

• Performers wishing to treat their musical ventures in a professional business manner
• Songwriters who wish to act as their own publishers
• Those interested in creating production companies
• Aspiring artist managers, booking agents, publicists, radio promoters, internet marketers.
• Those interested in music merchandising
• Those wishing to start their own record label or publishing company
• Those wishing to become more effective marketers
• Anyone currently working at a company who feels underutilized

• Yes, I'm ready to enroll
• I'm interested and have a few questions