Happy Holidays NLN Community! Here's an early Christmas gift for you all — the premiere of my conversation with 5x Award-winning Songwriter/Producer, Adam McInnis. We discussed the 7 pillars of sync licensing and some approaches that you can take that will change EVERYTHING when trying to land your first or future placement! Adam also shared his take on the future of the industry, and really interesting insights from his work with artists on "conscious music" projects. You can check out the full conversation below!

Check out the premiere of Sean’s conversation with the Founder of Indie Music Academy, @Ryan Waczek. Sean and Ryan discussed the recent update to Patreon which will be a game changer for artists and the best practices for getting started on the platform. The pair also discussed the power of artists' mailing lists/newsletters and ways in which you can use them to market your music and make money! You can check out the full conversation below!

Our additional weekly in-depth artist strategy call returned last night where the community got all their questions answered by our Campaign Manager, @Cherante Walker, and connected with fellow members! Remember, these Thursday sessions are free to attend so don't miss the final call of 2023 next week! In the meantime, the full video, conversation summary, and timestamps can be viewed below: - Building a fanbase without releases @ 2:00 Cherante emphasized creating various types of content to engage and attract fans, then teasing upcoming releases to generate interest, rather than relying solely on social media promotions or ads without first establishing a following. - YouTube and email list promotion @ 7:01 Cherante recommended prioritizing YouTube ads for their targeting controls and email lists for direct communication, explaining metrics like CPM and CTR goals while stressing quality over quantity and the importance of list nurturing over Spotify streams alone. - Opening for bigger artists @ 14:49 Cherante acknowledged opening for major artists requires strong networking due to having no fanbase, advising instead to build one through consistent output and local showcases before approaching headline talent. - Merchandising early in a career @ 26:17 Cherante analyzed low-cost merch options like print-on-demand and gauging fan interest through polls, saying timing relies more on proven demand than follower counts. - LLCs, DBAs, and structuring a music business @ 33:42 Cherante and Elijah discussed LLC and DBA registrations to separate entities for tax/legal protection as a career progresses from a sole proprietorship, with Elijah emphasizing early business organization and money management. - Trust Nobody's branding and marketing @ 45:00 Cherante praised Trust Nobody's visuals and versatility, advising crafting a cohesive youthful message around their "trust no one" theme and leveraging personal stories to build an engaged community supporting their journey.

Check out the full replay from Monday night's community exclusive session where I spoke with the Founding Partner of Collective Entertainment, @Melissa Garcia! Since 2011, she has worked with numerous clients and companies across the music, sports, and skydiving industries as a project manager, day-to-day manager, tour manager, marketing/social media consultant, and marketing generalist. In this session, Melissa gave her advice on how to build an authentic brand and how to attract managers, booking agents + others to join your team, as well as answering many questions from the community! If you have any additional questions about what was discussed or about working with Melissa/Collective Entertainment specifically please drop them in the comments section and be sure to tag @Melissa Garcia so that she can respond to you!

Check out last night's community exclusive session where @Sean Taylor spoke with the co-founder of De Novo Agency, @Elliot Tousley, as he shared his marketing insights and answered questions from the community! Elliot specializes in helping artists from the ground zero level, helping them get their first streams and their first fans. Although there are levels when it comes to building as an artist, many of the tactics discussed on this call can also be repeated as you continue to grow! If you have any additional questions about what was discussed or about De Novo Agency specifically and their services please drop them in the comments section and be sure to tag @Elliot Tousley so he can respond to you!