I like to think that if Ludwig van Beethoven were alive today, he'd be a social media madman, bypassing his patrons and financers and independently reaching his audience. He'd be thriving in creative and financial freedom. I also like to believe that the hundreds-perhaps thousands-of artists who have gone broke from bad publishing deals and outrageous recoupables would have preferred the option of having direct access to their audience and cutting out the middle man. And yet, they didn't have that option. Their artistic endeavors began in a time when other people in the music world held the keys to the castle. If you didn't have access to the Royal Opera House or the record stores or your single wasn't playing on every radio station, you had no choice but to sit in the back of a van and tour small venues year after year. Until now, that is. Technology and social media have transformed our musical landscape so that it is now possible for any musician to build and maintain a personal relationship with an audience in real time. I can't promise you a Grammy nomination, but I can guarantee you that if you're involved in the music business, have a product you're trying to promote, or want to make a financial commitment to your art without going broke, there's something in this book for you. Patience is key. Hard work is obligatory. And it's the decisions you make right now, not the habits of the past, that will shape your success in the future. I challenge you to begin today.
