Step by Step Guide for a Successful Music Publishing Company While Working a 9-5
It’s official you have an independent music publishing company. You’re now an independent music publisher. You now want to start your career shopping, exploiting and marketing songs for songwriters and composers. But here’s the dilemma. Since you’re an independent music publisher you don’t have a lot of financial backing. You’re not financed by a corporation like major music publishing companies. Due to this fact you have your music publishing company, but you still work your 9-5. Meaning you still have a job and you’re still working for someone else. This is perfectly fine. You’re working your job until your music publishing company shops a song that really takes off. However, in the meantime you have to run your publishing company while working your job. Here are amazing, simple, step by step tips on how to run a successful music publishing company while working a job.
Work your music publishing company around your schedule
If you have a day job or a 9-5, yet want your music publishing company to thrive you have to work around your job schedule. If you let the fact that you have a full time or part time job hinder you, you’ll never become successful. No matter how long your work hours are. No matter how busy your job is. No matter what time of the day your shift takes place, work around it to build your business. When I reference a 9-5, I don’t mean literally working 9am to 5pm. 9-5 is just a figure of speech. It can be any work hours or shift. The key is to build around your work hours. For example if you have a job where you work 7am to 3pm you should work on building your music publishing company anytime after 3pm. You can also get up an hour early and dedicate time to your company before you go into work. If you work 3pm to 10pm, you have the entire morning to work on your business. Of course there may be other responsibilities you have outside of work. So maybe you can’t spend your entire morning or evening on your music publishing company. This is just a tentative idea. The key is to not let your job stop you from spending any time on your music publishing company.
Utilize your work break
All jobs offer breaks. No matter how miserable, cruel or draining they are. It may not be the longest break, but you still get a break. One of the most important things you have to do when starting your own business, but still working for someone else is utilize your breaks. You have to be willing to sacrifice your break. Meaning if you have a 30 minute break you have to be willing to put every minute into your business. If you can eat while working on your business, great. If you can’t that’s a sacrifice you have to be willing to make. You can always eat when you get home or eat before you come in. Trust me you won’t starve. Unless you have extreme medical conditions that require you to eat by a certain time, your break should be about building your company. You won’t be able to get everything done in a matter of 30 minutes. Even with an hour you can’t get everything done. However, every minute counts. You’d be surprised what you can accomplish business wise on your break. Here are a list of some of the music publishing related task you can do within 30 minutes to an hour:
- Look over a music publishing deal/ Sign a music publishing song deal
- Make a handful of business calls
- Send a handful of business emails
- Fax or scan an important file
Pinch your pennies
When understanding what it is a music publishing company does and how they operate, you’ll see why having money is important. Like any other company, to run a successful music publishing company you need money. It’s a reality. However, you can start and run an independent music publishing company on a low budget. If you’re working for someone else yet want your music publishing company to thrive you have to invest. If you don’t have a major corporation financing you, then you have to be smart on how you invest in your company. The best way to achieve this goal is to pinch your pennies and create a budget. For example, if you bring home $600 a week at least $60 should go to your publishing company. Even if you make less than that amount a certain percentage should always go to your business. Another sacrifice you’re going to have to make in order for your music publishing company to become successful is to spend wisely. This means you have to buy only what you honestly need. Don’t over spend or try to be materialistic. Don’t try to keep up with others spending. Even if you have to write down everything you purchase. Always make sure to keep a budget.
Traveling to Work
Depending on how you travel to work your travel time can be used to further your company. For instance if you take public transportation to work this can be an advantage for you. While you’re on the train, bus or trolley as long as you have a cell phone you can do various activities related to your business. If you have a smart phone with internet access and you ride public transportation this tip section is perfect for you. While riding on your way to work here are some examples of tasks you can complete regarding your publishing company.
- Make important business phone calls
- Send or receive business emails
- Post a new status/ update on your social media pages regarding your music publishing company
- Add a song you’re currently exploiting to your publishing catalog
When you’re home
Like every job whether full time or part time you have days off. You also have some time home. On your days off and during the rest of your evening when you get home utilize that time. As much as you may want to kick back and enjoy the fact that you’re not at work, you can’t. Until your business is really thriving you have to use all your spare time. You have to use every free moment to invest in your music publishing company. When you read any advice on how to start a music publishing company, one of the main things they’ll say is investing in time. This is difficult when you already have a job. However, you have to find a way to make it work. Even if you days off aren’t business days. You still can update your publishing website, update your publishing social media, write up important documents, etc. The only thing you can’t do is make business calls.
Have a to-do list
As cheesy or old-fashioned as it may sound start a to-do list. Whether it’s tangible or digital is up to you. Whatever choice you decide to go with start a to-do list. It’ll help you with organization, promptness, structure and time management. Having all your duties written down versus trying to remember all you have to do off the top of your head. You’d be surprised how much to-do lists really helps. Especially if you’re on a tight schedule, writing tasks down in advance will help tremendously. Even if you can’t get all your items complete that’s on your list. At least completing half or majority is an accomplishment.
So if you’re an entrepreneur and building your indie music publishing company, while still working for someone else utilize these tips. They may seem small but they’re very powerful. They will truly help you reach your goal. The sooner your music publishing company becomes successful, the sooner you won’t have to work for someone else. Eventually you won’t need to worry about balancing your own business and a job because your company will be successful.