The Business of Audio Podcast

The things that are easiest for you may be some of the most valuable things you know. After years of working in audio, certain things become automatic. You hear a problem and recognize it. You open a session and know where to start. A client says something and experience tells you what's probably coming next. Eventually we start thinking: “Everybody knows that.” They don't. You know it because you...

What if the experience you’ve spent years building is worth more than you think? After more than 40 years working in professional audio, I’ve realized my career taught me a whole lot more than recording, mixing, and producing. It taught me how to work with clients, solve problems, manage projects, build systems, teach, run a business—and start over when things don’t go according to plan. And that...

FREE GUIDE: Your first 5 Clients Playbook https://www.skool.com/sound-foundations-8658/about Are you actually not ready to start getting paid for your audio skills—or are you just waiting until you finally feel ready? A lot of talented audio engineers spend years learning, practicing, buying gear, watching tutorials, and improving their skills...but never take the next step and ask someone to pay...

👉 Get Your FREE Clients Red Flag Checklist: https://www.skool.com/sound-foundations-8658/about When you're starting your audio career, saying YES to almost every opportunity can be a good thing. You need experience. You need relationships. And you need to get into rooms and actually do the work. But eventually, you have to learn another skill: When to say NO. After more than 40 years in the audio...

👉 JOIN THE BUSINESS OF AUDIO COMMUNITY FOR FREE: https://www.skool.com/sound-foundations-8658/about When I started working in audio, I thought the formula was simple: Get really good at recording and mixing, and eventually people will hire you. After more than 40 years in this business, I've learned that being good at audio is only part of what it takes to build a career. I've watched incredibly...

BUILD YOUR AUDIO BUSINESS WITH US: https://www.skool.com/sound-foundations-8658/about You might not need more clients. You might just need to do a better job following up with the people you already know. Audio engineers spend a lot of time trying to find new leads, grow their audience, post on social media, and get strangers to notice them. Meanwhile, their next project may already be sitting in...

👉 Build Your Audio Business https://www.skool.com/sound-foundations-8658/about For years, I believed that if I became a great audio engineer, everything else would fall into place. It doesn't work that way. After more than 40 years in the audio industry, I've learned that successful careers aren't built by waiting for opportunities—they're built by creating them.

🎙️ Build Your Audio Business with us: https://www.skool.com/sound-foundations-8658/about After more than 40 years in the audio industry, I've noticed something. The engineers who build long, successful careers aren't always the most talented. They're the ones who consistently do a few important things differently. In this episode, I share the seven habits I've seen separate hobbyists from professi...

The best investment I ever made in my studio wasn't a microphone or a plugin. It was a simple system that made running my business easier and my clients happier. Watch the full video to see why.

The Top 10 Things Clients Say That Drive Audio Engineers Crazy If you've spent any time in a recording studio, you've probably heard a few phrases that make every audio engineer smile... or quietly shake their head. After more than 40 years in recording studios and on the road, I've heard just about everything. From "We'll fix it in the mix" to "It'll only take five minutes," some client comments...

I've been fortunate to work with Grammy winners, chart-topping artists, and some of the biggest names in the music industry. But my favorite recording session wasn't with any of them. It was with four young musicians who walked into my studio carrying crumpled one-dollar bills they'd earned delivering pizzas and working at Trader Joe's. They believed they had one great song, and they were willing...

If I Could Go Back 40 Years, I'd Tell Myself This If I could sit down with my younger self at the beginning of my audio career, what would I say? After more than 40 years as an audio engineer, studio owner, producer, and mentor, there are a few lessons I wish someone had shared with me much earlier. Some I learned the easy way—but most came through mistakes, setbacks, burnout, and experience. In t...

For more than 20 years, I owned and operated a commercial recording studio. Like many engineers, I believed success meant a bigger studio, more gear, and a full calendar. Then everything changed. When the building was sold and I had to close the studio, I found myself questioning everything. I felt burned out. I felt like I had failed. I wondered if it was somehow my fault. On top of that, I had t...

Most people think success in audio comes down to talent. It doesn't. The biggest difference between hobbyists and professionals is mindset. Here's one lesson from 40+ years in audio.