In this episode, Leah sits down with composer, performer, and educator Gabriel Santiago for a real-time strategy session on what it actually takes to build a sustainable music career online — especially in a world where streaming doesn’t pay, attention is fractured, and AI is changing everything.

Leah kicks off by sharing the origin story behind her own online music journey: how she built an audience from home as a young mom (without touring), learned the psychology of sales and marketing through trying to sell music, and eventually turned a small group of super fans into a real business — which later became Savvy Musician Academy.

Gabriel’s story mirrors that evolution in a powerful way.

Originally from Brazil, Gabriel has built a full-time career across multiple lanes: performing, composing, teaching at universities, private instruction, and his online mentorship program, the Brazilian Guitar Institute. But now he’s at a familiar crossroads that most multi-talented musicians hit: Do you keep everything under one personal brand…

or separate the “artist brand” from the “education platform” so it can scale?

Leah walks Gabriel through the core question that changes everything: owner’s intent — are you building a lifestyle brand, a legacy brand, or a platform that could become a sellable business someday? From there, they unpack how musicians can expand beyond “just gigs,” use team support and AI tools to repurpose content, and build a more predictable revenue engine through ads, list-building, and even micro transactions that create higher-quality buyers.

This conversation is a must-listen for musicians, composers, and educators who want to scale without burning out — and who are ready to build something bigger than a stream count.

 

In this episode, we explore:

(00:00) Introduction to Legacy Launchpad

(00:31) Liam McHenry's Musical Journey

(01:46) Building a Music Career Online

(03:14) Creating Super Fans and Savvy Musician Academy

(05:31) Introducing Gabriel Santiago

(06:12) Gabriel's Musical and Teaching Career

(08:32) Balancing Personal and Professional Brands

(10:38) Expanding the Personal Brand

(19:19) Expanding the Music Platform

(19:46) Building a Sellable Business

(20:35) Personal Branding for Musicians

(22:00) Leveraging AI in Content Creation

(22:40) Team Building and Delegation

(23:35) Repurposing Content for Growth

(25:56) Advertising Strategies

(27:13) Future Plans and Vision

(29:10) Micro Transactions and List Building

(31:23) Navigating the Shifting Landscape

(34:04) Final Thoughts and Contact Information

💰⛏️ The Goldmine (for complete beginners): https://leahmchenry.com/goldmine/

⚫ Apply for Mentorship & Work with Leah: https://tidycal.com/team/legacylaunchpad/strategy-chat

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