So you've decided to be an independent artist! congratulations on starting up your small business!. It is essential to have the right mindset straight off the bat. Artists are generally very creative people so when it comes to the business side of music, we often sweep that under the carpet and, by doing so, we significantly reduce the chances of making a profit much less a sustainable living income. 

To be successful in the music industry, you must conduct your music dealings as a business, meaning that you will have to split your time between being creative and becoming business savvy. 

There are many benefits to being self-employed, aside from getting to be your own boss, there are many financial benefits, especially at tax time, which is why you need to be organised and structure your career as a business. Unfortunately, a lot of artists, including myself, think they can depend on just releasing their art. We don't often consider timelines, planning, expenses, income, income tax and the plethora of business rules that need to be followed to establish and run a small business. 

Starting out as an indie artist myself, I just wanted to make music and at no point (until my accountant sat down and gave me a firm talking to me because I presented him with six years worth of tax) did I even consider that I was actually running a business. In the eyes of the law and the government, I had responsibilities that went beyond figuring out what picture I was going to put on my new album cover. 

Have a listen to the 6 Business rules you will need to follow to make a profit as an indie artist.