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've spent years learning it.

In this episode of The Business of Audio, we're talking about how experience becomes know-how—and why we often undervalue the skills we've worked hardest to develop.

I'll also give you a simple three-list exercise:

What do I know? What problems can I solve? What do people ask me for help with?

Where those three things overlap, there may be something worth paying attention to.

This also connects to the Know-How Method I introduced last week. I'm still building it, and I'll share more as it develops.

For now, answer this:

What's something in audio that's easy for you today—but took you YEARS to learn?

Tell me in the comments.

— Donny Baker The Business of Audio

Get Good. Get Clients. Get Paid.

#AudioEngineer #AudioBusiness #MusicProduction #KnowHow

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 got me thinking:

Why do we only value the skills listed in our job description?

In this episode of The Business of Audio Podcast, I explore how the things that feel easy or ordinary to us may be incredibly valuable to someone who hasn’t spent years learning them.

It’s also the idea behind something new I’ve been working on called The Know-How Method:

What do you already know how to do that could help somebody else?

For some of you, that know-how is audio.

But maybe audio isn’t the only thing you know.

Listen in, then ask yourself:

What do I know today that I wish somebody had taught me 10 years ago?

— Donny Baker The Business of Audio Podcast

Get Good. Get Clients. Get Paid.

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 them.

In this episode of The Business of Audio, I'm talking about the difference between genuinely needing more experience and using "I'm not ready yet" as a reason to avoid putting yourself out there.

Your first client doesn't need the world's greatest audio engineer.

They need someone they trust who can solve their problem.

We'll talk about finding that first client, selling solutions instead of equipment, why your existing network is probably the best place to start, and why getting one paying client matters more than worrying about building an entire business right now.

Stop waiting. Start the conversation.

— Donny Baker The Business of Audio

Get Good. Get Clients. Get Paid.

👉 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 business, I've learned that not every client is the right client, not every project is worth taking, and sometimes the gig you turn down can be just as important as the one you accept.

In this episode, we're talking about difficult clients, red flags, pricing, working for "exposure," opportunity cost, protecting your time, referring projects to other professionals, and knowing when a job simply isn't the right fit.

The goal isn't to work with everybody.

It's to build a career working with the right people.

— Donny Baker The Business of Audio

Get Good. Get Clients. Get Paid.

👉 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 talented engineers struggle to find consistent work while others built long careers—not necessarily because they were better engineers, but because they understood the other side of the business.

In this episode, we're talking about:

• Why great audio skills don't automatically create clients
• Why the best engineer doesn't always get the gig
• Being someone clients actually want to work with
• Reliability and professionalism
• Communication
• Building relationships
• Reputation and referrals
• Learning the business side of audio
• Why talent alone isn't a business plan

Don't stop getting better at your craft.

But if you want to make your living doing this, learn how to turn those skills into a business.

Get Good. Get Clients. Get Paid.

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 their phone or inbox.

In this episode of The Business of Audio, I talk about one of the simplest business lessons I've learned over more than 40 years in the industry: silence doesn't always mean no.

We'll talk about:

• Why potential clients disappear after asking for a quote
• Why following up isn't begging for work
• Turning past clients into repeat clients
• Asking for referrals
• Building a simple follow-up system
• Why your next client may already know you
• The difference between prospecting and following up

And while I'm talking specifically about audio engineers, producers, and studio owners, this lesson applies to almost any service business.

Before you spend more money or time trying to find strangers...

Take another look at the people you already know.

Your next client might already be there.

Learn to make your living making music happen.

— Donny Baker The Business of Audio

👉 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 professionals—lessons learned from decades of working with everyone from first-time bands to Grammy-winning artists.

If you're serious about building a real career in audio, these principles can help you become the kind of engineer clients trust, recommend, and hire again.

In this episode:

• Why consistency beats raw talent
• The importance of finishing what you start
• Why listening is one of your greatest skills
• Building relationships instead of chasing clients
• Why systems make better businesses
• The value of never stopping your education
• Thinking long-term instead of chasing quick wins

Whether you're just getting started or you've been recording for years, these are the habits that can help you build a career that lasts.

Join the Conversation

If you're looking for a place where audio engineers, producers, and studio owners are learning, growing, and building real businesses together, we'd love to have you.

👉 Start your 7-Day Trial:

https://www.skool.com/sound-foundations-8658/about

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 have become legendary.

In this episode, I share ten of the funniest, most common things clients say—and more importantly, what they usually mean. Along the way, I'll tell a few stories from my career and explain why learning to communicate with clients is just as important as knowing how to run Pro Tools or place a microphone.

Whether you're an audio engineer, producer, studio owner, or musician, I think you'll recognize a few of these.

Start your 7-day trial and join The Business of Audio community:

https://www.skool.com/sound-foundations-8658/about

Inside you'll find practical audio training, business systems, live coaching, mix critiques, and a community of engineers, producers, and studio owners building real careers together.

Learn to make your living making music happen.