The Music Entrepreneur

I knew it would be important for me to attend Music Pro ’26, I just didn’t know why. Even as the date approached, I had some reservations about making the trip down to Hollywood. I was aware from the outset that there probably wouldn’t be much income potential for me, but I also knew that connections could be made and opportunities could be created. So, I took a leap of faith. What I’m taking away from Music Pro ’26, however, is a little unexpected, even for me. Here’s what happened… (By the way, none of what I share here is meant as a slight to Music Pro ’26, its organizers, sponsors, or otherwise. As far as I’m concerned, they pulled off the conference with flying colors, and I give them kudos for having kept the train on track to the very end.) The Music Business isn’t for Me And by that I mean the do-it-for-your-passion, do-it-because-you-love-it, grind-it-out-until-you-make-it method most musicians are told to follow and subject themselves to. For those not in the know – I already slogged through those years (documented in The New Music Industry), and I need to put them where they belong – squarely behind me. Technically, I’m not saying anything new; I’m just finally putting into words what was previously only a feeling. At the conference, I came across a higher leverage model that utilizes other people’s audiences (OPA) and allows for higher income and freedom. If I’m going to pursue anything in live performance, it would be a model like that. So, if you ask me whether I have any gigs coming up and I answer “no,” this is why. If I’m playing any low-paying or pro bono gigs, it will only ever be once or twice per year, and it probably won’t be widely promoted. I Must Put a Price on My Presence It feels a little gross even saying this, but I have come to a point in my career where I can’t be indiscriminately showing up to events, going unacknowledged, and not receiving in return what I give. I have a long history of putting in and giving far more than was ever expected of me, even when I wasn’t getting paid to do it. The thing is, I can just as soon stay home and work at my day job or write another blog post for a larger audience. I can do any number of things that might be more fulfilling or value-adding. Yet, there have been many times at events when I have been specifically told that my presence made a difference. It didn’t matter much whether I was a stage manager, tech host, or interviewer. My work was appreciated, but more than that, my presence was. Pattern observed. It’s time for me to charge for what people find valuable. I’m Inching Closer to My Purpose (by Process of Elimination) In my last session with her, my coach gave me the task of identifying my values and ultimately my purpose. This has proven challenging for a few reasons: - When I followed what I thought my purpose was previously, I ended up feeling like a martyr. I didn’t feel like I was getting back what I was giving. - There isn’t a singular turning point in my life. There have been many, and therefore, many pain points. Which pain am I meant to share and heal in others? - I’ve realized that the mode of delivery (blog, podcast, concert, video, live stream, etc.) is just a means of communicating the message, not the message itself. Yet, having realized that the music business isn’t for me has given me increased clarity, and more importantly, motivation, again. Even if I don’t know exactly what I’m supposed to be doing yet, I know one more thing I’m not supposed to be doing, and that gets me closer to where I need to be. Have you been reflecting on the direction of your career lately? Have you come to any major realizations? I would love to hear your thoughts. Read the full article

 🎒 What did I actually bring back from Music Pro '26? - Not a PRS guitar (unfortunately 😄)… - But definitely a bag full of music industry goodies. In this video, I’m unpacking everything—from tote bags and earplugs to stickers, promo materials, and a few unexpected items that somehow made it into the mix. But more than that, this video represents a bit of a shift for me… Instead of just pushing out content for consistency’s sake, I’m focusing on: - ✅ Finishing what I start - ✅ Putting real care into what I create - ✅ Letting the process breathe a bit Sometimes that means simpler videos like this — but they’re still part of the journey. So here’s my question for you: If you went to Music Pro '26… 👉 What would you have hoped to walk away with? More insights, interviews, and behind-the-scenes from Music Pro '26 coming soon 👀 Don't miss out on the limited-time T-shirt bundle. Order yours now. Read the full article

 The "Peacocking" Shirt has arrived! 📦🔥 If you followed one of my last videos, you saw the "vanilla vs. star" design struggle. Well, the bag finally showed up (a few days late, but we’ll forgive them!), and it was time for the moment of truth. I’m doing a full unboxing and fit test of the new T-shirt. As someone with a "pro wrestler" build, finding the right fit is always a gamble, but I’m happy to report that this "walking business card" was ready for its Los Angeles debut at MusicPro26! Inside the video: - ✅ The first look at the logo in print. - ✅ Why I use Printful for my custom gear. - ✅ How you can grab one for yourself (by popular demand!). I’ve put together a special T-shirt bundle for those of you who wanted to rock the look. Check out the link in the comments to get yours! More Music Pro '26 updates coming soon—stay tuned! #SparkInfinity #MusicPro26 #MerchReveal #Unboxing #CreativeEntrepreneur #TShirtDesign #Printful #NetworkingHack Read the full article

 The "Peacocking" Shirt has arrived! 📦🔥 If you followed one of my last videos, you saw the "vanilla vs. star" design struggle. Well, the bag finally showed up (a few days late, but we’ll forgive them!), and it was time for the moment of truth. I’m doing a full unboxing and fit test of the new Spark Infinity T-shirt. As someone with a "pro wrestler" build, finding the right fit is always a gamble, but I’m happy to report that this "walking business card" was ready for its Los Angeles debut at MusicPro26! Inside the video: - ✅ The first look at the logo in print. - ✅ Why I use Printful for my custom gear. - ✅ How you can grab one for yourself (by popular demand!). I’ve put together a special T-shirt bundle for those of you who wanted to rock the look. Check out the link in the comments to get yours! More Music Pro '26 updates coming soon—stay tuned! #SparkInfinity #MusicPro26 #MerchReveal #Unboxing #CreativeEntrepreneur #TShirtDesign #Printful #NetworkingHack Read the full article

Most of us are trying to be like people we weren't wired to be like, and then sit around wondering why we’re not as successful as they are. This is why I can’t help but cringe when I see an artist walk onstage at open mic night, wearing their singular influence on their sleeve. This phenomenon is the ugly twin of a cover band. (“Okay, already. We know you like Bob!”) Maybe that’s cruel. I know we all have to start somewhere, and I’m not down on newbies. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. No one is without influence, and we are all derivative of something. The thing is… Artistry comes from taking various ingredients to make your own soup. Expression comes from accepting and speaking your authentic truth. It’s easy for an artist, a side hustler, or even an entrepreneur to bypass this process entirely, thinking they are shortcutting their path to success. But they are really shooting themselves in the foot. Maybe they’re not missing out on the success or the money (debatable), but they are almost certainly missing out on themselves. It’s so often said that it’s about the journey and not the destination. I agree, because most of my achievements weren’t met with rousing fanfare. I had to be intentional about stopping and celebrating myself, because if I couldn’t show myself the way, who would follow? Where are you trying to get to? If the destination is worthwhile, then surely the journey is too. Sure, it would be nice to be rich, to be famous, to be as fit as a Spartan. Most people who want those things agree that the sooner they can get them, the better. Maximizing time and freedom is the goal. But without the challenges, the obstacles, the character-building hardships, do you even have the container to hold all that you wish to create? Wouldn’t you just as quickly lose all you’ve gained if you weren’t properly equipped to handle it? Morgan Freedman was 50 when he achieved his first Hollywood breakthrough. Abraham Lincoln was 52 when he was inaugurated as the 16th President. Colonel Sanders sold his “Secret Recipe” at 65. Things don’t always happen on a preset timeline. Because it’s not about time as much as it is the connection you have with yourself. So, the question is – who are you? There is a you apart from programming, expectation, and comparison. Getting in touch with this you should be your greatest undertaking, because that’s what it actually means to value yourself. I used to read books to learn how to be more successful or help other people. Now I read them because I enjoy them and I want to. I used to follow other people’s methods because I thought they were smarter. And I met a lot of great people and received world-class training. But their processes didn’t work for me, and I gave them more than a fair shake. I don’t follow other people’s formulas anymore. I used to compare. Look at where others were versus where I was. How much work I’d produced versus how much they produced. What I got and what they got. I don’t see the point anymore, because they’re not in my shoes, and I'm not in theirs. I have fully embraced my journey. I no longer expect it to look like someone else’s. Artists fail because they’re trying to duplicate someone else’s success, when that was never a possibility to begin with. It’s their authentic expression that’s wanted. What ingredients go in your soup? What is the authentic truth you want to express? Read the full article

 Hollywood is calling! 🌴 I am beyond excited to head to the Musicians Institute for Music Pro 26, and I want to bring some of you along with me. This isn't just another music conference; it’s a masterclass in Creative Entrepreneurship featuring some of the biggest names in the game. Whether you're a gear head, a songwriter, or an independent artist looking for Creative Expansion, this event is built for you. What’s happening at Music Pro 26? ✨ A keynote from guitar icon Steve Vai on the art of composition. ✨ Insights into the "unlimited distribution" model from the experts at DistroKid. ✨ A look at the legendary craftsmanship of Paul Reed Smith (Paul, if you're watching, I'm still waiting on my PRS! 😉). ✨ Deep dives into session work and hits with David Paich of Toto. ✨ ...and much more The best part? I have a limited number of FREE badges to give away to my followers! 🎟️ If you can get yourself to Hollywood, I can help get you through the door. I can't cover your flight or your hotel, but I can get you into the room where it all happens. HOW TO CLAIM YOUR FREE BADGE: Drop a comment below and tell me why you want to go! Stay tuned as I’ll need to collect some quick details to get you registered with the event organizers. Let’s make some moves in the music industry together. Like this post and share it with a musician friend who needs to be there! Read the full article

 Lately, I’ve been going live a bit extemporaneously, taking you behind the scenes of what I’m working on creatively. A lot of entrepreneurs have camera crews following them around, turning their day into content. I don’t have that (yet!), but this is my DIY version of that idea. In this new video, I walk you through the real, messy process of designing a custom t-shirt I’ll be wearing at Music Pro '26 in Hollywood later this month—something that basically introduces who I am and what I do before I even say a word. You’ll see: - 🎬 Time-lapse from Session 1: Me trying a bunch of ideas that were way off from what I actually wanted (welcome to my neurospicy process). - 💬 How Your Feedback Changed Everything: I missed some of the live comments at first (thanks, StreamYard…) but when I finally saw them, I realized the design was a bit too vanilla and not “peacocking” enough. - ⭐ The Star That Changed the Design: A member of my Facebook group said, “Your brand needs a star.” I was skeptical… then I dropped a star into the design and immediately went, “Oh. That actually works.” - 🧠 Photoshop Meltdowns & Scratch Disk Chaos: Session 2 got cut short thanks to Photoshop issues and me re-discovering scratch disk settings the hard way. - 🤖 How I Actually Used AI: I didn’t have AI design the shirt. Instead, I fed it my design, asked questions, iterated three times, and refined it with AI as a creative partner. The shirts are now ordered in a few different colors. If you’re coming to MusicPro26 at Musicians Institute (March 27–29), you’ll see me wearing one—and you won’t have to ask “So what do you do?” unless you really want to. 🎥 Watch the video to see: - The full behind-the-scenes timelapse of both sessions - How group feedback and tiny tweaks (like one star) can completely change a design - Why I still love designing by hand in an AI world 👇 Your turn: If you were designing a t-shirt that told people who you are before you opened your mouth, what would absolutely need to be on it? A symbol? A word? A color? An inside joke? Drop it in the comments—I’d love to hear your ideas and maybe borrow some inspiration for future designs. And if you’d like to see more behind-the-scenes content (like me awkwardly practicing piano for reasons I don’t fully understand), let me know below. Read the full article

Answering emails. Crushing to-do lists. Creating. Publishing. Showing up to every meeting. Being a good facilitator. Jumping on every opportunity. Demonstrating kindness. Helping others shine. That was me. But it wasn’t always for me. That’s the part that I think some people struggle to understand. I often sacrificed myself for others. Because I believed in them when they didn’t believe in themselves. Because kindness to me is not a ruse – it’s exactly who I am. But that person is gone. It’s not me anymore. And I’m probably more surprised than anyone. In the last few months, and especially in January, I’ve had a lot of time to reflect on my past, all the people who didn’t show up for me when I needed them to, the betrayers who sabotaged me when it mattered most, the countless challenges that nearly took me out, and the loneliness I’ve felt on this journey… (Okay, some of you reading this really don’t think I’ve gone through anything hard, but just in the last three years, I’ve gone through things that would make a grown adult go home crying to their mommy and never want to go outside again. Slices of my recent experiences here and here.) But what matters is this – I let it all go. The people, the circumstances, the pain. And someone was waiting for me on the other side – it was me. The real me. The me I’d forgotten. The me that you probably never got to meet. The me “they” never wanted me to remember. But I remembered. Which might make it sound like… “So, you’re not a creative, kindness was a mask, and helping others shine was manipulation.” (This assumes that I got something out of it – I wouldn’t invest a single penny in that stock.) And that’s not what I’m saying. I stand by what I did and who I was. I’m still creative, I’m still kind, and if it made sense, I would still help another shine. These are not things you can take away from me. What I’m saying is this: From now on, it’s got to work for me too, not just for those I serve. I can’t work for pennies on the dollar. I know my worth, and I’m unwilling to compromise. I can’t give my time away to just anyone. Only to those who value the relationship. I can’t work on projects just for the sake of it. Only projects that are aligned with my purpose. From here on out, it’s not about productivity, quantity, or volume; it’s about alignment and purpose. Have you ever had a moment where you finally “remembered” who you were before the world told you who to be? Read the full article

It's December 24th as I record this—Christmas Eve for those who celebrate. Whatever you celebrate (or don't), I hope you have an amazing holiday season. Eat all the delicious food. Get together with people you love. Have a great time. Here's wishing you a fantastic holiday season. As you've probably figured out, these behind-the-scenes videos are just vlogs. A chance for me to be a little more unfiltered and raw. I hope you've enjoyed the video series so far. There's more to come, but there will be a short break in content for the holidays. Here's where to find more: Bookmark davidandrewwiebe.com. Join my Facebook group, Spark Infinity. Subscribe to the Creativity Excitement Emotion podcast (I'm reviving it!). What's been happening with this video series? I've been documenting the results of creating these videos—videos where I virtually never introduce myself and never give a call to action (except maybe to ask for comments). So what am I getting out of it? I document that in the Indie Career Formula Newsletter. In the December issue, there's something called Leadership Lab Bootcamp, Part 1. That's the documentation of the video series I've been creating. There's going to be a Part 2. And depending on how long this goes, there will be Part 3 and Part 4. Because there are 90 video ideas, and I've only put out about 20 so far. That means there's still 70 more to go. People have been connecting with them. I've been getting comments. They've been enjoying these videos. So there's a good reason to continue on. I'm taking a short break for the holidays to reflect. I feel like that's the most important work you could be doing during the holidays. More content to come. See you in the New Year. In this video, I share what's been happening with this video series, why I'm taking a short break for the holidays, and what's coming in 2026. Read the full article

Are you hoping against hope that the Spotify thing is going to work out for you? Look at all the news stories. All the musician coaches. All the people pushing Spotify. It's got to be a good thing, right? If you've been an artist for any length of time, you know payouts for streaming royalties are dismal. Maybe you've seen a little improvement year over year, depending on how your listenership has increased. But you can't possibly believe this is someday going to work out for you—that you're going to make a living wage from streaming royalties. It's crazy to me that people spend so much time and energy on this. Even at conferences, musicians flock to the sessions about Spotify and ignore the ones about music entrepreneurship—which is where they should be going. As artists, we are entrepreneurs. That's just a fact of life. That's the way things are now. I can point you to so many opportunities that are far better than Spotify. If you just replace all that time and energy you're putting into Spotify—into creating products, into creating offers that people want—for the same amount of time and energy and money and resources, you're probably going to be making a much higher income. Don't get me wrong. Spotify can be a great promotional tool. I'm not saying it's a complete bust for listeners or even artists. But the delusion has permeated the industry. No wonder the industry is so enthusiastic about it. They benefit from Spotify. Not you. The bottom line: there are things you could be working on that are far more productive—both in terms of your overall satisfaction and fulfillment, as well as your income. Maybe you just want to continue putting your faith in things that don't work. Maybe that's the way we've been conditioned—that believing in something is its own reward, and that's all we should ever expect to get out of it. But there are other roads you can take. If you took the same amount of time, money, and energy you're putting into Spotify and put it somewhere else, it would dramatically change your results. To become a successful independent artist, you must approach things from a different angle. In this post (and video), I share why hoping Spotify will work out for you is a delusion—and what you should be doing instead. Read the full article

Why you need multiple teachers over a lifetime, not just one system. Have you taken a lot of courses? Stuck to a personal development program for 5, 10, even 20 years? Here's what I've noticed: people resist reverting back to their old ways. When they do, they make themselves wrong. They make themselves the enemy. "There must be something wrong with me. It's not the program's fault. It's not the coach's fault. It's my fault. I'm not tying in tight enough. I'm not doing the work." That's not how I've gotten to where I am. I'm not someone who enjoys staying stuck. I give things time—maybe 3 years, maybe 5. But beyond that, if I'm not seeing progress, I'm not going to blame myself. I'm also not going to blame the program. The program was fine. I got what I got out of it. But I'm also going to say, "It might be time for something new." So ask yourself: are you okay with being stuck? You can tie in tighter to the program. You can be more vigilant. But you're probably still going to revert back to those behaviors, feelings, and thoughts you don't like. It's sometimes been said you can only ride one horse to the finish line. But the finish line is 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 years into the future. Maybe longer. So you need more than one horse. One horse gets you to the first finish line. You need another horse for the next finish line. And so on. The problem? You think you're not doing the system well enough. "If I just did it better, harder, with more vigilance, I'll get where I want to go." But if you've been at this for 5, 10 years, stop and ask yourself: "Is that the case? Or do I need a fresh perspective?" You're not discarding what you've learned. You're not discarding the distinctions of the program. You're not discarding the hard work you've done. By allowing yourself to reevaluate, you're giving yourself compassion. You're loving yourself. If you're just trying to work the program harder, you're not loving yourself at all. You're hating yourself. You're saying, "The program's not working because I'm not working." You're placing the blame on yourself. It would be convenient if one coach, one teacher, one system got you everything you ever wanted. And some people have had that experience. But how many teachers and coaches and programs did they go through before getting to that point? You don't know the journey that got them there. I remember struggling with a concept on the guitar. I wanted to solo across the entire fretboard. But I kept getting stuck in a little box. I kept reading different articles. I took advice from different teachers. I watched different videos. Then one day, I read an article by Eric Johnson. Finally, I made the connection. "Aha, that's it." I unlocked that ability. I could solo. I could play leads across the entire fretboard. Different teachers specialize in different things. Hearing things from their perspective could be helpful to you. To this point, you've been counting on one teacher to explain it to you. They've explained it the same way 10, 20, 30 times. It's not landing. That means one teacher can't take you over the finish line. You have to be open to looking for additional resources, additional coaches, additional teachers. If you're done being uncomfortable, if you're done living in purgatory, if you're done repeating the same year over and over, find another coach. Find another program. Find another course. Be open-minded. Be teachable. Be willing. Be open to learning and seeing things from a different perspective. It might not even be new material, but it'll be explained differently. You'll have a connection that makes sense. You'll have a breakthrough you're not getting right now. In this post (and video), I share why you need multiple teachers over a lifetime, not just one system. Read the full article

"You're a loser if you don't build this business." That's what I was told. In private coaching sessions. Shouted from stages at conferences. I was young, ambitious, looking for freedom. So I bought it wholesale. Following that advice for five years nearly cost me my identity. The advice wasn't just about business tactics—it was about behavioral modification. In network marketing, I was told I had to fit a mold, talk a certain way, dress a certain way, only associate with winners, focus on duplication, not on questioning the system. I was told my independence—what makes me uniquely creative—was the weakness that would keep me broke. If I wanted the homes, the cars, the watches, the suits? I had to sacrifice myself. So I tried. I became the good soldier. I did what I was told. I even listened when they said I shouldn't sponsor certain people because they weren't at my level. I was told I was too high quality to waste time on the wrong recruits. But it was inevitable. I started to feel miserable. My confidence didn't grow—it shrank. My business didn't explode—it stayed stagnant. I felt like a fraud. Despite showing up and putting in the effort, I couldn't grow my business. I was building a model that made me a cog in the machine, but I was wired to be the architect of my life. The turning point came when I realized: the people giving this advice didn't care about my freedom. They cared about their duplication. Their business. They weren't teaching me how to be an entrepreneur. They were teaching me how to become a high-performing follower. If I tried to win their game, I would lose myself in the process. For an independent, that's the ultimate failure: losing yourself. Here's the hard truth I learned: Expert advice is only useful if it aligns with your core values. If you have to modify your behavior, if you have to become something you aren't wired to be, they're not mentors. They're mechanics trying to replace a part in the engine. I know what it means to be an independent. We're weird. We're unique. We're misfits. We need freedom and autonomy. But these aren't your bugs. They're your competitive advantage. I finally stopped trying to fit in and dedicated myself to creating a strategy around my independence. That's when everything shifted. I didn't get rich overnight. But I got my soul back. And eventually, the money followed. I'm not a loser for leaving that business. Why should I pay undue loyalty to things that don't serve me? The world doesn't need more duplicate cogs. It needs more independents brave enough to go their own way and build their own systems. In this post (and video), I share the expert advice I followed that nearly sent me in the wrong direction—and what happened when I finally stopped listening. Read the full article

How do you evaluate expert advice without losing yourself? It's tough. You need a framework. Ask yourself these six questions: Does it align with your core values? My core values: autonomy, integrity, freedom. If someone told me, "Work 80 hours a week for $40,000 a year," I'd have questions. Does it respect your unique wiring and personality? So much advice assumes anybody could do this, everybody should be doing this. But some people will be miserable doing what experts recommend. I'm creative. I do my best work alone—practicing guitar, producing music, writing, making art. If an opportunity requires me to be out all the time at clubs, bars, parties, networking events? That's not me. Is it a tool or a complete system? A technique might get you the date (or contract, or opportunity). But three dates in, you're in a relationship—and all the things that worked to get attention have nothing to do with the new situation. A tool is nice. But most businesses use a variety of tools, not just one. A complete system gives you the steps, the exact process, the frameworks, the templates. Does the advice make you more dependent, or does it empower your independence? Does this advice make me more dependent on the person giving it? Do I have to buy additional coaching, their book, their course, the next course? Or does it empower me to hit the target on my own? Does the advice have a clear, measurable outcome you can define? What is the advice designed to help you achieve? And more importantly, is this something the expert says you should want, or is it something you want? "Build an email list" is clear. "Become a thought leader" is nebulous. Does it encourage evolution, or is it just dogma? Does your teacher set you up to surpass them, or are they the gatekeeper to more knowledge you need to purchase to get where you want to go? As an independent creative, your intuition is one of your greatest assets. Use people's advice as wisdom, not as gospel. Separate the wheat from the chaff. Take what works. Leave what doesn't. We could all become the clone of our favorite guru if we tried. But that's not the goal. What's most powerful? You being your most authentic, genuine self. In this post (and video), I share how to evaluate expert advice without losing yourself. Read the full article

How do you rebuild your confidence after a major disappointment? You may go through some disappointing experiences in your artistic ventures, business ventures, or whatever else you might be pursuing. And those experiences can be disappointing—sometimes maybe even low-key traumatic. More often than not, there are people involved. Clients. Partners. Relationships you've built up with vendors. Perhaps you've given your word to complete certain tasks or made promises to customers. And there's usually some messiness that comes along with having to pull the plug, step away, pivot, or decide to do things differently. I certainly experienced disappointment in my network marketing efforts. It wasn't just that I lost my business. I lost my faith. I lost the girl. And my financial situation really wasn't in a great place at the time. I remember spending that summer quite depressed. And I really think it was more than just circumstantial. But as I said in an earlier video, I hadn't given up on myself. I hadn't given up on my ultimate success or my dreams. So what was my choice? The only choice, difficult as it was, was to keep going and to figure out a new vehicle and a new way of achieving my dreams. Here's what helped me rebuild my confidence: I started searching for things on YouTube. I think one of the things I searched up was "how to live as a super sensitive person," or something along those lines. I was very surprised to find some of the materials that ended up lifting me out of some depression. I purchased Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD. It actually wasn't very good, but I didn't notice how bad it was because of how I was feeling. One of the things that certainly helped me regain my confidence was having conversations with other people who had gone through similar situations. They'd been in similar businesses or similar training systems. They had very similar experiences with their upline mentors. And they'd come out on the other side, making certain decisions about their lives. Having those conversations with others who shared those experiences really helped me separate the wheat from the chaff—the stuff that was going to continue to be useful to me versus the stuff that maybe did more to hurt than help me. Something that I had started doing quite intentionally before ultimately choosing to leave network marketing was writing my first book, The New Music Industry. That turned out to be a great decision because I had a project that I could turn to, that I could focus on, that I could pour myself into. Even though I pretty much knew the book wasn't going to act as a replacement for the business I just left, I also knew that I would probably end up moving a lot of copies. And I did. There are different ways of navigating difficult situations like this. You might benefit from therapy. You might benefit from meditation, journaling, or reflection. Just know that there are different approaches. Even though you might feel down, even though you might feel depressed, even though it really might suck to have to go through all that and process it and feel like maybe you wasted years of your life on something you ended up choosing not to do—there's a lot of good that can come out of it too. It's just a matter of choosing to work through it to find the golden nuggets. In this post (and video), I share how I rebuilt my confidence after network marketing disappointment—and what helped me move forward. Read the full article

"You'd be a total loser if you give up on yourself." That's what they tell you in network marketing. "This is the best business ever." "You'd be an idiot to quit." And clearly, this is coming from people who believe what they're saying. But here's the thing: the business pretty much works with or without you—especially if you're at a low pin level. It works on attrition. They know a certain number of people are going to leave after a certain point. They can predict when that's going to happen. The business really does work on a whole bunch of people buying products every month and doing nothing else in their businesses. So are you a loser if you quit? Are you a loser if you give up on yourself? Here's the thing: I never gave up on my dreams. I may have said, "This business isn't right for me." I may have said, "This other opportunity wasn't right for me either." But that doesn't mean I gave up on myself. I didn't. And I didn't give up on my dreams either. There's usually a little bit of processing and adjusting that happens after you let go of something, or you pivot, or you decide to quit. But if you've got an entrepreneurial spirit in you—if you're someone who wants to accomplish something, if you're ambitious on any level—you're going to come to the same conclusion I did. I looked around and said, "Well, I'm still alive. My heart's still beating in my chest. And I've still got dreams. There are still things I want to accomplish." So what's my alternative? There are no alternatives. I'm not going to stop striving towards my dreams. So what are the alternatives? There are none. I'm going to get my feet under me. I'm going to get back up. And I'm going to get to work. I might do it through another vehicle. I might try another way. I might seek another model. But the bottom line? My dreams are alive. They're not dead. I haven't given up on myself. And I haven't given up on my dreams. So the only option—there is no alternative—the only option is to keep going. At the end of the day, some opportunities are right for certain people. You basically just never know when the popcorn is going to pop. People pop at different times. They're ready to go, or they're not ready to go. Don't worry about where you're at today. Simply look to the future to know what you want and allow yourself to become the person who can create that future. In this post (and video), I share why you're not a loser if you don't join the "best business model ever"—and why the only option is to keep going. Read the full article

Let me tell you something: if you're planning to get into network marketing, you should rent out your brain to your mentors. That's how the business works. Ask them about everything. Changes in your life. Spending money. Travel plans. Everything should be brought to your mentors and filtered through them. That's how you grow your business in network marketing—by working with your mentors and listening to what they tell you to do. But here's the problem: If you have any counter intentions—if you aren't actually looking to build the business, if you're still poking around, going, "I'm not too sure this is for me"—then there are definitely some dangers in renting out your brain to mentors. Bottom line? They're gonna make a lot of decisions on your behalf. Including financial decisions. And they're not necessarily thinking what's going to be best for you, how they can support your passions, how they can support your personal goals. They're thinking in terms of how to support you on a business level. That means if you have other priorities, those must be communicated to your mentors. And they may advise you to drop those priorities—or, in some rare instances, support you in them. But either way, if you happen to have other priorities and network marketing isn't really your main thing—and you haven't communicated this—then seeking advice from your upline mentors could actually be a hazard to you. I realized this for myself as I was starting to go through some financial difficulties. In my experience with network marketing, I went through financial difficulties two or three times. And it was really around the third time that it finally hit me: If I continue to prioritize what my mentors are telling me to prioritize, I'm just gonna continue to go further into debt. Broke. Possibly unable to buy another car. Things weren't gonna turn out well for me if I just kept renting my brain out to my mentors. At the end of the day, you still have to make the decisions. You have to make a decision that's in alignment with you. That feels right to you. That feels good to you. Others can give you counsel. You can ask for advice, strategies, tactics, and techniques. And that may not necessarily be a bad thing. You are going to get some feedback that will prove useful. But you shouldn't expect anything that isn't fully in alignment with you to work out in the real world. And that's the danger of renting out your brain to your mentors. In this post (and video), I share why renting out your brain to mentors works in network marketing—and when it becomes dangerous. Read the full article

I spent 5 years in network marketing. And honestly? I was excited about every aspect of it. The business. The compensation plan. The products. The people—because they were ambitious, chasing financial freedom, and actually living personal development. The company I joined had a world-class training system. I got exposed to books, CDs, MP3s, training from upline mentors who'd achieved higher levels in the business. That's where I learned the core fundamentals of business. I'd had some business experience before, but what I got through network marketing? I couldn't find anywhere else. I learned how to legitimize a business, how to work daily towards your dreams, the cashflow quadrant—fundamentals that still sit at the foundation of everything I do today. So there were a lot of positives. Including new business ideas. I even invested in a company because I had an idea and found people already doing what I wanted to do. That investment didn't exactly work out. But I don't regret taking a chance. If I had to do it over, I probably would've started out of my basement and kept it simple—less overhead, fewer people, fewer tools. But there was a cost to doing it. For a good while, I was convinced this was the right business model for me. I liked the products. I wanted to stretch myself, talk to more people, get out of my comfort zone, build relationships, have financial freedom. I wanted the home. The car. The watch. So I really started doing the work. I wasn't perfect at it. I wasn't necessarily great at it. But I got to the point where I was talking to one person per day. Then two or three. Then five or more people in a day. My business didn't grow much at all, though. And I didn't sponsor anyone. That experience still gave me valuable things—things that still influence the way I think about personal development, business, and life today. But I probably stayed in the business for too long. I was starting to feel discouraged long before I actually quit. Seems like I always find a reason why I shouldn't leave in many situations. But in network marketing specifically, the odds were just stacked against me. And there was no way to make a graceful exit. I'm not here to tell you I lost my shirt in network marketing. A lot of people tell that story. That's not my story. Yeah, I kind of had to start over financially. But it wasn't just because of the business. And I don't really blame the business. I think the business model's fine. I think it works perfectly for some people. But again, it was something that didn't quite fit for me. Just like teaching guitar—which looked amazing, which I thought might be a dream job—I learned pretty quickly it wasn't quite right. In this post (and video), I share what 5 years in network marketing taught me about business—and what it cost me. Read the full article