Start a band – the best school in the world?

My formal education is in engineering, not in marketing. I have read tons of books and blogs on brand strategy, marketing and leadership over the past ten years, but nothing has tought me more than running the daily business of a band. We have been playing together for 15 years, released 6 albums, toured internationally, had good years, had bad years, had success, but mostly we have just worked hard to create interesting music.

The “side effects” of playing in a band is that you have to:
• keep the members happy and creative (leadership and idea management)
• make sure everyone shows up on time and performs (project management)
• think about image and audience (brand strategy, marketing, planning)
• create great artwork and communication (design, copywriting, social media)
• understand contracts and partner with the right people (business management)
• be comfortable in front of an audience (public speaking, body language)

If you fail at these things your band will most likely also fail, even if you perform well and your songs are great.

That’s why being in a band is an excellent way to learn about marketing, creativity, leadership, business, brand strategy and more. So even if you think of your band (or your kids band) as something that will never support you or them financially, it may be the most valuable education out there ;-)