In the past, we’ve shared several podcasts dedicated to helping independent musicians be successful on their own covering a wide range of topics relating to being a DIY artist. Today, we’d like to share one of the newest podcasts for independent musicians to hit the market – Musicians Tip Jar! There are a handful of really good podcasts but what makes this one different is their commitment to the financial aspects of being a musician, which is one of the foundations of surviving as an independent artist.
With decades of experience in various aspects of the music industry, Webb and Tamkin hope to provide valuable insight into how independent musicians can make money without sacrificing their art and passion. “We want to build a culture of informed musicians who no longer feel they need a big shiny label to ‘make it’ as a musician or band,” says Webb. “We are living in the greatest do-it-yourself age in history for musicians and we want to bring that to the dinner table.”
We got a chance to sit down with Chris Webb and Dave Tamkin, creators of the Musicians Tip Jar about their mission and plans for the podcast. Here’s what they shared…
Where we talk about Musicians & Money
Hosted by Cris Webb and Dave Tamkin, Musician’s Tip Jar, explores methods and strategies to help musicians create a steady cash-flow from their talents.
Can you share a bit about your background?
Dave: After graduating DePaul with a Business Marketing Degree I hit the road as a singer-songwriter for 10 years. I was fortunate to tour all over the country. When I moved to Boulder in 2008 after the market crashed, I helped a friend start a digital marketing agency and also started www.headabovemusic.com where musicians could help musicians with their personal stories. From there I started consulting companies on how to grow and digitally market their online presence and e-commerce initiatives. I found it fun to be creative with finite data analysis and also continue to write songs in such a subjective landscape.
Chris earned a Music degree from the University of Colorado and is now on the faculty at the University of Colorado Denver. He has played with many talented musicians, and recently begun selling his music for television and film placements.
How did the two of you meet?
Chris: Dave and I met playing a gig in downtown Denver, being that we both relocated from Chicago we had a lot of the same language right off the bat.
How did you get involved in music? What’s it like working together?
Chris: Over the years we’ve written songs together toured across the country, but also just stayed close friends with the shared mission to keep making music and art our livelihood.
Dave: Chris is someone I have no problems failing in front of. He’s an accomplished musician that encourages the musicians around him, his students, and friends to follow their passions. Doing a podcast from scratch was something new for both of us. It’s been fun to support each other on our strengths and weaknesses.
What made you decide to start the Musicians Tip Jar podcast?
Chris: It was during one of our writing sessions in my garage turn studio in the Highlands of Denver about eight years ago now that we first discussed the concept of simplifying and demystifying finance for musicians. At first, it was really just about basic financial education in an industry that tends to shun away from it. We wrote out the basic idea and seven basic rules and a dry erase board. It was really the pandemic that resurfaced the idea as so many livelihoods were challenged (including our own) and cleared our schedules to make more time to give this project life.
Chris, I notice you’re currently serving as an educator at the University of Colorado teaching in the singer/songwriter program. What aspects of your experience as an educator will you bring to the podcast?
Chris: I love creating lesson plans and writing. I enjoy teaching music but also being a motivator and supporting others to help them succeed. My hope is that we continue to be the fire entrepreneurs (ourselves included) often need to remember what’s possible. I often see a disconnect between being an artist and being productive in business (and finance). Sometimes our relationship with money feels like it’s dirty or that money somehow compromises the quality and integrity of our art…And yet we always seem to feel that we don’t get enough. That’s why we end each episode by saying, “there is already enough for everyone, you just need to know how to get it.”
Dave, in the first episode, I heard you say you’ve never been in a set of handcuffs you didn’t enjoy being in. Tell us, do you have a background in magic? How has that impacted your music career and do you incorporate aspects of that background into teaching about music and money?
Dave: How did you know? I rarely know what Chris is going to say before he introduces me so that was the first thing that came to mind. However, I do recommend a book called “Win the Crowd” by Steve Cohen, The Millionaires Magician. It’s from a magician’s standpoint but relates to musicians and business presentations as well. If you want to be a performer it’s a must-read.
Become More Commanding, Convincing, And Charismatic?
In this book, Steve Cohen, master magician and star of the long-running Chamber Magic show in New York City, will reveal the secrets of all great showmen and magicians ;how to persuade, influence, and charm, and ultimately accomplish the things you’ve always wanted to do. As Cohen writes, “You’ll discover how to take over a room, read people, and build anticipation…”
In the first episode, you briefly alluded to the importance of having savings and a financial plan for when a pandemic or disaster hits. What aspects of money and financial planning as it relates to being a musician will you tackle with your podcast?
Chris: The list is very long and continues to grow as we are asked new questions we haven’t thought of. I believe all great things come from solid foundations. I try to raise my kids that way, giving them all the love and “inside information” I can as a dad. Creating your music business should be the same approach, love the inside information. We will cover everything from how to build your business from the ground up using logical financial principles, such as emergency funds, budgets, profit and loss statements, and goal setting! Basic contracts, copyright law, how different social media platforms create revenue, building online education courses, and other passive income assets. We want to explore the relationship between being an artist and thriving financially. We want to help take away the stigma of wanting to be successful financially and still be fully in control of your art.
Can you share more about the topics you’ll be covering in your upcoming episodes?
Chris: The other thing I’d like to add is that we want this to be a community, we’ve said from the beginning we don’t want to be “the experts” but the thread that connects all the various artists and the answers they need in our corner of the world of finance.
One of the topics you mentioned you’ll cover is busking! That is a big aspect of being a musician that is often overlooked. Do you have experience in this area? What’s it like and why do you recommend it?
Dave: Yes, I believe it’s overlooked. When I was booking the Walnut Room in Denver, my colleague called me and said he just met this guy named Hunter Stone playing on Pearl St. Mall. He had to stop for a while and listen. I contacted Hunter right away and booked him. Since then I’ve gotten to know Hunter Stone a little bit and know that he makes time to do that every week if time allows. He is an awesome teacher, performer and songwriter who shows up for his community.
Katie Ferrara lives in Burbank California. I heard her busking outside of NAMM in Anaheim. She was fantastic so we hired her to do some music product video shoots for one of my clients. If you go to her website www.katieferra.com you’ll see that she also makes money live streaming while busking and makes tons of YouTube content. She has used these performances to not only connect with people on the street but to book shows all over the country by showcasing her adventures on her website.
In Colorado, I first heard Emelise busking on Pearl Street and stayed for at least 10 songs. She busks everywhere she travels with her family. She just finished her first album and found awesome management. Check her out at www.emelisemunoz.com
Busking is an opportunity to connect with people anytime you want. Get a permit and try it out if you haven’t. It doesn’t matter where you are in your career. It takes guts, humility and allows you to practice your craft.
What will independent artists learn from listening to Musicians Tip Jar?
Chris: The main thing I want everyone to walk away with, is that they can do this. That we have enough resources and knowledge among our community for all of us to hit our biggest dreams.
Dave: I hope the listeners learn that no matter how young or old you are and no matter where you are in your career, that there is always room for growth musically and financially. I’ve spent the last few years building quite a few businesses outside of the music world. This pandemic quickly made me realize how much I’ve missed writing and performing songs. I look forward to showing up to each Musicians Tip Jar to not only share my experiences from the last 20 years in the music industry but also listen and learn from our audience and apply it to a new musical journey in my life.
Do you plan to feature or interview artists? If so, how might an artist go about being featured?
Chris: Eventually, that will be the bulk of our episodes. We have so many wonderful and talented resources and we want to give them a stage to help answer and demystify the tough financial questions in the music industry.
With these changing times, it’s imperative that independent artists create efficient systems for earning money and being self-sufficient. Do yourself a favor and add Musicians Tip Jar to your playlist now.
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