Free Agency Vol. 28 - On artists, corporate structure, and compounding your agency

Recently, a friend asked for some insight on the business of their art, as they are in the process of working on some new projects. I went back and forth on sharing this, but I think it might help artists and creatives understand why it feels like the ground is shifting beneath them, and how to be more resilient through that. I thought there would be no better example than Universal Music Group: one of the best examples of a business operating at scale around the world, focused on monetizing creativity via artists. Like it or not, they continue to grow, and it's because of the processes they have, and how they utilize them.

I've seen artists get exploited for three reasons: fear, mindset, and predatory frameworks. This piece addresses all three. When I talk to friends about business, I skip the pleasantries - our relationship means I owe them direct honesty. Some details have been obscured to protect privacy.