Tom Southey — Making Money From Music, Busking on the Streets of Sydney, Following Your Passion, Diversifying Your Income Streams and More – #8

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by Ellie Goode

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Your mum probably told you that you can’t make money from music.

“It’s impossible”, she remarked, matter-of-factly …

… with her hands on her hips, peering down at your shy eighteen-year-old self.

“You need to get a real job”, she mused 🙄

And she might have been right.

But…

Tom Southey (“Southey Music”) has spent the last four years crafting an epic live music career.

And he has no plans to slow down 🔥

Originally an engineer … Southey won numerous awards at university …

And made a bunch of other students mad in the process 😂

Southey turned to busking and live gigs to support himself while studying.

After graduating, Southey decided to pursue music full-time.

And he’s been writing, producing, and mixing music ever since.

Southey regularly streams on Twitch to over 12,000 followers.

And just wait until you hear his voice…. 🤯

Yes… I guarantee your mind will be blown.

Just like that emoji right there.

With wildly popular songs “Leuven” and “Run River” …

Southey has *cracked* the Spotify algorithm with almost a million combined plays.

DESPITE over 60,000 songs being released on the platform every day (source).

How is anyone supposed to stand out?

It’s not enough to be talented, you have to play the game, and work the system.

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Southey shares a glimpse into his proven tips and tricks.

My personal favourite was his spreadsheet tracker and Google form setup.

It seduced my inner geek 💋🧐

We talked about the importance of having multiple income streams … and the power of earning money online.

ESPECIALLY …

When there are lockdowns and shit hits the fan.

As a business owner, you have to act fast and adapt to the changing market — or it will crush you *without* mercy.

But how do musicians make money these days?

In a super competitive market, Southey shares how he gets clients…

And how he stays at the forefront of this every-evolving industry.

Check it out, smash that play button right now 👇

I had a lot of fun interviewing Southey. He’s a cool dude 😎

Show Notes – You’ll Discover

  • How Southey makes money as a musician (so you can write home and tell your mum 💁)
  • Southey’s expert spreadsheet tracking system and how he decides which live gigs to prioritize
  • How Southey cracked the Spotify algorithm code with his profile Southey Music … and stood out among 60,000 daily uploads
  • The power of engineering + systems in a creative field – how to use it to your advantage
  • What to do when your income is a crazy, terrifying rollercoaster every month 🎢 and how to pitch yourself out there in the big wide world
  • Southey’s trick for managing the compulsive spending habits of a musician, buying endless amounts of gear and plugins 😅
  • How to calculate your actual hourly rate — in music, consulting, freelancing etc. (hint: include travel time, setup, emails, admin, and those endless double shot espressos ☕)
  • The two Swedish guys who listen to Southey’s music while fly-fishing…

Connect with Southey Music:

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Ellie Goode — Host of the Provocative “Sex, Money & Rage“ Podcast, Nervous System Junkie, and Plant Psychonaut 🌿

I created Sex, Money & Rage to talk about everything that’s taboo. BDSM. Plant medicine. Healthy Rage. Kink. Emotions. Boundaries. Money issues. Less thinking, more feeling. How to get into your body and silence your overactive mind.

Sex, Money & Rage provides straight-up, powerful nervous system tools to help you dominate life’s toughest moments.

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