015 - Joel Pierson on Branding and Business Models for Music Book Publishing

Dr. Joel Pierson, founder of Sadsap Music and creator of the "You Suck at Piano" series, gives us an honest, behind-the-scenes look at how he raised $85,000 in his first Kickstarter campaign. Joel tells us about the thought process behind setting a good Kickstarter budget, what it was like working with a PR firm, how crazy expensive international shipping can be, and some of the other surprises that came up along the way. He also talks about his experience trying to get a publisher, being turned down, and then being pursued by a publisher after the early success of his Kickstarter and eventually working with them. Through all this, Joel shares his skepticism for the value of traditional music publishers in the 21st century. Full show notes available at musicstudiostartup.com/episode015