Be Your Own CEO: Owning the Opportunity with Dawn Richard

Real independence in music starts with owning what you create. In this episode of Taking Care of Your Music Business, Jamie Dominguez of The MLC sits down with Dawn Richard —visionary artist, entrepreneur, songwriter, and multi-hyphenate creative. Dawn rose through Danity Kane and Dirty Money before building an acclaimed independent career, with sync placements ranging from Adult Swim to FIFA and Madden, an admin deal with Kobalt, and a seat on the Recording Academy's New York board. Recorded live at NOLA Music Con in New Orleans, this conversation digs into rights, royalties, and resilience — and what it really takes to be your own CEO. Dawn shares the hard lessons that shaped her path, from signing contracts to negotiating for her own masters and fighting for fair splits. She and Jamie explore why diversifying your revenue streams matters, how the right IPI numbers and accurate metadata can unlock real opportunities, and how The MLC works to collect the streaming mechanical royalties you've earned.  Watch all our full episodes on YouTube here and learn more about The MLC and our mission to ensure songwriters and music publishers receive their mechanical royalties from streaming and download services in the U.S. accurately and on time here.