Most people have at least one hobby or activity they are passionate about that they would love to wake up tomorrow and do for the rest of their lives. Most of them also have bills. Reality begs the question, “How many fans would it take to make a decent living off of a hobby or passion?” The answer may be a shock: Considering a decent annual salary to be anything above $60,000 a year, in the U.S., less than one thousand. That’s not a typo. Before putting in a two-weeks notice, however, it should be understood that such numbers may not place one on the fast-track to fame and fortune. For many creative minds, though, simply monetizing a craft in any way to any degree is a monumental achievement. Beyond that, supporting an entire lifestyle with the thing one is most passionate about, for most, would be a dream come true. Gone are the days where the only way of making that dream a reality were clawing for mass exposure, label discovery, and ‘signing away your soul.’ Leveraging the ever-evolving landscape of technology, there is a subset of creative minds innovating the path to financial success and sustainability for artists and entertainers. We unearthed a handful to dissect their methodology.
Nestled humbly in the Grand Strand of Myrtle Beach South Carolina, Arcadia Studios stands as a local headquarters in the trenches of the ‘revolution.’ “I tell artists all the time that millions of streams and views is cool, but it doesn’t pay the bills. Nowadays, it really only takes 1,000 people paying you $10 a month on a subscription platform like Patreon to make $100,000 a year doing what you love. You just have to be willing to put the effort into providing them with enough value on a consistent basis that they feel like subscribing is worth it. You have to see yourself as a media company, more than just a musician. We provide them with the quality, services, and education to do that.” These are the words of Shawn “Khan” Anderson, Director of Marketing at Arcadia Studios, as an artist himself. Co-Founders Darryl “DeeCee” Cherry and Patrick “Paterack” Richardson share what it’s like to earn a living doing what most would consider to be a hobby, also. “It’s a blessing,” Darryl says. “It’s not always easy, but it’s a blessing. We want to be a blessing to the artists we work with, also. We try to supply them with all the tools they need to monetize their skillset, and there are several that are working to do that now.”
Darryl and Patrick, along with the rest of the Arcadia team (Theo “OT” Johnson, Artist Development Manager, Gage “12Gage” Ashton and Kwesi “WYD” Jackson, Senior Engineers), were asked if there were any artists they worked with that especially exemplified this new and innovative approach to building a sustainable independent career in the entertainment business. Darryl answered, “Sure, we have quite a few! In no particular order, there’s SHAWN KHAN, Cas, HiiiGHC, MALO, ATM Dollaz, CashFlow Kweezy, JiggieHendrix, and Ayeephil. There are so many here, really. Pat, who else?” Patrick replied, “CHRISTIAN, Richie Milano, NatureBoyy, Prince Xarolina, Streets Love, Primo, plus all of MSG Management’s artists—I think of them, off the top of my head.” The immediacy with which the two men rattled off these artist’s names was indicative of a genuine investment of care into their work and success. Perhaps, this is the secret ingredient to the community of Arcadia’s success. Perhaps, this is what is helping these artists pioneer what could be the future of the music industry.
The increasing ease of attainability for turning a passion into full-time profit may sound delightful; however, it could cause tectonic rifts, globally, within socio-cultural climates and the stability of national workforces. The economic implications of which could be drastic, for future generations around the world. When high-schoolers begin earning more than parents from mobile devices, every facet of the global workforce will inevitably be placed at risk of suffering a deficit of qualified, available, and even interested candidates for hire. Why pursue a labor-intensive career or continue an education while earning a full-time salary from a cell-phone? The scenario is a bitter-sweet conundrum to synthesize with the roadmap to a brighter future. Notwithstanding, for the present disposal in that trajectory, it’s important to understand the forces that propel societies forward, in order to bridle them.