How to Build an Empire Around Your Music ft. Josh Baker | EF EP 168
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YouTube 
Apple Podcasts Josh Baker has built an actual empire around his music. He's a DJ and producer who's also built a whole world of businesses around his artistry — the You & Me party series, the Hide & Seek festival, and his artist education platform Synto — and each one feeds the others. In this episode, Olivia Mancuso sits down with Josh to break down how he built multiple income streams, learned to buy back his time by building a team, and created a career that doesn't depend on gigging every single weekend forever.
What you'll take away:
- Why treating your music career like a business is what actually makes it last
- How to build an empire where every venture you own lifts the others
- How to buy your time back by paying people to handle what doesn't need you, so you're free to focus on what actually grows your career
- Why the long game wins: give most of it away for free, build real trust, and sell the rest
- How to say no and protect your time, because not all money is made equal
- Why you should book your own events and grow in small increments instead of chasing big names too soon
👉 Want personalized guidance on your music career? Book a one-on-one consultation with Olivia on GreenRoom where you can get tailored advice on branding, business strategy, and sustainable career growth: https://greenroomnetwork.com/creator/OliviaMancuso
👉 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oliviamancuso__
👉 Video Editor/Audio Engineer: James Fixx
00:00 - Intro
01:25 - Building a career beyond DJing
04:18 - Creating your own opportunities
06:33 - Starting You and Me
08:24 - Balancing multiple businesses
11:08 - Building trust before monetizing
13:28 - The power of leverage
15:11 - Outsourcing and building a team
20:56 - Learning to say no
23:27 - Should artists diversify?
25:15 - Social media for musicians
28:56 - Adapting to a changing industry
30:23 - Josh’s next business idea