I spent two hours listening to the music industry podcast “And the Writer Is” featuring Jon Bellion.

I was surprised that, in spite of the social media-driven culture of short attention spans, I gave two hours of uninterrupted time to it. My phone wasn’t even with me as I watched.

What held my attention was the level of authenticity that Jon brought to the podcast, and that resonated with me.

Here are some of the highlights:

Righteousness Has a Cost

Jon paid for his latest album project – he was both record label and publisher. He did so to retain control and to pass on a bigger share of the royalties to his co-writers than they would ordinarily get from bigger labels.

According to Jon, he was tired of complaining about how songwriters are treated by labels and decided to put his money where his mouth is.

Be Humble

I liked that Jon admitted he had underestimated what labels bring to the table, and that he would probably end up losing money on the project. But the flip side was that he might learn a better way for labels to make money. He was willing to pay the price for innovation.

He also gave credit to the stars who take the brunt of public adulation while making music popular. They give up their privacy while songwriters earn royalties and get to live a quiet life.

Do Things That Have Meaning

Jon chose to shoot a video in Iceland, paying for the crew to fly there.

He said he could have used AI, but at some point, there is fulfilment and meaning in actually getting your hands dirty and doing hard work – just because.

Fans can tell when an artist is authentic, and will reward that.

Direct Marketing Works

Jon chose to pre-release some videos via direct file sharing with his fans, sacrificing online engagement in doing so.

But he said that, at the end of the day, the social media algorithm only reaches 2% of his online audience anyway. So, he’ll reach more people by just using his mailing list of real fans.

I feel like that is Substack’s advantage over other social media. You get to talk with people who engage with your stuff directly.

Collaborate With Others

According to Jon, he does better work when he’s in a room full of other brilliant creators. There’s an exponential creativity that’s unleashed, with everyone bringing something of value to the table.

Work Hard On Something That Matters

I think what ultimately got to me while watching the podcast was this – work on things that truly matter, not just the daily drudge of mindless activities.

Do something you truly care about and will sacrifice for.

There are things you can do with technology, there is fulfilment and meaning in getting your hands dirty and doing hard work – just because.

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For more, read The Financial Empowerment of The Middle Class: Why It Matters