Session One: Do I Really Need to Sell Myself? The Music Business Demystified Workshop Series

Session One: Do I Really Need to Sell Myself? Marketing and Image Building

In this session, we will focus on what it means to build an image and market yourself as an independent musician. We’ll cover everything from the philosophy of building an image to concrete strategies for social media, marketing materials, and grassroots marketing. As an artist, it’s important not to lose yourself and to build on the strengths you already have. This session will emphasize the importance of this concept and encourage participants to tap into their strengths while staying strategic. The session will include time at the end to workshop your own marketing strategies with the panel members. 

The session will be three parts. The first part is a panel discussion with experts in this area; the second part includes a Q&A with the panel; and the last part is a hands-on activity.

PANELISTS

Jeff O’Brien Myers is a director, artist, animator, musician, and advertising creative who has elevated brands & films for over 20 years. As a director and animator, his work is vibrant, textural, and atmospheric, and his films feel simultaneously universal and personal. He is the founder of the global creative & story agency THIS IS RED, which is housed in a century-old Art Nouveau masterpiece cathedral that has been repurposed & customized for film & animation production, immersive content creation, and brand and marketing services. THIS IS RED’s client base covers a vast range of industries from tech to TV—from the stage of Saturday Night Live to presidential inaugurations, to global brand rollouts from icons like Coca-Cola, the Four Seasons, & design overlord Philippe Starck to campaigns for the BBC, Apple Music, Atlantic Records, and more.

Clara Kent is an Afro-Indigenous (Oglala Lakota & Ojibwe) multidisciplinary artist, entrepreneur, and community leader from Pittsburgh, PA’s Homewood community. Clara is best known for her music and dynamic performances, and she also uses various forms of expression in visual art and media. She focuses her artistry on uplifting the creative community and reclaiming indigenous roots, particularly for underserved Black artists and youth in her neighborhood. She has expanded her career into media and entrepreneurial ventures, while continuing to create music and advocate for other Black and Indigenous creatives. In 2022, she began hosting a radio show on WYEP called “More Bounce with Clara Kent,” managing the Alt-Funk band Mani Bahia & The Mob. Also, she launched her production company, Bounce House Studios & Productions LLC, a Black women-led organization whose purpose is to “Elevate the Underground” ™️ through free programming and donation-based events for BIPOC artists. Find more here.

Kaston Guffey is one half of My Politic, an indie-folk duo he created with Nick Pankey. They grew up in the Ozarks & have been performing as My Politic for over 15 years. Across 10 releases, their body of work consistently showcases engaging slice-of-life storytelling, expertly crafted characters, highly skilled acoustic instrumentation & sibling-like harmonies. Most recently, My Politic has joined other folk troubadours, Adeem The Artist, Margo Cilker & Jaimee Harris for tour stints through the Midwest and South. They also made their Woody Guthrie Folk Festival debut in July of 2023 and have returned to Okemah, OK, every year since. The duo released their latest album, “Signs of Life,” on May 23rd, 2025, to critical acclaim. Find more here.

Light refreshments included. Feel free to bring in dinner.

The Music Business De-Mystified is a four-session workshop series designed to help independent musicians advocate, book, market, and release music for themselves. Each session includes a professional panel and hands-on activities. You can purchase workshops individually or as a four-part bundle.

Session One: October 8
Do I Really Need to Sell Myself?: Marketing and Image Building

Session Two: November 19
I Have No Money! What Now?: Budgeting and Working Within a Small Budget

Session Three: January 7
I Have the Songs! Now What?: Recording and Releasing Music

Session Four: February 4
Nobody is Answering My Emails!: Booking Locally and Touring