Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in music but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Rorie Kelly, Owner of Songs to Start a Fire LLC., located in Sound Beach, NY, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

I am a singer/songwriter - I write and release recorded music as well as perform live (around 150-200 shows per year). My career is about more than just connecting with music lovers; I have really built a special community of people around creativity, compassion, and vulnerability. I call this community "the firestarters" because we've all got a big fire in our hearts and connect deeply through art and honesty. From one point of view, they are my customers. From another point of view, bars and restaurants are my customers as well, hiring me to bring great music and energy into their establishments to entertain their customers in turn.

Tell us about yourself

I've known I wanted to do music for a living since I was a teenager. Everyone encouraged me to take what they viewed as a more stable path, and in my 20s, I had a series of unfulfilling day jobs. As I saw my musical peers get better and better and found myself with limited hours of the day to practice and record, I knew something about my life had to change. From that moment on, I stopped putting any energy into finding "day jobs" and put all of it into building a sustainable income around music, gig by gig.

The day I quit my day job and formed my LLC was really the result of several years of hard work, building my music business on nights and weekends and keeping meticulous records of what was working, what was generating income, and how to maximize those things. Personally, I could not be happy if my passion and musical calling were not at the heart of my life. Every day I get out of bed knowing I'm doing the work I was born to do, and that is what makes me willing to do the administrative work, the marketing work, and all the problem-solving that comes with owning a small business.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I think that adapting to dramatic change is my biggest accomplishment. Apart from the music industry constantly evolving since the digital revolution, 2020 and the COVID pandemic hit every single aspect of my industry very hard. I took to the internet to perform and fundraised to create an album in the midst of lockdown, putting out music that really shared the story of all of us facing down our demons in our separate homes during that time. I had built my business to rely heavily on live performing. When that option was ripped away, I still found a way to make the business work. I really felt like if I could get through a global pandemic, I could face anything.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

At the end of the day, no one is responsible for my success but myself. For me, that makes it hard not to overwork. I'm hyper-aware of all the opportunities I should be going after, all the marketing and promotion outlets I could be taking advantage of, and all the opportunities to connect with my audience. I work both on the road and from my home, and it has been a real journey learning how to set boundaries with myself that allow me to still be really productive but also show up for my health, family, and friends.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. This world needs your energy. If you have something exciting to offer the world, don't second guess whether you are valuable enough. Someone needs what you have to offer, and your job is to identify who they are and then reach them.
  2. Businesses need to make money. That is literally their purpose; otherwise, it's a hobby. So pay attention to your numbers. Keep a record of where your money is coming from each month, even if right now you're making so little that it seems laughable. It's not. When you learn what's working and look at it thoughtfully each month, you learn how to make it repeatable.
  3. Customers and fans are not the same as family and friends. It's wonderful if you have a core group of family and friends who want to support you - but they can only support you so much. At the end of the day, you need to find the common threads in the strangers who love and need what you have to offer. Once you figure out how to reliably reach those people, you have the tools to build a successful and repeatable business.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: http://www.roriekelly.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/roriekellymusic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roriemakessongs/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/roriekelly
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roriekelly/

Featured Photo by Anu Annam

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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