EP1 - The Business First Artist Mindset

Most artists fail before they even release a song — not because of talent, but because of mindset. In this episode, Lee O. McIntosh III breaks down the psychology of becoming a Business‑First Artist and why this shift determines your entire career trajectory. If you’ve ever felt stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure of your next move, this episode will reset your foundation.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why talent alone isn’t enough
• The difference between “artist thinking” and “CEO thinking”
• How to build a mission that guides your entire career
• The mindset that separates successful artists from everyone else

Work with One Hundred The Label: onehundredthelabel.com

Work with One Hundred The Label: 
Artist Development Program
Producer Development Program
Full Artist Blueprint Program
Label Accelerator Program

Connect: 
Instagram: @onehundredthelabel
YouTube: One Hundred The Label
Website: onehundredthelabel.com

Work with One Hundred The Label: 
Artist Development Program
Producer Development Program
Full Artist Blueprint Program
Label Accelerator Program

Connect: 
Instagram: @onehundredthelabel
YouTube: One Hundred The Label
Website: onehundredthelabel.com

Transcript

Lee O. McIntosh III: 0:17

Welcome to the very first episode of One Hundred The Label podcast, powered by One Hundred The Label LLC, the label that teaches artists the business first and the music second. If you're an artist, producer, songwriter, or creative trying to break into the music industry, this is where you learn the real game, not the Instagram version, not the fake it till you make it version, the real blueprint. At One Hundred The Label, we specialize in artist business development. That means we help artists build careers, not just songs. We get artists into rooms, deals, sponsorships, partnerships, and life-changing negotiations by teaching them the business behind the music. And if you want one-on-one consultations, step-by-step video courses, or personalized artist development, visit our website at OneHundredTheLabel.com. Let's get into episode 1, business first, music second. Let's start with the truth. Most artists fail before they even start. Not because they're not talented, not because they don't work hard, not because they don't have potential. They fail because they don't understand the business. Most artists think like this. I'll learn the business. Once I blow up, I'll figure it out, I'll figure the paperwork out later. I just need one hit. The truth is, the industry does not work like that. The artists who win, they the ones who get paid, who own their work, who build long-term careers, they understand the business before the fame. Here's the difference between a hobbyist and a business minded artist. See, a hobbyist makes music, and a business minded artist builds a brand. A hobbyist drops songs randomly. A business minded artist has a release strategy. A hobbyist hopes someone discovers them. A business minded artist creates leverage. See this podcast is about turning you into the second type, a business minded artist. A business first artist understands one thing. Music is the product. You are the business. Your music is not your career, it's your inventory. Your brand is your company, your audience is your customer base. When you think like this, everything changes. You start asking questions like how do I own more of my work? How do I collect every royalty? How do I build leverage? How do I negotiate from strength? How do I create multiple income streams? See, this mindset is what we teach in our artist business development program. If you want access to that, visit our website at onehundredthelabel.com. Labels don't sign artists because of talent alone. They sign artists because of business potential. Here's what labels are actually looking for. They're looking for brand identity, consistency, audience engagement, markability, professionalism, ownership structure, and work ethic. If you don't have any of these things, you're not ready for a deal. Even if you want to get one, you won't be able to negotiate properly. But when you understand the business, you walk into the room with leverage. And the reason why you have leverage is because ownership is everything. If you don't own your music, you don't own your career. Most artists give away ownership because they don't understand what they're signing. They don't understand masters. They don't understand publishing. They don't understand royalties. And that's why they get trapped. A business first artist knows what they own, what they're giving up, what they're getting in return, and how to negotiate better terms. Ownership is leverage. Ownership is actually freedom. And all in all, ownership is power. Success in the music industry is not random. It's not luck. It's not going viral. Trust me, it's a system. And you need a system for everything. Things like song registration, publishing, marketing, content creation, release strategies, branding, networking, monetization. At 100 the label, we give artists step-by-step systems to produce results when followed to the T. If you want access to those systems, visit our website at Onehundredthelabel.com. You are not just an artist, you are the CEO of your career. See, a CEO makes strategic decisions, understands finances, build the team, creates opportunities, protect the brand, and think long term. When you start thinking like a CEO, you start waiting for opportunities, you start creating them. See this season, we're going deep. You're gonna learn copyrights, publishing, royalties, distribution, marketing, branding, deal negotiations, monetization, team building, and long-term strategy. By the end of season one, you'll know more than most artists in the industry. This was episode one of One Hundred The Label podcast. If you're ready to take your career seriously, if you want one-on-one consultations, step-by-step video courses, or personalized artist development, visit our website at Onehundredthelabel.com. Make sure you subscribe, leave a review, share this with another artist, and get ready for episode 2 Copyrights and Ownerships one on one. Until next time, business first, music second. Always