Why Thinking Like a Business Owner Can Make You a Better Musician

Boost your income by treating every gig like a business deal, not just a performance.

Getting into Broadway readings and workshops as a drummer can feel like getting a VIP pass to something that could become a hit—maybe the next Lion King, Book of Mormon, Chicago, Hamilton, or Aladdin. You’re part of the ground-level creation process, the moment when a show starts to find its rhythm and flow. But the reality is that most of these projects won’t make it that far. Most workshops or readings last a few weeks, and then—poof—they’re done, another casualty of Broadway’s brutal process. It’s hit or miss; sometimes, it feels like more misses than hits. But here’s the thing: even when the gig doesn’t last, you can still make it worth your time.