Part 1
Part 2
Dee Kei and I go through 14 things mix engineers need to know about business. Not the surface-level stuff. The real reasons talented engineers stay stuck, how selling hours keeps you broke, and what it actually takes to build a sustainable career.
Key Moments
"Every single mix engineer is honestly really good at mixing and that's not the problem. There's a time where that sort of caps and it's not really that important anymore. And other things become even more important."
"Clients aren't buying your time. They're buying your ability to care, your understanding, your confidence, your ability, your momentum, even your network and your accolades."
"I have a post-it note on my screen at all times which says 'accept help.' I look at this every day. I'm just as flawed as anyone else."
"The exact place you feel insecure is usually the next thing you need to grow into. If you're saying 'not enough people have said my work is good enough,' then cool. Maybe we need to find more people. Start solving for it."
The 14 Things We Covered
- Your mixes aren't the problem. Your systems are.
- Mindset can make or break your career
- Stop selling hours, start selling transformations
- Know your numbers
- 80% of work comes from relationships, not ads
- Most engineers don't know what a brand is (and that's the problem)
- Outreach works when it's personal
- Sales is serving, not convincing
- Boundaries protect your creativity
- Think like a CEO, not a technician
- The industry isn't impossible. It's misunderstood.
- Most famous engineers were lucky, so stop copying them
- Your imposter syndrome is a compass
- You are enough, but you are not done
Watch If...
- You're technically solid but financially struggling
- You've been at the same rates for years
- You know something's off but can't identify what
- You want to build an actual business, not just trade time for money
- You're ready to hear why talent alone isn't enough
Dee Kei brought real depth to this conversation, pushing past the surface-level mixing talk to examine what actually creates sustainable careers in audio. If you're not listening to Mixing Music Podcast, you're missing conversations that go beyond plugins and into the reality of this business.
From engineers who took the next step
What happens when the conversation is about you.
It shines a light on everything you're not doing and gives you a clear path to turn those realizations into actual business practices.
I went in wanting a third party to help point out my blind spots, and I got more than that.
Talked to my dad today after the strategy call. He said, "This guy you're working with sounds like an incredibly smart man."
Questions
Wondering what comes next?
This conversation was about the ideas in general. The Intensive is 60 minutes focused entirely on your situation. Your rate, your clients, your systems, your next move. No pitch. Just a plan built around where you actually are.
Most people who book the Intensive aren't sure either. That's exactly what the Intensive is for. Figure out what's actually going on and whether there's a clear path forward. You're not committing to anything beyond 60 minutes.
Start with the blog. It's where most people realize I'm speaking their language. Read a few posts, see if the way I think about this career matches how you experience it, and go from there.
If That Conversation Made You Think, Imagine 60 Minutes About Your Situation.
The Intensive is exactly what you just heard. Honest, specific, no pitch. Focused entirely on your business, your rate, and your next move.
Book the Intensive ($400)Not ready for the Intensive? Start with the Business Reality Check ($29).