It is so cool that we can discuss this here. I have a full-time business, like Matt, I'm lucky enough that it doesn't take all my time. (going back to your college lecturer days I mean) I have 30 hours per week for music, my other business of 19 years takes 30 hours also but In the early days I worked around 14-16 hours per day. Now I do about a 6 hour day and can take time off pretty much when I please. I'm not saying this to brag, I'm just saying that I am extremely fortunate that after 19 years of grit and slog, my day job, isn't that all consuming anymore. So I can spend 30 hours a week working on what I love. I am truly lucky in that respect.
I agree it will be closer to 5 years, realistically, from what everyone says, before my music income, passes my other business income. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a wealthy man, but I get by on less hours these days because I have staff. Work-life balance is vital as I'm now 52. I realise how valuable the time we have is. I'm not shy to learn, nor take advice. Most of all I understand this is a business, with all the frustrations, let downs, highs and lows, that frankly make life interesting. (I'm not so upbeat when my system crashes,) but I am used to hard work. So perhaps, when I said full-time, I should have said working 30 hours per week and making a reasonable time/reward rate. I did think two years from a track forwarded is reasonable but now see that it often won't pay ever, so we need to keep submitting, but also as someone else said, a track placed in the US can take 2 years to pay-out in the UK (I'm near London) So 5 years could even be optimistic - ha, what a crazy business to get into
and yet I'm still keen. It wouldn't bother me if it took 10 years, but I hope consistency, professionalism, and hard work will pay off. I hope to see some of you in the WestInn bar this year to chat about this more. Right now though, I'm going to stop talking and just get on with the next track. Seriously everyone, thank you so much.
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