What if your day job isn’t getting in the way of your creative dream, but actually helping make it possible? Singer-songwriter Veronica North joins us to talk about building a music career while working full-time as a mental health nurse, and why she has no interest in embracing the starving artist narrative. We dig into how she uses her income to invest in her music, the surprising number of revenue streams available to independent artists, and the goal-setting and financial systems she uses to intentionally design the life she wants. Veronica also shares why learning to manage her money gave her more freedom to create, how she approaches her music as both art and a business, and the very big dream she’s working toward: opening for Taylor Swift.

1. Your day job can fund the dream instead of competing with it.

Veronica loves nursing, but it also gives her the income and flexibility to invest in music without requiring her art to immediately pay all of her bills.

2. Design your finances around the life you actually want.

Instead of starting with arbitrary financial goals, Veronica visualizes what she wants her days and life to look like, then uses those priorities to decide where her money should go and what’s worth saying no to.

3. Financial literacy can unlock creative freedom.

Learning the basics of saving, investing, retirement accounts and intentional spending transformed Veronica’s relationship with money and ultimately gave her more freedom to invest in herself as an artist.

4. Look for every drip, trickle, flow and flood inside your business.

A single live performance can generate ticket revenue, merch sales and publishing royalties, while streaming and physical music create additional income streams. Understanding where the money comes from is part of treating your creative work like a business.

5. Making money from your art allows you to make better art.

Revenue isn’t the enemy of creativity. Veronica reinvests what she earns into studio time, equipment and production so each new project and performance can operate at a higher level.

Check out Veronica’s music at her website.

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If you loved this episode, please take a moment to rate and review Drip Trickle Flow Flood on your favorite podcast platform. It helps new listeners discover the show and it makes our day. Thanks for listening!

Subscribe to this newsletter for income ideas that drip, trickle, flow, and flood into your life.

Disclaimer:

The information provided in this podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, tax, or legal advice. The opinions expressed by the hosts and guests are solely their own and do not reflect the views of any companies or organizations they may be affiliated with.

Listeners should conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial professional before making any investment or financial decisions. While we strive for accuracy, we do not guarantee that the information presented is complete, current, or applicable to your specific situation. Investing involves risk, including potential loss of principal.

By listening to this podcast, you acknowledge and agree that the hosts, guests, and producers are not responsible for any financial decisions you make based on the content discussed.

This one is coming back for a reason. Our #2 most-listened-to episode of all time tackles one of the biggest myths in creative work: that making great art and making good money somehow don’t belong together. We’re revisiting our conversation about the “starving artist” mentality, what it really takes to turn creative work into a sustainable income stream, and why treating your art like a business doesn’t make you any less of an artist.

1. Great work doesn’t automatically equal great income.

Craft matters, but art is subjective. Being talented isn’t a business model. If you want your creative work to generate consistent income, you need strategy alongside the work itself.

2. Decide whether your art is a hobby or a business.

There’s nothing wrong with creating purely because you love it. But if you expect your art to support you financially, you have to start making decisions based on your time, rates, expenses, opportunities, and return.

3. Build multiple income streams around your skills.

Don’t make one client, publication, book, script, or project responsible for paying all your bills. Your creative skills can generate income in multiple ways, and some of those streams can help fund the work you ultimately want to be doing.

4. Stop undercharging just to get the opportunity.

Sometimes taking a lower-paying project strategically makes sense, but it should be a conscious business decision rather than your default. Know your rate, understand the value of your time, and set expectations for what future work will cost.

5. Visibility is part of the job.

Marketing your work isn’t selling out. If people don’t know your work exists, they can’t read it, buy it, hire you, recommend you, or become fans. Learning to put yourself and your work into the world is part of building a creative business.

Whether you’re a writer, filmmaker, artist, musician, or freelancer, the message from this episode still holds: artists don’t have to starve. You can protect the creativity while also building the business that allows you to keep doing it.

Our Links

Tony’s website

Melissa’s website

Drip Trickle Flow Flood T-Shirts

We’ve got merch! That’s right, Drip Trickle Flow Flood t-shirts are officially here and they’re as comfy as they are conversation-starting.

Grab yours!

Rate and Review

If you loved this episode, please take a moment to rate and review Drip Trickle Flow Flood on your favorite podcast platform. It helps new listeners discover the show and it makes our day. Thanks for listening!

Subscribe to this newsletter for income ideas that drip, trickle, flow, and flood into your life.

Disclaimer:

The information provided in this podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, tax, or legal advice. The opinions expressed by the hosts and guests are solely their own and do not reflect the views of any companies or organizations they may be affiliated with.

Listeners should conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial professional before making any investment or financial decisions. While we strive for accuracy, we do not guarantee that the information presented is complete, current, or applicable to your specific situation. Investing involves risk, including potential loss of principal.

By listening to this podcast, you acknowledge and agree that the hosts, guests, and producers are not responsible for any financial decisions you make based on the content discussed.