Thanks For Thinking

10 Episodes
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By: Carl Bahner

If a music biz podcast had a baby with a guided meditation app. This music business podcast focuses on self-reflection and proactivity for thoughtful music production professionals. Hosted by Carl Bahner.

Your Studio's Website (Probably) Sucks - Here's How To Fix It
02/05/2024

Who Is Your Website Actually For?

Is your studio website helping you attract the right clients? Most producer/engineer websites focus too much on factoids and accomplishments rather than showing your ideal customers how you can solve their specific problems.

In this video, I explain why your website should be focused on serving your ideal clients, not just anyone who stumbles onto it (because it's 2024 and people don't just stumble onto websites). I share techniques for identifying and speaking directly to the goals and struggles of your ideal clients.

This will completely change...


Overcoming Social Media Content Creation Anxiety
01/22/2024

Struggling with fear, nerves or uncertainty about creating social media content? Learn how I overcame my own overwhelming anxiety about filming YouTube, TikTok and Instagram videos. I'll share actionable tips for managing vlogging stress, including the game-changing video editing web app helping me rapidly transform messy first drafts into polished, magnetic content. If you battle lack of confidence, worries about looking dumb on camera or crippling self-doubt, this episode will equip you with strategies for becoming an assured, articulate content creator. Tune in to discover solutions to your social media imposter syndrome and finally create content consistently!


Talking To One Thousand Strangers
01/08/2024

As we take on the new year, many of us set lofty financial goals that end up falling flat. If that sounds familiar, tune in as I share my surprising plan for career and income growth in 2024 that does NOT rely on a specific dollar figure.

After expanding my family and missing last year’s money goals thanks to an adorable (but time-sucking) new baby, I knew I needed to shake things up. Rather than set myself up for frustration with more stretch goals, I’m trying a refreshing new tactic: conversations with 1,000 strangers.

Introverts, hang...


The 10,000 Failures Rule
#2
09/25/2023

An adaptation to Malcolm Gladwell's "10,000 Hours" rule, where we consider collecting failures like trophies on the path to mastery and fearlessness.

Intro music: “Gingerly” (instrumental) by Surname. Mixed by yours truly.
Focus music by
Pink Coyote.
Outro music:
“Futurism” (instrumental) by mrnoname. Produced and mixed by yours truly.
@CarlBahner on Instagram
@ThanksForThinkingPodcast on Instagram
www.CarlBahner.com

FREE Resources for Studio Pros now available at carlbahner.com/reso...


Risk is Not a Four-Letter Word
#1
09/18/2023

Change will happen whether we're ready or not. In this episode, I talk about how seizing opportunities outside my comfort zone completely reshaped my music career.

Intro music: “Gingerly” (instrumental) by Surname. Mixed by yours truly.
Focus music by
Pink Coyote.
Outro music:
“Futurism” (instrumental) by mrnoname. Produced and mixed by yours truly.
@CarlBahner on Instagram
@ThanksForThinkingPodcast on Instagram
www.CarlBahner.com

FREE Resources for Studio Pros now...


Episode 19: The Undisciplined Pursuit of More
#19
08/04/2022

After the first time I did a year-in-review to count how many songs I worked on, I was determined to beat that number the next year. Why? Honestly I’m not sure. I just felt compelled to beat that number. I wanted more. More clients. More songs. More money.  More students. 

Then I heard the phrase “undisciplined pursuit of more” and it hit me like a wrecking ball that shattered a blind spot in my self-awareness. When I heard it mentioned on a podcast (not knowing what the original context was) my mind started racing.

It made...


Episode 18: Failing On The Shoulders Of Giants
#18
05/31/2022

There’s an old metaphor, made famous by Sir Isaac Newton, about making scientific progress by adding to the knowledge already discovered by those who came before us. You’ve probably heard it before: “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” 

This holds true for intellectual and artistic pursuits, and in my experience, it holds true for failure, as well.

“Learn from somebody else’s mistakes” is probably a familiar concept, and deep down, the motivation is pretty primal and instinctive: if we learn from somebody else’s mistakes, we can...


Episode 17: Choose Your Words Wisely
#17
04/27/2022

Last night, I was having a conversation with a new potential student, trying to figure if we would be a great fit to work with one another. We had spoken briefly a few times before, and I knew he listens to this podcast (you know who you are). 

By the end of the conversation, we had our first session scheduled and paid. He thanked me and said he looked forward to learning and hearing my thoughts on some music she was going to be sending me after our chat. Instinctively, I started to type a response, saying s...


Episode 16: The Warning Signs of Burnout
#16
04/06/2022

Burnout doesn’t show up like a light switch - rather, it’s much more orogenous. No, I didn’t say “erogenous,” I’m talking about orogeny - the process of how mountains form.

Burnout appears slowly, gradually, like a mountain pushing through the earth’s crust. Well, maybe not quite THAT slowly, but my point is that it can be very difficult to recognize burnout until it’s too late. But much like a rising mountain, burnout can cause considerable disruption to the surrounding landscape (aka your health, happiness, and relationships).

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Episode 15: Why Your Personality Niche Is Important To Your Creative Business
#15
03/21/2022

So, you’re not a true internet guru until you’ve coined a new marketing term, so I’m really, really hoping I’m not the first person to talk about having a “personality niche.”

Admittedly I don’t have an airtight definition quite yet. The closest I’ve got so far is: a group (or groups) of people with whom a creative service provider shares values, passions, and communication styles.

In short, it’s a subset of potential clients that we really get along with, in addition to the traditional stylistic niche or specialized service niche.

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