We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Caleb Hicks. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Caleb below.

Caleb, appreciate you joining us today. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

My fellow creatives know as well as I do that the music industry can be a challenging field for an entrepreneur. The market is nothing short of oversaturated, and there’s no way to maintain consistent income without taking daily calculated risks. When I started this journey 4 years ago, I didn’t have a plan. I just knew that I wanted to make music for a living. My entrepreneurial spirit led me to start a music production business, but truth be told, I didn’t know what I was doing. That all changed in the Fall of 2020, when I met two people who would become my mentors in life and in music. Their influence has helped me grow my business to a point where it is self-sustaining, which allows me to spend time brainstorming the future and pursuing other goals. In terms of “speeding up the process”, you can’t shortcut hard work, but you can work smarter. Here are a couple of things that I wish I had known from day one.

My first recommendation is simple. JUST GO FOR IT. The education system will tell you to have a plan in place before stepping into something new, but that’s not the path I took. I just jumped right in. That may be an intimidating tactic to some, but if you want to do what you love for a living, you have to trust your gut and the process. Set goals, of course, but spend less time thinking and more time doing. The more time you spend stewing on it, the more you risk talking yourself out of it. Taking a leap of faith is scary, but if you’re focused on success and determined to make it happen, it will happen. Dream big and make moves.

I’d also recommend finding a support network that pushes you to be the best version of yourself in business and creativity. I’m not talking about your peers. I’m talking about people who are better than you and more successful than you. Ever heard the saying, “millionaires hang out with millionaires?” Show me who you associate with, and I’ll show you your future. Learn from those who are where you want to be in life. Be humble and absorbent. It will pay off.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I have been a musician since I was 14 years old. As I got older, my love for music evolved into a multi-faceted obsession. I went from playing simple punk rock songs on the guitar to becoming a genre-crossing multi-instrumentalist with a passion for songwriting. As I grew in skill as a songwriter, I became fascinated with the art of music production. I wanted to be able to take the songs floating around in my head and recreate them in a computer. I wanted to have creative control over my ideas in digital format. That led to me learning how to produce my own music. Over the years my passion for creativity only continued to grow. Then, after completing the Joel A. Katz Music & Entertainment Business Program at KSU, I decided to combine my love for music with my love for entrepreneurship and start a business. Thus, CH Music Productions was born.

CH Music Productions is a full-scale production house that provides music production, songwriting, mixing/mastering, artwork, and distribution services. The ideal client would be a musician looking to take their music to the next level with the help of a “music consultant” that can produce their music and help them visualize their future. Most of my clients come to me looking for a single service but end up becoming consistent collaborators. This is because I pride myself in my ability to facilitate independent artists from start to finish. As cliche as it sounds, it has never been about money, but rather my passion for creativity. I want to help artists and songwriters find their way in the vast and oftentimes intimidating music industry by exploiting what makes them unique and providing them with the tools needed to become the best version of themselves as a creative. Some of the artists that I have worked with over the years have toured the world playing songs that we co-wrote. Others have been nominated for various awards and recognitions. Others have found success in music publishing and get to hear their songs on TV. CHMP aims to help artist idealize their success in music, no matter the path they choose to take. It starts within!

When it comes to being a creative, your superpower is your uniqueness. I have mastered the ability to identify what makes each individual artist unique and help them not only accept it but flaunt it as well. We will work together to turn your music into pieces of art that tell listeners who you are. That’s what makes music great – it serves as both a platform and a universal language. My goal is to help you make music that speaks to the souls of your fans.

If you’re wondering if I can help you, let’s set up a consultation. Don’t worry about money. I will work with any budget, and we will cross that bridge when we get to it. I offer payment plans, flat vs residual rates, and more. It’s all about the love of music at CHMP!

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Freedom of expression. Music is a vehicle that can be used to showcase who you are and use that vulnerability to connect with people. Unfortunately, we’ve entered a time and age when what’s popular is what sells the most. That’s why a lot of the music you hear on the radio today is popular for a little while and then completely forgotten. It has no soul. Everything sounds the same.

My favorite people to work with are the ones who are looking to share themselves with the world through their craft. They aren’t looking to make a quick buck or get famous. They just want to make a living doing what they love. I’m blessed to be able to say that I get to make a living doing what I love, which is making music and helping others achieve their creative goals.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

Practice universal acceptance. We are all the same, but also all different. We share the same bones, but have different interests, views, and styles. While a specific genre of music may not pique your interest, it still deserves your respect because everyone deserves the opportunity to express themselves without judgement.

Like I said before, music is a universal language. It offers a pathway to connect with people from all over the globe, regardless of class, race, or ethnicity. The only way to maintain a thriving creative ecosystem is to ensure the door remains open for everyone.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.calebhicksmusic.com/
• Other: [email protected]