Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ben Lechuga. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Ben, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s jump back to the first dollar you earned as a creative? What can you share with us about how it happened?

Although I had already gotten paid for some sessions and guitar lessons, my first considerably well paid gig was the royalties check I got after my band DELTA opened a show for Dream Theater at an Arena in Santiago, Chile back in 2008. Not only it was mind blowing to be earning money as a musician, but the fact that it was because we played our own music alongside one of my favorite bands ever made it so much more special.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Ben Lechuga and I’m a guitarist & composer. Guitar and metal music caught my interest at a very early age and I got into the music business without even knowing. I was writing and performing music with my band even before I was legally allowed in the bars and venues I was performing at. It was very natural for me and felt like just another activity I enjoyed as a kid, like playing video games or soccer and eventually I became obsessed with every aspect of it. First it was guitar technique and playing live, then it was writing and eventually I was 100% focused on perfecting my craft on every level, so studying composition formally became the logical next step for me.

Having a background as a guitarist with a lot of live performance experience plus the fact that I am a trained composer, helped me develop a wide set of tools to help my clients on diverse scenarios. Wether you’re looking for a session guitarist, or want to improve your guitar technique, need guidance with your musical career or are looking for someone to write the perfect piece of music for you or your visual arts (movies, short films, animation, commercials, etc) I can help you. I understand your needs and will help you reach your goals and fulfill your vision.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

For me, the single most important thing in my creative journey is being honest. Writing music is an introspective process and tells you a lot about who you are, and if you’re honest and really understand what kind of person you are, your music will reflect that. It will be unique. That’s why for me is so important to break all barriers when writing music. I don’t think about styles, genres, instruments or structure.Freedom is key. I try to think of it as an empty canvas and let the music guide me and not the other way around.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

There are so many books that have impacted me in that sense. The first one that comes to mind is Build by Tony Fadell. It is a great example of how you should approach creating something from scratch, with extreme attention to detail, making it friendly for the customers and without loosing the business perspective. Even though it’s a business book, I definitely learnt a lot of lessons that I apply daily on my artistic career.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.benjaminlechuga.cl
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/blechugag
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/blechugag
• Youtube: www.youtube.com/blechugag

Image Credits
Photos by Caro Dagach and Eduardo “Orelha”