We recently connected with Jake Bartlett and have shared our conversation below.
Jake, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. 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?
I’ve been self-employed since 2022 and have a few different income streams from creative work. Music is one of those income streams, and within that, I’ve toured as a drummer, played on recording sessions, and produced artists. Outside of music, I have a freelance writing business where I create content for businesses.
Touring slowed down last year, and I knew I didn’t want to be on the road much longer, so I started scaling up other income streams like my writing business and studio work. Some of the steps I took to grow my business opportunities are simply treating what I do as a proper business. I set up invoicing tools, project management systems, built websites to market my services, and started building meaningful relationships with more people.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I started playing music when I was 6 or 7 years old. I got a toy drum set for Christmas and quickly recognized I had a sense of rhythm. I took piano lessons and a few drum lessons, but music theory was never my strength. I have a good ear, though, and that certainly helps.
I played in bands throughout my teens and twenties doing weekend warrior runs around the southeast and midwest, but I didn’t get my first touring gig until much later in my thirties. I toured extensively from 2022 – 2024. I’m happily off the road right now, focusing on the production and recording side of music. I have a small studio in my backyard, and it’s my favorite place to be. I get to make music, enjoy the comfort of my own bed, and surround myself with kind, supportive people I genuinely vibe with. It’s pretty fantastic.
Nowadays, you can summarize what I do as a content creator. In addition to music, I also write content for software companies. But recording and producing music is creating content, too.
Here’s a breakdown of what I do:
– Remote drum tracks for artists and producers + in-studio sessions.
– Full song production for artists
– Content for businesses (blogs, video scripts, web copy, etc)
I’m most proud of my ability to work for myself. It’s never easy, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I am my own boss, and that allows me to work on my own time and be in complete control of quality output and my own time. I was terrified of leaving the corporate world in 2022, and I was a little nervous coming off the road last year. Leaving behind income is always scary, but it’s working out so far! We’re a few weeks into 2025, and I’ve worked on a bunch of cool projects already.
My income doesn’t come from a single source, I have to do a lot of different things to make a good income, but I like that. I have a part-time career in content writing, and I have a part-time music career. Together, they make a nice income, and I’m grateful for that.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
My goal or mission today is to live authentically and have control over how I spend my time. My work today allows me to stay true to those goals while being creative. Another goal is prioritizing peace and working with people I respect. I’ve been saying “no” to more things lately to stay true to myself and maintain peace. I used to say “yes” to just about every opportunity, but lately, I’ve found a peaceful life really comes from what you say “no” to.
What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?
The best source of new clients for me has been building meaningful relationships. It’s not enough to just know so-and-so and hope you get an opportunity. You need to invest in relationships, get to know people, and show them who you are. People want to work with people they like and avoid working with people they don’t like. Be nice, be easy to work with, and build authentic relationships. Most importantly, don’t be an asshole,
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jakebartlettmusic.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jakebartlettdrums/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakedbartlett/
Image Credits
Alyson Yogi, Amber Vymislicky