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

Saint, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

I love asking my friends “What you would do to earn money if you knew you couldn’t fail?” They always talk about how much they would love to do their creative hobbies full-time. I felt the same way.

Making money as a creative used to feel unsafe to me because there is no pre-paved road, and no guarantees backed by someone else. I don’t get a salary. If I don’t work, I don’t eat. I’m the only person responsible for creating my income, and as someone who was used to working for someone else, I didn’t trust myself to make the income I wanted. I had no evidence in my past experience to prove that it was possible for me.

Other people cannot guarantee you success, safety, or results in your life. Believing in this was possible kept me stuck.

Learning that I could give myself those things changed my life for the better.

In the finance world, it’s seen as smart to invest your money in stocks and funds that return 6%-8% year over year. It’s seen as a “sure thing” because someone else with more experience and knowledge than you in that subject is advising you to do it. But now when I consider investing in the market, I only see limited returns that I have limited control over. I can pour as much money as I want into other companies (via purchasing their stocks) and have no control over thow much money I get back. But when it comes to my business, I am in control over my outcomes. I can invest my money and pour my time and energy into getting a good return. My returns are much more than 8%- my best investments range from 1000%- 5000% and up.

Thinking of it this way, starting a business is the safer bet for me- and maybe for others as well. I control how much effort I put in, and I reap the rewards from it at a higher level. It’s a no-brainer if you take the time to really evaluate what it’s costing you to follow a path paved by other people.

Saint, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Most people are surprised to learn that they can have a professional entertainer at their event for as low as $200. The average person doesn’t realize that having live music at their event is actually an affordable option for them, and so they don’t consider having a DJ or band when they’re planning.

I am an entertainer based in Austin, Texas. I wear many hats, and work primarily as a vocalist, songwriter, DJ, recording artist, and performer around town, mostly at private events. I love meeting new people around town and showing them how awesome, fun, and cool it is to plan parties with live entertainers.

The biggest differentiator is that I’m tapped into the vibe of an event. Sometimes you meet entertainers who do not take pride in things like the sound quality, their appearance, the look of their set up, etc. Other times you’ll find entertainers who can only do one genre of music, one style of performance, and they have a hard time matching your event.

I’ve a broad and somewhat surprising scope of knowledge across all musical genres, and often blend them together in surprising ways for both life performances and DJ sets. This is key to keeping all folks in a crowd entertained. I love finding new ways to get people dancing. I also take care to create a customized & curated look to my set up & appearance. My art supports your event – not the other way around. Together we can create an experience for your guests that is immersive and fun.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My mission is to help individuals access their humanity, & to learn the truth in the statement that “you can do whatever you put your mind to”.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

Here are a few by category that could really be useful:

For Musicians
Spotify Promotion: Indie Playlist Academy
Submit your set list to get paid from live shows: BMI or ASCAP
European Promo: Groover
Booking Agents: MHW, Gig Finesse
Merch (print on demand): Printful

For Business Owners
VAs: Online Jobs Ph, Upwork
DBA: get one so you can drop the “LLC” from your name
Networking Groups: BNI, NAWBO

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.saintspicer.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saintsaidso/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/saintsaidso
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jespicer/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/saintsaidso

Image Credits
Dairro Reeves, Amy Marie