We were lucky to catch up with Zach Heyde recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Zach, thanks for joining us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.
Up until February of 2023, most of my career as a composer centered around additional music, arranging, and orchestration.
What I REALLY wanted was to be working with clients of my own, composing exclusively for projects I loved, and leaving enough time to create videos on YouTube.
So I decided to take a risk. I decided that it was time to start working ON my business, not in it.
From March through May, I turned down 4 high-paying jobs from other composers. I took that extra time to build more YouTube content, reach out to old and new clients, and re-vamp my website.
Honestly, work was slow for a bit…
… but in 2 months, I multiplied my passive income from content and products by 4x!
My channel viewership is up 140%…
… and I had a producer reach out yesterday, offering me a credited, high-paying job scoring a trailer.
(He found me from YouTube 😁)
I was prepared to take a loss of revenue by turning down work. But as it turns out, the time I bought back by saying “no” allowed me to re-invest into higher value projects, leading to higher return.
Zach, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I’m a composer for media, content creator on YouTube, and an obsessive coffee roaster.
I’ve written music my whole life, starting at age 3 when my parents found me playing the Flintstones theme on a little toy xylophone. I thought I’d quit at age 13, but after discovering a Rachmaninoff piece composed about local church bells he heard constantly in his neighborhood, I realized that music wasn’t just about making sound: it was about telling STORIES.
Since then, I’ve dedicated myself to exploring all of the ways music can influence a story. It can tell us secrets about characters on-screen, reveal their hidden desires or worries, or speak to emotions deeper than words or image could ever express. I’ve had the privilege of composing for projects like “Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight” on Netflix, several game announcement trailers like “Kerbal Space Program 2”, and have had ongoing relationships with animators Flashgitz and OtakuVs on YouTube.
Along with my composing work, I love to teach and inspire young composers on my YouTube channel. I don’t believe in industry secrets, so I share everything: my workflow, my composing process in real-time, and the good, bad, and ugly of the music industry. I’m proud to say that I’ve been able to reach over 65,000 subscribers, provide several products and courses, and offer coaching to aspiring composers.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
The key to building an audience is to stop focusing on what YOU want them to hear/see. Instead, start thinking about how you can provide real, tangible value to someone else.
For me, value comes in a couple of standard forms:
– Inspiration
– Entertainment
– Education
– Community
– Resources
You don’t have to provide all of these things, but you certainly have to aim for at least one. On my YouTube channel, I aim to inspire and educate composers, and provide as many resources as possible.
The result of that is that viewers feel like they’re getting more than they’re giving.
When people feel this way, they can’t help but thank you in some way. That “thanks” might be a like, a follow, a donation, booking a lesson, or even a commission. But it all stems from the mindset of a GIVING creator, not a “taking” one.
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
Here’s a list of my favorite books, videos, and resources for composers (and creatives):
– YOUTUBE –
Become a Pro Composer (My Videos):
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXtP4ANq7nIVt1Vq_ILb3yPPzCXIQATg7
The Futur (Business):
https://www.youtube.com/@thefutur
– BOOKS –
• Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less (Greg McKeown)
• The Win Without Pitching Manifesto (Blair Enns)
• The 4-Hour Work Week (Tim Ferris)
• Profit First (Mike Michaelowicz)
– RESOURCES –
The Cue Tube (Free videos for scoring): https://thecuetube.com/
Virtual Orchestration (Free forum for composers): https://www.facebook.com/groups/virtualorchestration
Contact Info:
- Website: https://zachheyde.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/zachheyde
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/zachheyde
Image Credits
All photos taken by Jon “Jags” Nee: https://www.jags.tv/