Modern Musician Podcast #324 – Andy Baker: Crowdfunding, Community, and Creative Freedom
Nov 5, 2025
Andy Baker, founder of Sound Consultancy and creator of Rocket Fuel, empowers independent musicians to reclaim control over their careers. He discusses the importance of designing effective crowdfunding campaigns that convert fans into supporters. Andy shares insights on planning, aligning mission with audience, and the common pitfalls artists face, emphasizing the value of a solid plan. He highlights Rocket Fuel's unique support system, which helps foster community engagement, ensuring artists stay 'in the driver’s seat' of their creative journeys.
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Long-Term Artist Management Example
- Andy described managing Philippa Hanna for 13 years and building her career across touring, records, and promotion.
- They used many revenue strategies and ultimately created Rocket Fuel to consolidate fan monetization and grow lifetime value.
Prepare Before You Crowdfund
- Start crowdfunding by clarifying your creative, brand and financial journey before you launch.
- Use a framework to map song quality, sound, style, show, story and systems first.
Driving Seat Framework Reveals Gaps
- Andy's Driving Seat framework splits the artist journey into wheel (creative), road (brand) and fuel (funding).
- That structure reveals where artists are stuck and what type of support they need.