Buying in bulk.  Discounts.  Loads of trusted vendors.  These are a few reasons people shop at Walmart.  People like the safety of having someone do the hard work for them.  The searching for low prices, quality products, and the latest trends.  You walk in, take a look at the shelf that has already been carefully researched and stocked, and you purchase the item.  You’re in and out and on your way in no time.
How the Charts Are Like Walmart
The charts are similar to the Walmarts of the world; they curate a list …

We all know a band.  Many of us are in bands.  Or solo artists.  Are there more today than there were 20 years ago?  Purely estimating, I would say that, yes, there are more bands and artists thanks to the accessibility to technology we have now.  What does it take to really do something with you music though?  
Here’s my short list.  It is in no way exhaustive, though.  I will be doing more in depth posts on some of these topics in the future, so get the RSS feed now!
6. Have some …

We’ve been using Facebook and Twitter now for awhile.  Some prefer one over the other.  Some only use one tool.  Others are addicted to both. (Then there’s MySpace.  Remember that?  Facebook needs to take a hint.  But that’s another post…)
Twitter and Facebook.  They’re two completely different platforms.
Like oil and water, they both have their place.  We use both.  Yet they don’t always mix.  Likewise, Twitter and Facebook are two very different mediums with two very different niches.
Facebook.
When Mark Zuckerberg was at Harvard, he had an idea.
He and three classmates got …

I’ve introduced you all to a number of different people and local businesses in this networking series.  For instance, I’ve written about a local legal blog, an FHA mortgage broker, an insurance quote blog, and a social media coach.  This week I’m writing about an inbound marketing expert.  And this guy really knows what’s going on regarding social media of Indiana.
If you’re online and have any sort of web prescence, you need to understand the importance of search engine optimization, or as it’s also known, SEO.  You don’t necessarily need …

As some of you may have heard, I am in the process of opening a new recording studio in Northern Indiana.  I’ve been able to network and connect with multiple studios in Chicago, northwest Indiana, Indianapolis, and southwest Michigan, but I still needed a space that I could use for my projects in the area with local artists and groups that can’t make the drive to Chicago or Michigan.  There are plenty of studios within 100 miles, but with rates and quality varying, it’s always nice to have options in …