This episode was previously published on the Profitable Musician Show.
Tonya Lawson, a musician with a background in music education and clarinet performance, shares her journey of expanding income while working as a musician. After graduating from graduate school, she applied for 50 university positions, but was hired by a more experienced candidate. She started building a private music studio and eventually found a better fit at an HBCU.
Tonya also taught full-time music lessons in schools, which made it convenient for parents. However, when the state ended the program, she realized she needed additional income streams to keep her studio running. She turned to blogging, which was popular at the time. However, her blog wasn’t making money, so she took a course on search engine optimization. She realized that her blog wouldn’t make money the way it was designed. Instead, she started a coffee website, a niche website to learn from, which still makes her money now.
The pandemic hit, and everything ran amok. Tonya had already been familiar with technology and everything. To transition her studio online, she started another website, TonyaLawson.com, a business website, a coffee website, and a gardening website. These passive income streams allowed her to continue teaching and earning money while also working from home.
In summary, Tonya Lawson has successfully expanded her income streams while working as a musician through various online platforms. She has a personal website, a coffee website, and a gardening website, all of which contribute to her income streams. By leveraging the internet and leveraging her experience, musicians can expand their income streams and make a significant impact in their careers.
Links mentioned in this episode:
- Tonya Lawson
- coffee website – Simply Caffeinated
- Creative SEO
- Sheet Music Plus
- TheSuburbanGarden.net
- @Dr.TonyaLawson – Instagram