--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Being in an indie band is running a…" description: "\"Being in an indie band is running a never-ending, rewarding, scary, low-margin small business.\" — Jack Conte" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9e/jack-conte-5709_band_being-in-an-indie-band-is-running-a-neve_1173312.jpg" --- # Being in an indie band is running a never-ending… ![“Being in an indie band is running a never-ending, rewarding, scary, low-margin small business.” quote by Jack Conte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9e/jack-conte-5709_band_being-in-an-indie-band-is-running-a-neve_1173312.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9e/jack-conte-5709_band_being-in-an-indie-band-is-running-a-neve_1173312.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9e/jack-conte-5709_band_being-in-an-indie-band-is-running-a-neve_1173312.jpg) > “Being in an indie band is running a never-ending, rewarding, scary, low-margin small business.” [Jack Conte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-conte/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Running an indie band mirrors a small business: rewarding yet risky, with low profit and high effort. **In simple terms:** Indie band = small business. Key Takeaway Treat your music like a business. Themes entrepreneurship creativity risk community Mood motivational realistic Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - tour planning - budgeting - fan engagement - collaborations - branding Key Concepts Business models creative economics Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance art and profit? - What risks are worth taking? A Different Perspective Financial instability can strain artistic freedom. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Band](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/band/) [Band Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/band-running-3410730/) [Being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Indie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indie/) [Indie Band](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indie-band-1110359/) [Music making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-making/) [Scary Low](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scary-low-3410731/) [Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small/) [Small business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small-business/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [Sometimes I wish I was just a girl in an indie band. I could dance around on stage and it wouldn't be so much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-allen/sometimes-i-wish-i-was-just-a-girl-in-an-indie-band-i-could-dance/) [Lily Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-allen/) > [When I listen to a Coldplay record, you're gonna hear an indie band, and you know that's what you're gonna get from Coldplay. With…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/labrinth/when-i-listen-to-a-coldplay-record-you-re-gonna-hear-an-indie-band/) [Labrinth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/labrinth/) > [Maybe it's the way that I do music, but I was never in a cool indie band or hung out with all the cool…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-nutini/maybe-it-s-the-way-that-i-do-music-but-i-was-never-in-a-cool-indie/) [Paolo Nutini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-nutini/) > [We didn't get into this to be a cool indie band. When radio caught on, that made a little more sense. We write catchy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-rutherford/we-didn-t-get-into-this-to-be-a-cool-indie-band-when-radio-caught-on/) [Jesse Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-rutherford/) > [I want my music to be really big. I have no interest in DIY Brooklyn; I don't want to be a small indie band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/porter-robinson/i-want-my-music-to-be-really-big-i-have-no-interest-in-diy-brooklyn-i/) [Porter Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/porter-robinson/) > [When we opened Babbo, we were an indie band. Now we're kinda Apple. We have 19 restaurants and 2,800 employees, we are no longer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-batali/when-we-opened-babbo-we-were-an-indie-band-now-we-re-kinda-apple-we/) [Mario Batali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-batali/) > [My parents grew that small business from one 18-year-old guarding a bingo to more than 125 employees in three states. And sure, there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susana-martinez/my-parents-grew-that-small-business-from-one-18-year-old-guarding-a/) [Susana Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susana-martinez/) > [When you create more small businesses, you create small entrepreneurship. Out of that comes self-determination and employment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/when-you-create-more-small-businesses-you-create-small/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [Small businesses are the lifeblood of our economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-vilsack/small-businesses-are-the-lifeblood-of-our-economy/) [Tom Vilsack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-vilsack/) > [My parents are conservatives. Owning a small business lent itself to that viewpoint.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-cameron/my-parents-are-conservatives-owning-a-small-business-lent-itself-to/) [Daniel Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-cameron/) > [The most wonderful thing about having a small business is that every person we dress gets a really intimate process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emilia-wickstead/the-most-wonderful-thing-about-having-a-small-business-is-that-every/) [Emilia Wickstead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emilia-wickstead/) > [There is no one-sized fits all solution to meet the diverse demands of our unique small business communities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/young-kim/there-is-no-one-sized-fits-all-solution-to-meet-the-diverse-demands/) [Young Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/young-kim/) > [There can be a wrong time - it's happened to countless bands where they release their first record on a major label and never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-fallon/there-can-be-a-wrong-time-it-s-happened-to-countless-bands-where-they/) [Brian Fallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-fallon/) > [In the beginning I was just a makeup artist and I never really pictured myself doing anything else. But now that I have so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffree-star/in-the-beginning-i-was-just-a-makeup-artist-and-i-never-really/) [Jeffree Star](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffree-star/) > [I'm always into rock n' roll and indie rock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mischa-barton/i-m-always-into-rock-n-roll-and-indie-rock/) [Mischa Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mischa-barton/) ## More by Jack Conte > [Medium is like the Instagram of the corporate world. It's the layer that we want everybody to see, but not actually how it is.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-conte/medium-is-like-the-instagram-of-the-corporate-world-it-s-the-layer/) [Jack Conte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-conte/) > [Patreon, is, has been and will continue to be a creator-centric organization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-conte/patreon-is-has-been-and-will-continue-to-be-a-creator-centric/) [Jack Conte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-conte/) > [There's a tendency for young musicians - I certainly was guilty of this - of wanting to know what they sound like, before making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-conte/there-s-a-tendency-for-young-musicians-i-certainly-was-guilty-of-this/) [Jack Conte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-conte/) > [I got to compose for a full symphony orchestra.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-conte/i-got-to-compose-for-a-full-symphony-orchestra/) [Jack Conte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-conte/) > [Unless you've given up your business to a record label, there's no such thing as just being a musician anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-conte/unless-you-ve-given-up-your-business-to-a-record-label-there-s-no/) [Jack Conte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-conte/) > [We want to make a living doing what we like to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-conte/we-want-to-make-a-living-doing-what-we-like-to-do/) [Jack Conte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-conte/) > [I love the idea of shifting power away from institutions and toward individual creative people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-conte/i-love-the-idea-of-shifting-power-away-from-institutions-and-toward/) [Jack Conte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-conte/) > [It's so embarrassing to just not feel valued as a creative person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-conte/it-s-so-embarrassing-to-just-not-feel-valued-as-a-creative-person/) [Jack Conte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-conte/) > [I couldn't possibly be any more open or public about my role as CEO at Patreon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-conte/i-couldn-t-possibly-be-any-more-open-or-public-about-my-role-as-ceo/) [Jack Conte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-conte/) > [People like my videos, some of which can cost me thousands to make. So I just ask, 'How about giving me $1 to help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-conte/people-like-my-videos-some-of-which-can-cost-me-thousands-to-make-so/) [Jack Conte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-conte/) > [I don't get a work-life balance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-conte/i-don-t-get-a-work-life-balance/) [Jack Conte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-conte/) > [One lesson I learned with Pomplamoose is that there will always be haters. Part of achieving some level of success is learning to tune…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-conte/one-lesson-i-learned-with-pomplamoose-is-that-there-will-always-be/) [Jack Conte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-conte/) > [We want Patreon to be safe, and we have no tolerance for hate speech. That's something I think other platforms have been behind on.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-conte/we-want-patreon-to-be-safe-and-we-have-no-tolerance-for-hate-speech/) [Jack Conte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-conte/) > [When I was 6 my dad taught me the blues scale, and I started writing songs and improvising.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-conte/when-i-was-6-my-dad-taught-me-the-blues-scale-and-i-started-writing/) [Jack Conte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-conte/) > [If your company is mostly men, make sure to have women on the interview team. While you don't want to 'tokenize' someone for their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-conte/if-your-company-is-mostly-men-make-sure-to-have-women-on-the/) [Jack Conte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-conte/) [Explore all 100 Jack Conte quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-conte/) ## More Band quotes > [The reason I was drawn to the Band Perry was because they have a knack for doing rollicking country music that can sound a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-robinson/the-reason-i-was-drawn-to-the-band-perry-was-because-they-have-a/) [Phoebe Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-robinson/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [There is something to be said though when you have 4 or 5 guys playing with no net, there is a sense of urgency,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-mendoza/there-is-something-to-be-said-though-when-you-have-4-or-5-guys/) [Marco Mendoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-mendoza/) > [My Nirvana experience was much different than the other three guys. For me, it was really new and exciting. I was just a guy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-smear/my-nirvana-experience-was-much-different-than-the-other-three-guys/) [Pat Smear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-smear/) > [I think my music has always been a mixture, depending on whom I'm working with - what band, what musicians, what producer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matisyahu/i-think-my-music-has-always-been-a-mixture-depending-on-whom-i-m/) [Matisyahu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matisyahu/) > [As you'll never hear the thing again, my boy, why not throw in a couple of brass bands?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-beecham/as-you-ll-never-hear-the-thing-again-my-boy-why-not-throw-in-a-couple/) [Thomas Beecham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-beecham/) > [I've always made sure that I tour with bands that people aren't expecting me to tour with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mayer-hawthorne/i-ve-always-made-sure-that-i-tour-with-bands-that-people-aren-t/) [Mayer Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mayer-hawthorne/) > [There is more to me than just having been in the Runaways. And even though I'm really, really proud of what the band accomplished,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-fuchs/there-is-more-to-me-than-just-having-been-in-the-runaways-and-even/) [Jackie Fuchs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-fuchs/) > [I like the bad-boy types. Generally the guy I'm attracted to is the guy in the club with all the tattoos and nail polish.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/i-like-the-bad-boy-types-generally-the-guy-i-m-attracted-to-is-the/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [Bass guitar is the engine of the band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzi-quatro/bass-guitar-is-the-engine-of-the-band/) [Suzi Quatro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzi-quatro/) > [I just became accustomed to being all the members of the band. That was something that was really exciting to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-collier/i-just-became-accustomed-to-being-all-the-members-of-the-band-that/) [Jacob Collier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-collier/) > [I guess because we're essentially a two-man band, we're attracting Wham's crowd. But Wham! are more of a businessman's band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curt-smith/i-guess-because-we-re-essentially-a-two-man-band-we-re-attracting/) [Curt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curt-smith/) > [I'm about as privileged as you can get. I'm a white, male, heterosexual front man of a rock band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-reynolds/i-m-about-as-privileged-as-you-can-get-i-m-a-white-male-heterosexual/) [Dan Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-reynolds/) > [I'd been playing in bands for something like seven years at this point. And we were always trying to get ahead, trying to rehearse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aerosmith/i-d-been-playing-in-bands-for-something-like-seven-years-at-this/) [Aerosmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aerosmith/) > [Metallica's the only band i've ever been in. I'm not sure that when it ends in five, ten years, I'm going to put an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lars-ulrich/metallica-s-the-only-band-i-ve-ever-been-in-i-m-not-sure-that-when-it/) [Lars Ulrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lars-ulrich/) [Browse all 6,497 Band quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/band/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Being in an indie band is running a never-ending, rewarding, scary, low-margin small business.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jack Conte" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-conte/being-in-an-indie-band-is-running-a-never-ending-rewarding-scary-low/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Band" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-conte/being-in-an-indie-band-is-running-a-never-ending-rewarding-scary-low/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9e/jack-conte-5709_band_being-in-an-indie-band-is-running-a-neve_1173312.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9e/jack-conte-5709_band_being-in-an-indie-band-is-running-a-neve_1173312.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9e/jack-conte-5709_band_being-in-an-indie-band-is-running-a-neve_1173312.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Being in an indie band is running a never-ending, rewarding, scary, low-margin small business.” — Jack Conte", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jack Conte", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-conte/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Being in an indie band is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-conte/being-in-an-indie-band-is-running-a-never-ending-rewarding-scary-low/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-conte/being-in-an-indie-band-is-running-a-never-ending-rewarding-scary-low/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```