PROFITABLE MUSICIAN: FEM FRIDAY EDITION

July 3, 2026

Happy FEM Music Friday!

In my conversation with Dr. Leslie Davis Bayliss, she told a story about a business that fell apart.

She and her husband had moved to Branson West, Missouri for a counseling practice and wellness center opportunity. They invested money upfront, were paying $1,200 a month in rent, and then the thing they moved for just fell apart.

Leslie didn’t tell it like some dramatic failure story. She said they learned from it.

But the numbers forced a conversation that led to her most important pivot.

She and her husband looked at each other and basically asked, “If we can put $1,200 a month into rent for a business that isn’t even our dream, why can’t we put that same kind of intention and financial backing into music?”

That question has stuck with me ever since, because the wellness center looked practical.

A location, a business model, and a real monthly rent payment can make something feel very professional and official.

Music can feel harder to justify because it doesn’t always come with that obvious container. It feels less tangible. It's hard to wrap your mind around how it could even be in the same category as that brick-and-mortar option they were comparing it with.

That doesn’t mean music is impractical or irresponsible. It means music needs a plan to give it structure.

That’s the really cool evolution I heard in Leslie’s story. Once the other business fell apart, she and her husband didn’t say, “Well, let’s chase music and hope something happens.”

They started putting resources into skill building, community, production, and learning how to book and market the music.

That’s a very different thing from waiting around for someone to notice you or hoping you get lucky. Music is an actual career path you invest in and nurture, not a slot machine you pull and hope for the best.

And I think a lot of women in music need to hear that distinction. I'm preaching from the choir here because I had the same misconceptions when I started pursuing music.

Sometimes a path only looks practical because it comes in a configuration people already recognize and understand. Our brain fits things into boxes so we can make sense of the world. And for many people, music doesn't fit into any of them.

So we treat it like the fluffy thing on the side, even when it keeps tugging at us year after year.

I'll go out on a limb to say that the problem isn’t that your music is unrealistic. It's that you’ve never given it the same planning, support, training, and business thinking you’d give any other business you wanted to make work.

I always say that one of my own a-ha moments was when I decided to put my music career in the same category as a bakery or coffee shop. Thinking about how I would approach and grow those business ventures opened up a whole new playbook for me. And that was a huge unlock!

So how did this play out for Leslie and her husband?

You'll have to tune into the podcast episode to find out. Click here to listen or watch.

Leslie’s pivot wasn’t just about spending money on music. It was about deciding that music deserved the same seriousness she had already given to other work.

And I know her story will inspire you because she started her music career seriously around age 40.

I think a lot of women will hear pieces of their own story in this conversation.

​Listen to my conversation with Dr. Leslie Davis Bayliss here​

Always in your corner,
​<3 Bree

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ON THE PODCAST

In this interview, Bree sits down with Leslie Baylis Davis to discuss her journey as a musician, vocal coach, and entrepreneur. Get actionable insights on building confidence, creating multiple income streams, and finding your authentic voice at any stage of life.

• Leslie's path from childhood music dreams to launching her own YouTube channel and vocal coaching business
• Overcoming perfectionism and embracing authenticity in music and performance
• Strategies for balancing family life, career pivots, and building authority as an artist
• The importance of true fans versus vanity metrics and practical ways to grow your audience
• How to integrate your story and unique skills into a profitable, multi-faceted creative career

Bree Noble

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