PROFITABLE MUSICIAN WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

June 17, 2026

Hey there, Profitable Musician!

A lot of musicians treat their job like the enemy of their music.

I get it. When you’re squeezing songwriting, rehearsing, content, booking, recording, and family life into whatever hours are left over, that paycheck can start to feel like the thing standing between you and the artist life you want.

But this week’s podcast guest, Aurelie Couble, said something I loved.

She used her job as fuel, not an excuse.

She built her YouTube channel, started attracting people who wanted her help, tested different ways to monetize, and kept her full time job while the business was still finding its footing. She didn’t quit on day one and jump headfirst without a parachute.

That’s the part I think more musicians need to hear.

There’s a version of the starving artist story that makes it sound brave to throw away your safety net before you have proof that anything is working. It sounds exciting when you watch an artist follow that path in a biopic where you already know the outcome. In real life where the ending isn't already written, it can make you desperate, scattered, and willing to say yes to opportunities that don’t actually make sense.

If your rent, groceries, and car payment all depend on one gig or one client saying yes this week, your nervous system is going to be involved in every decision. And not in a helpful way.

You might rush an offer, undercharge because you need cash fast, or hide behind endless tweaking of your bio, website, or content strategy because testing the thing out in public feels too risky. That’s what happens when the stakes are so high that your brain is trying to protect you from one more disappointment.

Sometimes the job you wish you could leave is the very thing giving you enough stability to build the next thing with wisdom. You have time to test it before it HAS to succeed.

You don’t have to stay stuck forever. Use what you have right now.

If you’re working a 9 to 5, or even a part time job, you can still test your ideas. You can post content that starts conversations. You can pay attention to what people keep asking you about. Before you build a whole course or product, you can offer a simpler service and see whether people actually want it.

That’s a smart way to build, especially when you, or others, depend on your income.

Aurelie shared that when her music business income reached about half of what she needed to live, she asked her job if she could reduce her hours. They said no. The next day, she gave her resignation. By then, she had already seen enough evidence to bet on herself.

That’s very different from quitting because you’re frustrated and hoping the pressure will force you to figure it out.

If you’re balancing music with a job right now, please don’t use that job as proof that you’re not on a music career path. Use it as the thing funding your experiment.

You don’t need to have everything figured out before you start. You need enough courage to test the next step and enough honesty to pay attention to the results.

This week’s podcast conversation with Aurelie Couble goes deeper into this, especially if you’re trying to build music income while still working another job.

We talk about:

• how Aurelie built her music business on the side before leaving her 9 to 5

• why quitting with no safety net can lead to desperate decisions

• how she tested content, coaching, digital products, and different offers before finding what worked

• why your job can become fuel for the business instead of an excuse for staying stuck

• how musicians can make money through teaching, services, content, digital products, and client work without relying only on streaming or touring

Listen on Spotify:

Master The #1 Key Skill To A... May 19 · The Profitable Musician... 21:44   ​

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Your 9 to 5 may not be the dream. But it might be part of the bridge that gets you there.

Always in your corner,
​<3 Bree

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ON THE PODCAST

Discover how Aurelie Couble transitioned from a complete beginner in music production to a successful music business coach and YouTube creator. In this interview, she shares actionable strategies for musicians who want to build a sustainable income doing what they love.

• How Aurelie Couble shifted from visual effects artist to music producer and educator
• The role of mindset and authenticity in building an online presence
• Strategies for growing on YouTube and leveraging social media as a musician
• Turning music skills into a real business, including finding high-ticket clients
• Tips for musicians who want to move away from performing and gigs to remote and scalable opportunities

Bree Noble

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