INTERVIEW ON THE PRICE OF BUSINESS SHOW, MEDIA PARTNER OF THIS SITE.
Recently Kevin Price, Host of the nationally syndicated Price of Business Show, welcomed Benjamin “BENCASSO” Barnes to provide another commentary in a series.
The Benjamin “BENCASSO” Barnes Commentaries
Creative collaborations can feel like alchemy — equal parts vision, chaos, and negotiation. This episode of The Coaches Corner breaks down how artists, musicians, writers, and creators can protect their interests while building partnerships that thrive. From defining roles to setting boundaries and building shared value, Bencasso™ reveals the timeless principles and modern tactics that lead to fair, empowered, and mutually beneficial creative agreements.
Welcome back to The Coaches Corner, where we talk real strategy for real artistpreneurs — no fluff, no fairy dust, just truth and tools. Today we’re diving into one of the trickiest parts of the creative grind: negotiating collaborations without losing your soul or your shirt.
Creative partnerships? They’re like jazz. Beautiful when everyone listens, chaotic when they don’t. And if you don’t negotiate from the jump, you’re basically showing up to a gig without your instrument. So let’s fix that.
Step one: Know your value.
Not in a vague “I’m worth it” way, but in a grounded, receipts-ready way. Your skills, your time, your brand — these things took years to build. If you walk into a negotiation unsure of your worth, the whole deal shifts against you. Confidence isn’t ego; confidence is clarity.
Step two: Define the roles.
Nothing wrecks a collaboration faster than the ghost of unclear expectations. Who’s doing what? Who owns what? Who gets paid, and how? Who gets credited? If this stuff isn’t defined, you’ll end up trying to untangle a spaghetti bowl of assumptions — and trust me, assumptions stain.
Put it in writing. Keep it simple. Keep it precise.
You’re not being “uncreative.” You’re being a grown-up artist who respects the craft enough to protect it.
Step three: Move slow, even when the chemistry is fast.
Creative lightning strikes hard — you vibe with someone instantly, ideas are flowing, you feel like a cosmic duo. But slow down. Excitement is not a contract. The deal you make today is the deal you will live with tomorrow. Read everything twice. Ask questions. Negotiate the details like your future depends on it — because in a creative career, it absolutely does.
Step four: Build a collaboration where everyone wins.
Negotiation isn’t combat. It’s choreography. You’re not trying to dominate the other person; you’re trying to build something that lasts longer than a moment. When both parties benefit, the partnership grows instead of rots.
When artists feel respected, the art blooms.
Step five: Protect the friendship by protecting the business.
Money and creativity mix like oil and water unless you build the right container. Contracts don’t ruin friendships — they save them. A clear agreement is a love letter to the collaboration: “I value this enough to make sure it survives reality.”
Final thought:
You deserve partnerships built on equity, respect, and shared ambition. Negotiate with clarity. Create with courage. Collaborate with integrity. And remember: your creativity is not charity. It’s a career.
If you want to go deeper into building a life around your gifts, check out my two books:
Loosened Associations Jazz: Automemoirography of Music, Mischief and Madness — https://a.co/d/9JBJWTl
and Artistpreneur Economic: How to Make a Living Doing What You Love — https:// www.amazon.com/dp/B0FFB5JK6C
Let’s keep building your legacy one strategic move at a time.
Bencasso™ is a multifaceted artistpreneur — a musician, educator, author, filmmaker, and creative business architect. His groundbreaking works include Artistpreneur Economic: How to
Make a Living Doing What You Love and the genre-bending autobiography Loosened
Associations Jazz: Automemoirography of Music, Mischief and Madness (https://a.co/d/
9JBJWTl). As a creator with over 110 recordings, decades of artistic innovation, and a lifetime of reinvention, Bencasso™ empowers artists to transform their passion into sustainable careers. His approach blends old-school discipline with new-school strategy — a roadmap for anyone ready to thrive in the creative economy.
Artwork: Bencasso™ B ART “Ending” available at Bencasso Art Gallery https://bencasso.org/featured/happy-ending-bencasso-barnesquiat.html
Benjamin Barnes, aka Bencasso, is a genre-hopping artistpreneur, blending music, painting, and education. A classically trained violinist and rock band veteran, he’s survived mental illness and poverty, transforming into a respected author, teacher, and nonprofit leader. Founder of Bencasso LLC and Culture Scholar Corporation, Benjamin produces over 1,200 music releases, runs multiple YouTube channels, and hosts the Coaches Corner on the nationally syndicated Price of Business radio show. His work empowers artists to turn passion into sustainable livelihoods.
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