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
Your personal brand is the story other people tell about you — your sound, your values, your look, and the value you deliver. Start by naming your niche and what you uniquely solve. Build a short, honest story (30-second pitch), a consistent visual vibe, and a 3channel content plan. Package signature offers, collect proof (testimonials, clips), and show up weekly. Protect your work, price it fairly, and measure what sticks. Repeat. Brand consistency builds trust; trust builds a sustainable creative business.
Welcome back, artistpreneurs — Benjamin Barnes here with The Coaches Corner. Today: how to build a personal brand that actually works: not just pretty pictures, but a reputation that pays rent.
First: define what a brand is. It’s not just a logo or an Instagram grid — it’s the idea you live inside other people’s heads. It’s what a venue owner remembers after the encore or what a collector tells a friend. Your brand ties everything together: music, message, look, and how you make people feel. Consistency in that messaging builds trust — and trust equals sustainable income.
Step one — get honest about your offering. Who are you for? What pain or desire do you solve? Don’t say “everyone.” Pick the people who connect with your sound and story. This is your niche — the narrower it is, the easier it is to be known.
Step two — craft your one-minute story. Start with a line that hooks: “I turn late-night loneliness into dancing” or “I teach recovering musicians to love playing again.” Follow with what you do and who you help. Practice it until it feels like breathing.
Step three — your unique value proposition. What do you give that no one else does? Maybe it’s your combination of classical technique and punk attitude, or your workshops for veterans. This becomes the spine of every post, bio, and pitch.
Step four — design a simple visual identity. Pick two fonts, three colors, and a profile photo that matches your vibe. Use those elements everywhere. Visual repetition is how people recognize you in a crowded feed or a crowded venue.
Step five — channels and content. Pick three channels and do them well: one place to perform (YouTube/IGTV), one place to teach or explain (newsletter/blog), and one place to build community (live events/Facebook group/Discord). Post consistently: teach, perform, and invite. Don’t ghost your channels.
Step six — signature offering. Package something repeatable: a 6-week course, a house concert set, or a licensing-ready EP. Sellers sell — artists who think like businesspeople make a living.
Step seven — social proof & distribution. Collect testimonials, record short clips, get a review. License songs, pitch venues, and email your list. Networking is intentional:
follow up, bring value, and keep receipts.
Step eight — measure, refine, protect. Track what brings gigs, followers, or sales. Copyright songs, register your work, and price it so you can keep creating.
A few quick tasks for today: write your 30-second pitch, audit your socials for consistency, and plan five posts that show who you are and what you teach or sell. Keep it honest, keep it steady, and remember — your brand is the story people tell when you leave the room. Tell that story well.
Benjamin Barnes (aka Bencasso) is an artistpreneur coach, musician, and host of The
Coaches Corner on The Price of Business. Founder of Culture Scholar Corporation and Bencasso™ Media, he helps creative professionals build sustainable careers through branding, teaching, and performance. A survivor, grant recipient, and longtime educator, Benjamin blends real-world hustle with craft-first artistry.
More from The Coaches Corner & resources: https://youtu.be/b7Ada09199o?si=BjmKkDWB0O7VUFV_ https://youtu.be/NZQmgSSe6g8?si=N5geTWhIDmKsutCl
Ben’s autobiography “Loosened Associations Jazz: Automemoirography of
Music, Mischief and Madness” https://a.co/d/9JBJWTl Review my Book Please
https://www.amazon.com/review/create-review/?ie=UTF8&channel=glancedetail&asin=B0DR77VP92
Review: https://atlantapostnews.com/2025/08/24/broken-strings-and-beautifulmadness-a-review-of-loosened-associations-jazz/
How to Make a Living Doing What You Love: “Artistpreneur Economic” new book https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FFB5JK6C Review my Book Please
https://www.amazon.com/review/create-review/?ie=UTF8&channel=glancedetail&asin=B0FF5HYQNZ
Review https://dallasgazettenews.com/2025/08/28/the-artists-survival-guide-areview-of-how-to-make-a-living-doing-what-you-love/
Image: Bencasso™ Grief Available at Bencasso Art Glllery
https://bencasso.org/featured/grief-bencasso-b.html
Music
Intro Beethoven Sonata no.5 in F major iii Allegro Finale
Background: Benjamin Barnes aka Bencasso Year of the Dog Merry Xmas Bitch
Available through Bencasso Media/Lafayette Originals record label
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/6pi8fd8t7xO578103qRonm? si=eff3acf0f7a04a04&nd=1&dlsi=9fc6bc735e68435b
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/x-mas-bitch/1608707576? i=1608707583
Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/albums/B09S5V1ZYY? marketplaceId=ATVPDKIKX0DER&musicTerritory=US&ref=dm_sh_ZrnbCltZ4Nn39ZD3 Nw75hv6dV&trackAsin=B09S5RBKVG
Social Media
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/benjamindavidbarnes
- Facebook: https:// facebook.com/benjamindavidbarnes
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/benjamindbarnes
