While playing in a local Brisbane band and working five nights a week in a restaurant, aspiring music producer Dion decided to get into music production full-time.
Through the help of a friend, Dion found an available space and converted it into a recording studio, LaLa Land Recordings. This music production space in West End, Brisbane, is where Dion invites local artists looking to record their music professionally. He also opens it up to other producers looking to use the room for their own production needs.
In July 2022, Dion decided to monetise his passion and knew he needed to understand the business side of music production to achieve success. Dion found his pathway into professional music when he connected with Asuria’s Self-Employment Assistance program in South East Brisbane.
He came into the Asuria office with goals of building his knowledge of business costs, devising a business plan, filing taxes, and the fundamentals of owning a business. Dion met with Asuria Business Mentor, Emily, who committed to working with Dion to get his business off the ground.
Seeing an opportunity to build his skillset, Emily enrolled Dion in Asuria’s Micro-Business Training. He elected to undertake the Micro Business Skill Set program that focuses on developing a detailed business plan. This eight-week training program included four weeks of online live training webinars and local Business Mentor support.
“Coming up with a detailed business plan with Emily helped me focus on how much I needed to bring in, rather than leaving it all in my head and hoping for the best,” Dion shared.
Throughout the coaching component of the program, Dion was guided through the financial aspect of upkeeping a business, which helped fill in his knowledge gaps. He met with Emily over regular monthly and quarterly check-ins, where they tracked his business progress and discussed any steps needed to help his business thrive.
Through dedicated efforts to build his production business, Dion has seen his work take off. His recent successes in booking gigs and collaborating with like-minded musicians have built up his optimism for the future.
“I have had more opportunities recently. I have a meeting lined up with one of the biggest music management companies in the world and hoping to lock in a few other meetings with some other managers and publishers.
It’s been really good to have a sounding board to bounce ideas off with Emily and to have someone who’s been in similar shoes that I can reach out to for advice,” Dion says.
Dion primarily works as an R&B, pop & rock producer with up-and-coming artists around Brisbane. He has collaborated with talent played on Triple J, 4ZZZ and other major radio stations, as well as Spotify and Apple Music. His music production has opened the doors to more work in recording, with recent gigs in podcasting providing an additional source of income.
Since completing the Self-Employment Assistance program, Dion reports that through Asuria’s small business support, he has seen an increasing income stream from his pursuits.
“Dion is a self-driven and extremely motivated individual. He is passionate about his business and the service he provides to his clients. His recent success is a true testament to that. Dion has always been wonderfully coachable and has taken on board the guidance and advice I have given – helping me to bring out the best in him,” Emily says.
To see more of Dion’s work, head over to his Instagram page or visit his website. If you’d like to learn more about how our Self-Employment Assistance program can help you turn your business dreams into a reality, click here.
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