Whatever your decision, I need to make one thing very clear, and I can’t stress this enough: you need technical chops in your corner. Whether it’s you mastering Ableton or a co-writer who’s a Pro Tools wizard, technical DNA is non-negotiable. Without it, you’re stuck outsourcing production, which slows your releases and risks losing your spark. Competitors with in-house skills will outpace you, and bringing production in-house later is a headache, new collaborators need time to vibe with your sound.

Data backs this up. 75% of successful artists have either a production-savvy lead or a technical co-creator. Even in non-electronic genres like folk or R&B, knowing your way around a DAW or vocal processing gives you an edge.

Design’s also becoming a game-changer. Fans expect a compelling visual narrative, album art, music videos, social posts. More artists are teaming up with creative directors or visual artists early on, inspired by multi-hyphenates like Childish Gambino or Rosalía.

The Strategic Hiring Sequence

Most artists hire reactively, bringing people on when they're overwhelmed or when someone interesting crosses their path. This leads to misaligned incentives, unclear expectations, and team bloat. I would consider following a more proactive hiring sequence based on the stage of your career:

Early Stage:

• Producer/Engineer (if you don't self-produce)
• Virtual Assistant (5-10 hours/week)
• Social Media Specialist (part-time or project-based)

Growth Stage:

• Booking Agent (commission-based)
• Publicist (project-based for releases)
• Content Creator (part-time or project-based)

Acceleration Stage:

• Manager (more on this below)
• Business Manager/Accountant (part-time)
• Tour Manager (when touring consistently)
• Label Services Provider (distribution, marketing, radio)

Established Stage:

• Attorney (on retainer)
• Publisher (admin deal or co-publishing)
• Creative Director (project-based or part-time)
• Full-time Personal Assistant

The key insight here is to hire for the next stage of growth, not your current limitations. Each team member should either directly generate revenue or free you to focus on high-value creative work that only you can do.