As a creative individual with a short attention span, I needed a daily planner that actually kept my interest, helped me stay organized, and made me want to come back day after day. What I found left me disappointed. Most planners were too simple - I needed more than just a schedule and task planner. (I can do that on my phone, right?) Some were too intense, with full therapy sessions happening alongside each page. I wanted something in-between - an easy, 5-minute journal next to scheduling and planning tools. As I searched for a planner, I talked to my musician clients and students about it as well, and they had similar problems. During the 5 years I spent teaching music business to college students, I created this planner by workshopping it with them each week in class. I’ve worked through these sections with more than a hundred students and clients, and we all agree - these are the best things to ask ourselves every day, every week, and every month.

I’ve been working with musicians for more than 20 years, giving them skills and resources to help them do their best work. From event production to marketing strategies to business management and tax prep, I’ve seen every side of the industry, and this planner guides you toward the most effective, yet simple things you can do each day to move your music business forward.

The book opens with a Songwriting Planner that you can use alone or with co-writers. There’s space for you to explore your intentions and goals for the session, and to list reference tracks. This sheet includes space to brainstorm names for the tracks, write important notes, and keep track of the writers. As the session comes to a close, there’s space for notes about the next session - what to practice, what techniques to learn, and important admin tasks that need to get done. This page should be shared with co-writers, so be sure to snap a photo. It also includes a page of extra lines for whatever you need.

Next is the Monthly section. We included 3 months in each book, and they’re all grouped together. After filling in the dates, you can keep track of gigs, travels, and important events. You have room to write your hopes and intentions for the month, a quote that inspires you, any half-formed ideas you want to explore, and anything else you need to remember. Following the spreads, you’ll find 3 Monthly Finance sheets. These sheets are intended to help you organize your income and expenses. There is a section for expected income, personal expenses, and business expenses. I also challenge you to set three big money goals for each month - specific, measurable targets that are appealing enough to motivate you, but are still actually attainable. Lastly, there’s a section for math (cause I know you love math!), and a sheet of extra lines, of course. Budgeting is actually very simple - the most important part is just doing it. Don't skip this one.

Now we move into the Weekly section of the book. Here you’ll find 13 Weekly Planners. This page was designed to help you focus on what stories you want to tell. First, you can list all the tasks that must be completed, then brainstorm content you want to make. What’s the theme of the week? What are you promoting? Draw or write ideas in the Brainstorm Box, then turn those ideas into posts on the lines below. What stories do you want to tell? Where will you post them, and what day? Planning out your content helps you stay consistent, and every social media expert says consistency is key. At the bottom of the page, quickly recap the previous week - what went well? What needs work? If you need more space, there are extra lines included as well.

And finally, we move into the Daily section. There are 90 days included in this book, with 2 pages each. The Mindset sheet is my favorite and what the book was created around. Each section equates to a healthy daily habit - the first section, "How I’m Feeling" is simply short form journaling, and I created spaces for you to track daily exercise, meditation, gratitude, and meal planning. To encourage social connection, I challenge you to reach out to three different people every day. In an ode to Ari Herstand and his Inspiration Quests, I made a section where you can plan how you’ll seek inspiration that day. In an ode to Gabby Bernstein, I created a section for you to open yourself to abundance - take note of what goodness is coming in and what goodness you're sending out each day. I know from my own experience that limiting beliefs hold me back, so I made a section where you can release those ideas. If you feel stuck here, keep writing the same idea every day until it becomes true. Use the Brainstorm Box to dream up 3 big goals, and then summarize it all by setting your intentions for the day. If you feel like you have more to say, grab a journal or turn to the end of the daily section to find extra lines. This page works best when it's filled out frequently. Look for patterns. What's working for you? What isn't? After a few weeks of daily check-ins, you'll know.

Lastly, you have the practical daily Schedule sheet. Here you can list your most important tasks, time-block your schedule to fit your own personal task rhythms and needs, budget for your meals, think about what you'll read or learn, and make a plan for practicing and/or songwriting. There are extra line pages at the end of the daily section, if necessary. This page works well in conjunction with a more formal calendar on your phone or computer that can alert you when it's time to be somewhere.

By picking up this book today, you're making the first step toward feeling better and finding wellness in all areas of your life. I am so excited for you to begin this journey! If you have any questions, comments, or feedback, please don't hesitate to reach out - email hello@stephbelcher.com.

With love and gratitude -

Steph Belcher and the team at When Songs Mean Business